New Email system 'robot' check

[Jules68]

The new email system which landed on me 2 days ago has a 'not a robot' check - which is a nightmare. Not only are the pictures small and blurry - and I'm using a 28 inch screen!), but as soon as you click on a square it changes, sometimes to another one with the object desired, sometimes not, and not in any sequence.  I am elderly and genuinely cannot see whether there is a bicycle in the far distance. Additionally the ap logs out (requiring further 'non robot' proof) and seems always required when I log in (on the same machine). Many such apps only require such 'proof' once, unless you e.g. clear all cookies etc. I can no longer click on 'stay logged in'. 

This is very very user unfriendly - and was not part of the 'trial' of the new ap which I actually participated in!

I only use the BT (or is it now EE?) ap for handling SPAM (and 'not spam) - other than SPAM rule setting - I rely on Thunderbird and (mobile) Blue Mail for actual email handling, but that makes the 'I'm not a robot ' farago even more annoying.

I am not against security (of course not) but this is going far too far, and clearly discriminates against those with failing sight or motor problems, particularly as it seems to be constantly required. I notice that when the ap is force closed by the system I have to navigate past BT/ EE ads etc. to re-start the log-in process. And this assumes that I am not a BT customer! (To add insult to injury!)

[gg30340]

How are you seeing the "robot". Is it on a browser or an email client or app?

Are you sure it is coming from BT because I have never come across that on BTMail and I have never heard of anybody else mention it.

[Jules68]

It seems triggered by the BT Email ap (it doesn't happen on any other pages (normally) in Chrome (Windows 10/ Chrome) - first when I click on email I have to enter name and password into my email (as normal) and then it pops up - it's the standard 8 box Captcha test - until I 'pass' the tests it won't hand me on to the normal page - I'm just getting bicycles and traffic lights at the moment. It's also a more annoying version of the test, with pictures changing as I click on them. For anyone with visual issues, or poor motor mechanical responses (like me, 'the elderly') I can imagine never being able to work through the hurdles.

It's clearly triggered by what I enter onto 'BT' pages and pops up as part of that page - as I said immediately following the ID and Password stages - and it seems embedded in the page, I can't drag it round the screen. I first have to tick the 'I am not a robot box' and then I'm plunged into identifying things in different pictures. 

It started about 2 days ago - I have been using the modified ap for some time as one of those asked to trial it, but this was never part of it.

I should add that it's not happening, as a matter of course, on any other pages I have open in Chrome, it seems very specific to the BT Mail page.

[Jules68]

Ah

I may have found a resolution - or at least an explanation. I had been logged in via a VPN (Nord) - I have just rebooted my PC and not enabled the VPN - now I go smoothly into BT Mail. I mainly use my VPN for mobile connectivity - but had recently enabled it back on my PC as I've had warnings from MalwareBytes about a couple of European (hotel) commercial sites I visited. 

It may be that BT/ EE is picking up the fact that I was accessing via a VPN and distrusting that! 

If I feel the need to boost my network security on my home PC system again I'll see if I have the robot-checking from BT re-appear.  

If I'm right that is clearly a solution, but VPN use should really not be being so penalised (if it is) by BT - it is a frequently recommended security option - and Nord VPN is not a rogue player in this market.

Often, when this happens, logging in to a network which distrusts VPNs VPN free, and then enabling the VPN will allow secure transactions but won't trigger the 'robot capture' mechanism - which seems only part of the log-in dialogues.

[gg30340]

BT do not block the use of VPNs but it may be that the IP address that your VPN was using was on a blacklist so your additional security is being activated but as I said, I have never heard of BT using the "robot" system so that may be tied to your AV or the VPN program rather than BT.

[Jules68]

It was very clearly integral to the BT mail system, it only presented after I had input my ID and Password and as soon as I had completed it I went to my email, this was a clear sequence, as indeed it is when you encounter it normally. The script formed part of the BT page and was integral to it. And, whilst I was using the VPN the same process repeated itself. If BT is recognising Nord VPN as a threat, which I believe it is, it needs to review its threat assessment. Nord is one of the most popular, and highly rated, VPN services. 

[gg30340]

As I said, BT do not block VPNs or "recognising Nord VPN as a threat"  but as you may know a VPN uses a different IP address from the one allocated to you by your Internet Provider and the one allocated by your VPN could be one that is on a blacklist and as such it would be blocked, not because it is a VPN but just in the same way as any other blacklisted IP address would be blocked.

How are you checking your BT email when this happens, is it with an email app and if so which one or are you using a web browser and if so which one. 

[Jules68]

I access it (for these purposes) using Chrome on Windows 10 via the BT email link on the BT Website. It was only when I went into that email page that the robot checker kicked in (and indeed only when I had completed initial log-in using my ID and password). I only access it directly on the BT site for the purposes of managing SPAM - either to log something as SPAM which has been passed through to my client, or to identify something wrongly logged as SPAM as a safe sender. I manage my normal email use via Thunderbird as a client. It is possible that the IP address given to me by Nord VPN was identified in the past as a rogue address (although Nord has 3 separate UK hubs, and I choose normally to be served by those and not by one based abroad) . Accessing BT Mail via Thunderbird (using a VPN or not) has given me no such 'robot checker' problems.

[gg30340]

As I said I have no knowledge of BT using the "robot" nor have I heard of any body else reporting it so I have my doubts that it is anything to do with BT but to be sure one way or the other I have asked the moderators to have a look at this thread and to advise if it is or is not something that BT use.

Meantime to see if it is possibly something that Chrome has installed can you try another browser such as Edge or Firefox with and without your VPN to see if the same thing happens.

[gg30340]

@Jules68 

It has been confirmed to me by a Moderator that the "robot" is not something that BT have implemented.  It was also confirmed that BT have no issue to people using a VPN.  

Apparently the Pop Up can appear from time to time and is IP address related.  It was noted that you were using a VPN and it looks like they, Nord VPN, were unfortunate to have allocated an IP address that has been previously added to a blacklist as I had suspected.

Hopefully then next time you use your VPN it get allocated a "good" IP address and you no loner get the "pop up".