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Form spam is not only annoying, but it can be detrimental to your business. Spambots scour the internet every second, looking for weaknesses in your security. If one can get through, you could suffer a devastating malicious attack on your system. Cyberattacks can cripple businesses, so rock-solid cybersecurity is a must for any company. In the past, CAPTCHA was the go-to tool to prevent spam. Yet, it was a cumbersome system that frustrated users and is now dead. Luckily, there are many ways to prevent spam without CAPTCHA. Let's take a look at a few so that you can beef up your security against form spam.
There are many other ways to determine whether a user is a bot other than filling out blurry forms. One of the most effective ways is by using session cookies. That way, you can track how long each user spends on your website.
The general rule of thumb goes like this:
Using cookies is a non-invasive way to check if your users are human or not. The significant problem users had with CAPTCHA tests was how intrusive they were. There were even studies conducted portraying how negative CAPTCHA was for conversion rates. On average, around 15% of users would abandon a site if presented with a CAPTCHA test. With session cookies, you can double-check your forms without bothering your users.
Hundreds of spambots can originate from one IP address. Once you determine which IP address is sending you loads of spam, block them! You may not be aware of how easy it is to block an IP address from your website. Here's what you need to do:
And just like that, you'll know the IP address of every email that gets sent to you. From there, all you have to do is identify the IP address or addresses that are sending you spam. To block them, you can either:
1. Ask for help from your web hosting company to block the IP address.
2. Download a security plugin that allows you to block the address.
Blocking IP addresses is another non-invasive security measure to prevent spam. Your users won't have to do anything, and you can get rid of those pesky spambots.
For your most important forms, such as user creation and selling products, a double opt-in is a great idea. It might take a bit of time to do, and it requires some effort from your users, but it's well worth the effort. A double opt-in form works like this:
1. Your user enters their phone number or email address.
2. You send a verification code or link to their contact information.
3. A physical user must follow the link or enter the code to verify that they're a human being.
Bear in mind that you don't need to do this for every single form on your website. If a form simply allows you to download a free video or PDF, for example, you won't need one. Double opt-ins are extraordinary security measures to protect your critical forms. Try to use them sparingly, though, as they do require an extra step from your users.
In today's age, reCAPTCHA is the successor to CAPTCHA forms. Ever since Google killed off CAPTCHA, they've been using reCAPTCHA as a replacement. It works similarly to a CAPTCHA test, without all the hassle.
Instead of a blurry block of text, users simply have to check a box that confirms they're not a robot. Checking this box takes only a second, making it far more convenient than CAPTCHA tests. A reCAPTCHA box will help you filter out copious amounts of spam from your website.
By now, you should know of more than a few ways to prevent spam without CAPTCHA tests. CAPTCHA may be gone, but there are many viable replacements in its wake. Spambots may constantly be changing and evolving, but our security measures are as well.
