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**beddhist** · #1 25 Feb 2007

All I get when using advanced search is this rather cryptic msg:

The following errors occurred with your search:
The string you entered for the image verification did not match what was displayed.

**Grant Johnson** · #2 25 Feb 2007

Ta - that's a new option in the latest version of vBulletin that I didn't spot - they automatically turned on image verification (captcha) in the search engine - no idea why.

Now off, so it should work fine.

We're getting there! slowly...

**beddhist** · #3 26 Feb 2007

Thanks, but what IS image verification and what has it got to do with search?

It just goes to show that 15 years in IT doesn't mean I've heard about all that exists out there on the net.

**Grant Johnson** · #4 26 Feb 2007

It's all changing so fast that I'd be more surprised if you were able to keep up!

Image verification - also known as "captcha" is a system where you are shown an image of letters, usually distorted, that you have to read and enter into a box. The idea is that a spambot can't read the image, so that they can't do automatic signup in order to spam the board.

We use it on the HUBB for new registrations - you wouldn't have seen it because your registration precedes this version of the HUBB - when you signed up, captchas didn't exist.

Having it on search is a new one on me too! "Why it's there" would be to prevent nasty people from overloading the system with automated searches. Their purpose - DOS - Denial of Service attack - which is simply to bring the server down and deny anyone the use of it.

I don't think anyone hates us that much so have turned it off.

hope that's clear!

**beddhist** · #5 26 Feb 2007

Yep, I've used captchas, but never heard the term before. Thanks for the exhaustive reply - my knowledge of IT is current again and I should now be able to get another job upon my return to NZ - whenever that will be.