What is this ShieldSquare business?

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

JEDI

Lifer
Sep 25, 2001
30,160
3,300
126
after months of not getting it, I just got hit with it. :(
same computer, same home internet, same browser
 

jwhorfin

Senior member
Aug 13, 2005
230
12
81
Got it for the first time today... scared the crap outta me as well : )
Would not let me into the forums unless I played along and verified. checked Anandtech.com before clicking anything and the main site loaded ok.
So this is originating from the Anandtech forum software or from a outside entity?

*edit: It also changed the Anand forum avatar in bookmarks to the SquareShield avatar till it let me back in... :oops:
 
  • Like
Reactions: compman25

Amol S.

Platinum Member
Mar 14, 2015
2,390
709
136
using same laptop, os (win7), browser (IE 11) and vpn since 2 years ago.
today was the 1st time I saw this new captcha.
Windows 7. Isn't that going to be outdated within 4-5 months. The staff member did say that the square shield thing would pop-up if you are using outdated software. Probably they are doing things months in advance to be on the safe side.

To top that out, Internet Explorer what ever version is already outdated. Microsoft themselves said not to use Internet Explorer and to use Edge... which is not available on Windows 7.
 

Amol S.

Platinum Member
Mar 14, 2015
2,390
709
136
Just happened a few moments ago. What activity do you feel is suspicious? I have only made 2 new threads in the past week. Screenshot_2019-08-26-16-52-25.png
 
  • Like
Reactions: compman25

Orange Kid

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
4,328
2,112
146
Happens far to often here also. Does not matter if it is a windows or Linux machine I am using. 20 years on these forums should be enough time for you to figure out that I am not suspicous in my activity. Loose the stupid thing. I have two step login security on!
 

Scarpozzi

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
26,389
1,778
126
I saw it for the first time just now after my computer shut down due to a power outage....sheesh. That's annoying considering I've never seen it on any other site...

You'd never see a major ecommerce site block traffic for that nonsense....it would be the last thing they ever did before losing out to the competition. Hopefully that can be shutdown by whoever your host is.
 

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
48,414
5,270
136
Windows 10 64-bit, Google Chrome browser, no VPN or anything fancy

Went to forums.anandtech.com and got the captcha today. Also the graphic at the top appears to be broken...

captcha.jpg
 

JEDI

Lifer
Sep 25, 2001
30,160
3,300
126
Windows 10 64-bit, Google Chrome browser, no VPN or anything fancy

Went to forums.anandtech.com and got the captcha today. Also the graphic at the top appears to be broken...

View attachment 10221
obviously, your Bluetooth Anova got hacked :p

also, it seems anandtech switched to captcha from squaresoft?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ajay

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
48,414
5,270
136
obviously, your Bluetooth Anova got hacked :p

also, it seems anandtech switched to captcha from squaresoft?

Haha!

ShieldSquare, not SquareSoft...although I thought the exact same thing when I saw it lol
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
62,899
11,290
136
It's been a couple of days since the forum software update...so far, I haven't had a single ShieldSquare issue... <knock wood>
 

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
56,343
10,046
126
I just got it! The CAPTCHA! And I beat it! But for how long...until it challenges again?
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
62,899
11,290
136
It's been a couple of days since the forum software update...so far, I haven't had a single ShieldSquare issue... <knock wood>

I KNEW I would jinx it...got up this morning...captcha-blocked on my iPad.

I REALLY wish the Purch Future folks would fix this crap. (Missed the sale of AT/Purch last year. Seems like this problem started AFTER the site was sold.)
 
Last edited:

balloonshark

Diamond Member
Jun 5, 2008
6,321
2,724
136
It happened to me for the first time this past week. I keep a vpn extension installed in firefox but I normally keep it disabled. This week it was enabled but it wasn't on so that could have been the trigger. If so that's not good if this site is just detecting the enabling of a browser extension even though I wasn't actually using a vpn. I hope that makes sense.
 

Jaskalas

Lifer
Jun 23, 2004
33,442
7,506
136
I ran into this "block" when I first visited after the recent forum update.

It required me to click a checkbox. So.... not a big deal?
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
62,899
11,290
136
I ran into this "block" when I first visited after the recent forum update.

It required me to click a checkbox. So.... not a big deal?

That works for my on my PC, or my android fone, but not on the iPad. Doesn't matter what browser, no check box, only "file not found."
 

JEDI

Lifer
Sep 25, 2001
30,160
3,300
126
I KNEW I would jinx it...got up this morning...captcha-blocked on my iPad.

I REALLY wish the Purch Future folks would fix this crap. (Missed the sale of AT/Purch last year. Seems like this problem started AFTER the site was sold.)
What?
Link on sale?
 

nakedfrog

No Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
58,152
12,327
136
I haven't been seeing the ShieldSquare thing, but the forum does keep intermittently acting like I'm not logged in, but when I click to log in, it says there was an error, and after refreshing a few times, it's back to normal.
 

Ajay

Lifer
Jan 8, 2001
15,454
7,862
136
Last edited:

nakedfrog

No Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
58,152
12,327
136
I guess they must have done something, because today I saw my first ShieldSquare page pop-up since May.

Wow, and after I solved it, it took me directly to another ShieldSquare page... and then when I solved THAT one, it took me right to another one.