Stop adding levels of difficulty, such as Captcha, especially when the images are so poor
What was my surprise when I signed in yesterday to find that, not only does my checking "stay signed in for 2 weeks" mean absolutely nothing, but now I am not kept signed in for even a few minutes, EVEN WHEN I'm actively working on the website. I get if I've not been on the site, moving between other family history sites, but when I'm actively working on FS and it requires me to go through the "CAPTCHA" maze again and again? It is likely that I will start moving away from FamilySearch to enter my information and use other venues, such as Ancestry, to link my data. I understand the importance of protecting our personal data but there must be some recognition of protecting users from this horrible tool, too. Surely there must be a better way than Captcha? Even a text attached to our mobile phones would be more functional. The images in Captcha are so muddy and indistinct as to make it impossible to understand just what is being shown, then to have multiple levels of these horrible images required before it will even allow me to sign in, leaves me wondering just what the engineers are trying to achieve.
Answers
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It makes me wonder if this is a new program being rolled out only to some. I have yet to see a Captcha on FamilySearch. Can you provide a link that you were on to see if it is only on some record collections? I think Captcha on the same screen should be easier than receiving some phone message requiring response - but that's just my preference.
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There was a security update by Captcha that has affected some FamilySearches users. It has been reported to engineers.
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Are the engineers also aware about one from Imperva? I'm currently getting a message that says "Access Denied," newline, "Error 15," a couple newlines, "This request was blocked by the security rules."
This message only affects me on the main FamilySearch site, not on the Community site.
Edit: it's not asking me to through "the CAPTCHA maze," rather, I am blocked from accessing any part of the main FamilySearch site, with the message, "Access Denied."
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I will add this information to what we have already given engineers about the Error 15 issue. Thank you for making sure we know. If you are interested, the discussion is at https://community.familysearch.org/en/discussion/135001/access-denied-error-15
We really appreciate everyone's effort to keep us updated and help us try to maintain a pleasant environment for all.
I will get back to you when I hear anything about either problem.
Maile 🙂
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This is EXTREMELY annoying! Please stop horrible web site behavior like this, FamilySearch!
"Why am I seeing this page?
"The website you are visiting is protected and accelerated by Incapsula. Your computer may have been infected by malware and therefore flagged by the Incapsula network. Incapsula displays this page for you to verify that an actual human is the source of the traffic to this site, and not malicious software.
"What should I do?
"Just click the I'm not a robot checkbox to pass the security check. Incapsula will remember you and will not show this page again. We recommend you run a virus and malware scan on your computer to remove any infection."
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Are you getting an Error message? Can you attach a screenshot of what you are seeing so we can try to figure out exactly what is causing this?
I am not sure if this relates to you, but if this is an Error 15 issue, please see the Help Center article https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/solutions-to-error-15 and the community manager's comment at https://community.familysearch.org/en/discussion/comment/489911#Comment_489911.
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I was seeing:
1) Many errors, and none of the messages seen referenced "Error 15" that I recall.
2) Often the error was resolved for 90-180 seconds by reloading the page, submitting a Google CAPTCHA to prove I was a human. Ironically the page requiring I prove my humanity claimed it would remember my response so I wouldn't have to prove myself human again. Bzzzt, wrong! I had to KEEP repeating my proof of humanity every 2-5 minutes consistently. Even though I remained logged in.
3) Sometimes upon proving myself human, FamilySearch's systems would start refusing to let me view normal pages (a family tree, a person's details, my own details, etc.) claiming that I need to update my profile contact information. I confirmed my contact information was intact and unchanged from before. Whenever this happened the solution seemed to be logging out and back in, which usually, but not always, solved the error.
I find it interesting that the "solutions" proposed to "fix" the problems clients have reported with the "Error 15" issues related to FamilySearch's new "security" system require that clients REDUCE or REMOVE their own client security choices from the mix. That is very sad and may be a cop-out on the part of systems and/or network administrators at FamilySearch. Or it may just be the harsh reality of the unfortunate nature of attacks malicious people are hurling at FamilySearch's servers, and thus everyone's ability to go forward is negatively impacted.
I look forward to a future in which FamilySearch is able to fix their systems so they work the way they once did AND can remain secure against malicious attackers. I hope malicious attacks are stopped, blocked, and thwarted completely. Hopefully someday people won't do such things and cause such problems. I remain disappointed at the "Error 15" suggestions that require users to reduce their own system security.
If my issues had shown "Error 15", I would not likely attempt any of the suggestions that required that I reduce my own computer system or browser or network security. But since the errors I was seeing don't quite match--no "Error 15" messages present--those really don't apply.
And for those who are afflicted by "Error 15"--I'm saddened that the solutions suggested fixes were essentially a form of, "Our site was working with your browsers just fine until we added security system X which broke your ability to use our system. We can't be bothered to fix the bugs the new system X appears to have intruduced, so instead we want you to change your systems--which were working just fine before we made changes--and hope that lets our buggy system X stay in place for now." Perhaps it could be worded a little better to let users know that they ARE working to resolve the problems and that their suggestions are merely ideas that may let users survive in the interim until the bugs can be fixed or the new system is rejected for having too many false positives and impacting usage too negatively despite whatever benefits it may be providing.
