What do you think of Cloudflare?

[Tom]

As I'm sure some of you have noticed, we recently implemented a Cloudflare anti-robot tool on Carpokes. Apparently the AI-training bots have discovered us in big numbers, with upwards of 3 thousands bots 'screen-scraping' our site at the same time, which amounts to a virtual DDoS attack. Cloudflare does a great job of letting the humans in and keeping the bots out, but I wanted to see what people think of it? I've been trying to turn it off during peek hours, but the bots are relentless and I may just leave it on all the time. The only thing you'll notice is the bot-check when you first try to pull up the site -- which usually lasts 2 or 3 seconds, and occasionally makes you check a box to say you are human. To me it's a small price to pay and getting pretty familiar on the Internet, but I wanted to see what everyone else thinks and/or if it's been problematic or irritating to anyone?

[blueline]

I don't think there is a choice at this point - the Cloudflare functionality is essential and obviously beneficial. It's too bad it has come to this. Spammers, trolls, bad players, etc. and now AI intrusions to contend with.

One thing I've noticed however is that I get the bot-check fairly often even though I have not signed out of Carpokes nor closed the webpage. (I rarely close the page or sign out.) Same for the app on my phone if I'm using that device. Do you know if it continues to check randomly after the initial access challenge has been met or is Cloudflare set up to recheck periodically - a timed sort of thing? I'm not sure why it would need to reconfirm my status as often as it seems to do.

[Tom]

I doubt Cloudflare knows if someone is logged in, but not sure why it would need to check and re-check the same IP address so frequently. It's a good point. I'll look into that...

[dr bob]

I tend to use 'incognito' mode, aware that the security benefits aren't what they might be but still hoping that there's some small benefit hidden away. But that means logins are manual, so I get to see that Carpokes logs me out after not too much inactivity. Sometimes while composing an extended post, it will log me out and I don't know until I hit the 'submit' button and it won't work. Anyway, since the forum logs me out it's likely doing the same for you. If you aren't allowing a cookie to remember your credentials you'd get to enter them again, but for most folks it would bring you back transparently. Except for the Cloudflare verification delay.

Just speculating.

[blueline]

I am not being logged out. I don't log out of Carpokes. For me it is simply additional Cloudflare verification requests that occur periodically.

[Stormy_Monday]

Anything that can reduce the crapola is good.

[996C438]

The few seconds it does its thing is well worth the rewards in my opinion . No complaints from me .

[WillyDaP]

Cloudflare checks so quickly I find it reassuring to keeps things clean and not full of crapola ( technical term provided by Stormy Monday ) , so I am a happy camper.

...And with crapola changing faster than I do my underwear , I have no issues if it checks every single day. It also verifies I am a human and this gives me proof I can show my wife who often says she wonders what I am.

[P_Coastal]

Cloudflare is better than slowed by bots

[J-Dub]

I was wondering what that was, I keep getting signed out on my mobile device. My laptop just goes through that verification when I refresh the page or check active topics.

I guess I am already used to it and if it helps make it easier to manage the site I am all for it.