VirusTotal infinite captcha loop

[umarbutler]

Often times when I try uploading a file to VirusTotal, I ended up stuck in a captcha loop. I will do captcha after captcha after captcha infinitely without succeeding. I have tried different browsers, I have tried disabling adblock and I have tried VPNs, however, none of those approaches seem to work.

[modball]

Same problem here.

[Karabulis]

My workaround is using another browser for Virustotal. For me Firefox uses long CAPTCHA quests while Chrome doesn't ask at all.

[umarbutler]

I've started using a VPN and bizarrely it works 🤦

[pmme]

Used both Firefox and Edge, both fully updated and same problem.
Opens with Upload page, drag and drop file to upload, computes hash, shows the captcha checkbox, finish a captcha finally, shows upload page, drop file, rinse and repeat indefinitely.
Happens when both signed into Virustotal and when not signed in.

[wUEZRs]

Same. Can only click so many pedestrian crossings to keep my sanity. Maybe implement a smarter captcha control?

Edge 131

[MateusAuri]

Same. Sometimes it seems the file is successfully uploaded and it doesn't tell me??? I'm not sure. I keeps me stuck in the captcha loop for a while, but when trying to upload the file again a while later, it goes straight to the summary instead of asking to upload again.

[Karabulis]

For me (and others) the reason for the captcha loop was the firefox addon download manager. After deinstal I don't have that problem. I switched to WX download status bar cos I like a status bar for dl.

[MateusAuri]

For me (and others) the reason for the captcha loop was the firefox addon download manager. After deinstal I don't have that problem. I switched to WX download status bar cos I like a status bar for dl.

It happens to me even while in Firefox's Troubleshoot Mode (which disables all addons).
Same problem, captcha appears behind the upload overlay and clicking it makes the upload overlay close.

[c33s]

for me switching to https://www.virustotal.com/old-browsers/ helped

[mtxadmin]

#296

[TheZitroX]

#296

I'm stuck even with cookies.
This Website doesn't help when I can't use it…

[pukkachomby]

same. this website has become unusable.

[Dragodraki]

@everyone:

Can you confirm this bug existing now for every person since today as guest user?
VirusTotal page seems completely down to me - you simply cannot "Reanalyze" a seccond file without this never-ending loop begins.

It's a never-ending loop of re-Captchas I never faced before in a clean browser. Of course I tried to restart browser, refresh the page, deleting all cookies and so, but to no avail.
Here are some details related to the problem you might find useful:
I didn't have performed any browser update in Firefox lately and google Chrome shows the same problem anyway, I verified the problem exists in normal and private mode and with all extension disabled too. I do not use Tor browser, I have no proxy and the standard gateway is google 8.8.8.8 for Chrome and cloudflare 1.1.1.3 for Firefox (so not the culprit). There is no firewall or Antivirus that would block access to virustotal.com.
Probably its not of primary importance here, but I use Windows 11 Pro 23H2. Firefox version is 115.10.0 esr but Chrome is the always the latest version. and the problem is present here as well.

I just reported this problem to VirusTotal support. But I am glad for every comment about you facing the same issue now or not ("Reanalyze" a seccond file triggers this never-ending loop).

[groggrogy0]

@everyone:

Can you confirm this bug existing now for every person since today as guest user? VirusTotal page seems completely down to me - you simply cannot "Reanalyze" a seccond file without this never-ending loop begins.

It's a never-ending loop of re-Captchas I never faced before in a clean browser. Of course I tried to restart browser, refresh the page, deleting all cookies and so, but to no avail. Here are some details related to the problem you might find useful: I didn't have performed any browser update in Firefox lately and google Chrome shows the same problem anyway, I verified the problem exists in normal and private mode and with all extension disabled too. I do not use Tor browser, I have no proxy and the standard gateway is google 8.8.8.8 for Chrome and cloudflare 1.1.1.3 for Firefox (so not the culprit). There is no firewall or Antivirus that would block access to virustotal.com. Probably its not of primary importance here, but I use Windows 11 Pro 23H2. Firefox version is 115.10.0 esr but Chrome is the always the latest version. and the problem is present here as well.

I just reported this problem to VirusTotal support. But I am glad for every comment about you facing the same issue now or not ("Reanalyze" a seccond file triggers this never-ending loop).

Yes, I can confirm. I uploaded two files for analize, and now I'm stuck in re-captcha loop.

[Dragodraki]

In which hell are we?

A month ago ebay login via SMS verification was down for three weeks after(!) they finding out.

Github is now trigger their "Whoa there! You have exceeded a secondary rate limit." for guest users when performing more than two repository searches within a day for more than two years.

Discord is nothing else than an advertising bot machine, producing ads every 5 minutes or even more of your move your mouse.

And now VirusTotal does not allow to upload more than one file before eternal reCaptcha is displayed infinitely.

I repeat myself - how stupid global concerns can be to destroy major services on the internet, generations before worked so hard to have them created.

[umarbutler]

I personally started using Cloudflare Turnstile for my own projects specifically because of the Google Recaptcha hell bug. I'm not sure what Cloudflare is doing right that Google is doing wrong but I've never had an infinite captcha bug with Cloudflare.

Just a word of advice to fellow developers to avoid putting others through the same pain 😆

[Dragodraki]

I personally started using Cloudflare Turnstile for my own projects specifically because of the Google Recaptcha hell bug. I'm not sure what Cloudflare is doing right that Google is doing wrong but I've never had an infinite captcha bug with Cloudflare.