I expect and hope the FamilySearch IT folks are indeed working as best they can to find the bugs and flaws in their new "security" system that is causing "Error 15" issues for people, just as I expect and hope they are likewise tracking down and fixing the errors afflicting my attempts at using FamilySearch. Having done a lot of networking and computer system debugging during my own career, I know how much work that can be,
Thanks for taking the time to respond. I appreciate the effort.
Sincerely,
Aaron Gifford
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I note, the FamilySearch community web sites are NOT afflicted by the "I am not a robot" infinite repetition. Maybe FamilySearch's other systems could benefit from whatever the community discussion systems are doing or using so as to not interrupt users every 2-5 minutes with repeated requests at proving humanity?
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This continues to be an issue. Before I even have the option of signing into FS, Captcha grabs my access! Seriously annoying, especially when I'm actually using the site to work on Temple reservations and it decides I've been too slow to move from screen to screen and interrupts my work to once again ask if I'm a robot and it throws up Captcha screens for me to maneuver through, arresting my access again! There is also the annoying screen that says that once I've gone through the maze it will, in future, recognize my access and not run me through the process, yet it does it every time I try to open FS from my pc. I do use a VPN, but it hasn't been an issue until about November or December 2022. Please, please, please fix this nightmare 'security' tool. It is problematic enough that I am hesitating to even try to work on FS and I'm a Ward Consultant. Not a great encouragement to do the Work.
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Also, yesterday when I was helping someone else, it interrupted my helper screen and wouldn't allow me to proceed to what I was trying to accomplish for the patron. I had to log out of FS, back through the Captcha garbage, logon again, and reenter the helper screen, all to finish about 5 minutes of work to complete the "help." Utter and complete nonsense. This is not security at its finest.
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Oh, and this is the latest roadblock to accessing my Tree! Even after closing my browser and going through the Captcha it isn't recognizing my "Contact Name" which is clearly showing at the top of the page. Really, really a broken program. This was what appeared when I was once again forced through the Captcha garbage and trying to return to the page I was working on actively when Captcha decided to interrupt me. This must be fixed. Perhaps someone ought to consider the origins and purpose of Captcha, that maybe it is a tool to stop the work, not a tool to protect users.
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We have found some of the things that can trigger the logout. Please see the Help Center article Solutions to Error 15 and this post made by the community manager. Please let us know if you need more help.
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I'm having problems with the extra security as well. I go through all the captcha security stuff. Incapsula says once that has been completed "Incapsula" will remember me. It doesn't. Every time I try to enter the website by any link, I get that same message. I'm doing a lot of research right now going through the catalog, and I would like this to be corrected as soon as possible. This security thing is horrible!
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The idea of disabling my VPN, which I use to protect myself from inappropriate snooping from other sites and malicious attacks, is completely counterproductive and will not happen.
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What happened?
This request was blocked by the security rules
Your IP: 68.134.0.33
Proxy IP: 45.223.160.251 (ID 108074-100)
Incident ID: 8074000690332839180-405670789896606025
There are several reasons this error may have occurred. The following may resolve the issue.
- Open your web browser in Incognito/Private mode or disable all extensions if you have Incognito mode set to continue running extensions.
- Use a mainstream browser such as Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari.
- Disable VPN if you are using one.
I'm using Chrome; not in the incognito mode. I am unable to access FamilySearch using Google Chrome but it's working with Microsoft Edge. Any thoughts?
Thank you for your assistance. Britt Franklin
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Yup. I got that too. I am working off a different browser where I can log in just fine. In fact, Chrome is my different browser where I can log in. Edge is where I get the block. My thoughts after reading your post are that it is not a browser thing but a cookie miscommunication.
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OK, as of 9:15 am EST FamilySearch is accessible again through Google Chrome. The error was apparently cleared when I used the incognito mode to access FamilySearch and then exit and go in through the normal Chrome access portal. Unusual. I had never seen this error before.
Interesting that it has occurred for some using Chrome and others using Edge. Thank you for the reply, Gail. I switched my Chrome to the incognito mode and signed in easily. When I exited incognito mode and went back to normal mode in Chrome I was able to sign in to FamilySearch with no problem. Maybe we need to add some lard to the cookie dough. ;-)
Britt
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Mine is fixed, too, but I don't know what caused it or fixed it. I just noticed Edge wanted to update itself, I clicked ok and then FS login works just fine. I never did find any incognito mode for Edge. Oh well.
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I feel you Aaron, I am having the same issue. Why is this even necessary on this site. In addition the pages keep refreshing. I have followed all the steps in the "recommended solution". It does not work. The search page (for sources) also will not work. I have had to prove I was not a robot several times today.
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I have emptied my cookies, updated my browser, ran a troubleshooter on my computer and reloaded my browser several times. This is the only site I am having an issue with.
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