[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: cellcom sendsms



On Wed, Apr 18, 2001, Alon Altman wrote about "Re: cellcom sendsms":
> On Wed, 18 Apr 2001, Nadav Har'El wrote:
> > [1] I do know of one counter-measure that they can use to almost-completely
> > destroy the possibility of scripting their site (or at least make it very very
> > difficult). I hope they never figure out this method or decide to use it :)
> 
>   This method was mentioned in the latest edition of captain internet:
> http://www2.haaretz.co.il/communikit/html/articles/19/katavot/215/360915.asp

Yes, this is exactly the method I was thinking of...
Take a look at altavista's "submit site" form for an example implementation.

But not only is this method doesn't work for textual browsers, it also assumes
a "human" has certain capabilities (for OCR) that a machine doesn't. This
assumption is problematic for two reasons:

 1. The machine can do OCR, no matter how "wierd" the characters look. If
    the humans can read them, then so could a machine with enough effort.
    If this method is supposed to deter a criminal with financial incentive
    to break it, I doubt it'll hold for long. But it is MUCH harder than
    breaking the more conventional methods, so benevolent hackers won't be
    able to crack it, only malicious criminals. Doesn't sound very smart...

 2. Some people are unfortunately incapable of doing such OCR. Among them
    are the blind and dyslexic. Do we now consider such people "machines"?
    I don't. I wonder if a method like this shouldn't be made illegal for
    that reason.

Anyway, using this OCR method for creating a new account may make sense -
using it for sending each message would be very unfortunate :(

-- 
Nadav Har'El                        |    Wednesday, Apr 18 2001, 25 Nisan 5761
nyh@math.technion.ac.il             |-----------------------------------------
Phone: +972-53-245868, ICQ 13349191 |A man is incomplete until he is married.
http://nadav.harel.org.il           |After that, he is finished.

=================================================================
To unsubscribe, send mail to linux-il-request@linux.org.il with
the word "unsubscribe" in the message body, e.g., run the command
echo unsubscribe | mail linux-il-request@linux.org.il