Just a word of advice to fellow developers to avoid putting others through the same pain 😆

Uhm... you got something wrong here, I am afraid. The problem is not related to IP or Cloudflare (never was), they do a pretty well job in my opinion. My Firefox use 1.1.1.3 as DNS (so I first assumed it to be the culprit) but Google Chrome with Windows DNS 8.8.8.8 and Tor browser has the same problem, so we can be sure its neither DNS nor IP adress related. [not browser or addon related too BTW]

This infinite captcha on VirusTotal is triggered by VirusTotal statically and for nearly every person on the world at the moment.

[umarbutler]

Uhm... you got something wrong here, I am afraid. The problem is not related to IP or Cloudflare (never was), they do a pretty well job in my opinion. My Firefox use 1.1.1.3 as DNS (so I first assumed it to be the culprit) but Google Chrome with Windows DNS 8.8.8.8 and Tor browser has the same problem, so we can be sure its neither DNS nor IP adress related. [not browser or addon related too BTW]

Umm… I think you’ve got it confused. My comment has nothing to do with Cloudflare DNS…

Cloudflare Turnstile is an alternative to Google’s Recaptcha. I am recommending that people using Cloudflare Turnstile instead of Google Recaptcha instead.

And I have experienced the infinite captcha glitch with more than just Virustotal. And the common denominator is always Recaptcha.

[Dragodraki]

Umm… I think you’ve got it confused. My comment has nothing to do with Cloudflare DNS…

Cloudflare Turnstile is an alternative to Google’s Recaptcha. I am recommending that people using Cloudflare Turnstile instead of Google Recaptcha instead.

And I have experienced the infinite captcha glitch with more than just Virustotal. And the common denominator is always Recaptcha.

The first part is irrelevant to the error since VirusTotal uses ReCaptcha. I's not that I can choose between different captcha vendors.

The latter is quite interesting, I didn't catch that. Anyway, as for this problem VirusTotal should be in charge for making its services run. You have a point the issue might not originated by VirusTotal but Google might not feel responsible for third party websites. Though an additional request to them would not harm, I admit. Maybe you can do this since you find out about that fact.

[Dragodraki]

For the first time since two weeks it worked again on VirusTotal to answer the captcha and reanalyze the file. Cannot say whether it was just a lucky coincidence or the issue being fixed.

What do the others say, does VirusTotal work for you now?

UPDATE:
Just a coincidence, it still fails.

[umarbutler]

The first part is irrelevant to the error since VirusTotal uses ReCaptcha. I's not that I can choose between different captcha vendors.

I was suggesting that other developers such as myself that are building web apps don’t use Recaptcha to avoid putting their users through the same pain.

The latter is quite interesting, I didn't catch that. Anyway, as for this problem VirusTotal should be in charge for making its services run. You have a point the issue might not originated by VirusTotal but Google might not feel responsible for third party websites. Though an additional request to them would not harm, I admit. Maybe you can do this since you find out about that fact.

By the way VirusTotal is not exactly a third party, it is owned by Google 😂

[chylex]

I finish the captcha, it disappears, but then nothing happens... so frustrating.

[chylex]

The virustotal.com/old-browsers page works, but the images are fading out and in slower and slower every time I use it. What a god-awful experience this captcha is.

EDIT: Of course this is only a problem when I use Firefox. I opened VirusTotal in Chromium and didn't even get a captcha. 🙄

[Dragodraki]

I just verified it again. It's not ReCaptcha in general which fails. On other sites, it still works. Maybe its only a specific version of ReCaptcha or VirusTotal is a special case. Additionally we found out so far that all IPs and browsers are targetted so it's very unlikely to be a client problem either.

May I ask: Did anybody create a support ticket, besides me? It definitely has to be fixed - and from I can see at the moment - it has to be fixed from within VirusTotal (not Google, even if the service belongs to Google).

Come on, this will only get better if enough people start to actually report that case to VirusTotal support.

[chylex]

Come on, this will only get better if enough people start to actually report that case to VirusTotal support.

I did open the Contact Us page earlier and the form asked for my "corporate email address", so I closed it because I'm not a corporation and this gave me the impression that I'm not allowed to ask for technical support as an individual.

[Dragodraki]

@chylex
If its only explicit for corparations indeed, you maybe got the wrong site.
That term "corporate email addess" is very common when both private and business people use the same website though. So, if its only that, you may proceed just with your private mail instead.

@everyone
Honestly, does anyone believe, corporations would call the support, excluding Antivirus vendors? VirusTotal is mostly for private devs, business people rely on their own firewalls, SIEMs, SOARs and sandboxes.

Really, I cannot believe: The worldwide greatest platform in malware fighting does not work for several weeks and almost(!) nobody seem to care?! It says a lot about home security concerns...

[chylex]

If its only explicit for corparations indeed, you maybe got the wrong site.

No, it's the Contact Us link on the bottom of the page.

That term "corporate email addess" is very common when both private and business people use the same website though. So, if its only that, you may proceed just with your private mail instead.

I don't know how I'm supposed to know that. If they just want an email address, corporate or not, it's confusing when they call it a "corporate email address" instead of just "email address".

[Dragodraki]

After the last reply I got from support the issue seems to be partly fixed now. Partly!
The infinite loop is still present on older versions of Firefox, including FF115.x(esr). So, you have to use a newer version to make is working. Google Chrome works too now (dont tested older versions).

But there are a few other problems remaining: Sometimes the captcha hides behind an semitransparent overlay so you can't click to solve the puzzle (and before somebody asks: I tried it without addons in incognito mode and already answered the cookie prompt). Another problem is that sometimes you cannot upload a file (a banner falsely tells you that your file would be in use - though it's obviously not a client end fault here - thinking about even a file in use should be readable).

I don't give up - I told the support about that.