CAPTCHA Verification to continue messaging go to endless loop (Windows)

[SergeAgeyev]

---

Bug Description

Infinity loop after "Verify to continue messaging" CAPTCHA presented

Steps to Reproduce

1. Sent the same message to several people (meeting notification, as I did before).
2. Been presented modal dialog "Verify to continue messaging"
3. Clicked "Continue" button
4. Redirected to Browser
5. Process CAPTCHA successfully
6. Open Signal back via dialog windows drawn by the browser ("Open Signal application...)
7. Seen "Verification Complete" toast message in the background (below the verification dialog)
8. Verification dialog does not go away, preventing to use of the application

Actual Result:

The verification dialog stays on top of the application, preventing normal messaging.
This behavior is checked on Edge, Chrome, and Firefox.
On each browser up to 5 CAPTCHAs were been processed (still looped).
No luck going out of the loop.
This is VERY annoying.

Weird workaround (not working):

If a user attempts to close Verification Dialog by hitting X on the top right corner, "Continue without verifying?" modal dialog is presented. If the user selects "Skip Verification" (if CAPHTA was passed) the system seems to operate normally for a while (allowing to send a few messages), then again, the user has to reenter the CAPTCHA (but seems that time messages are not delivered at all).

Expected Result:

The "Verify to continue messaging" dialog should disappear after a successful CATCHA pass.

Screenshots

Platform Info

Signal Version: 6.12.0.0

Operating System:

Windows 10

Linked Device Version:

iOS 16.4

Link to Debug Log

debuglog.txt

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

You might consider reaching out to our support so we can really work through the details of this with you. Then you can provide your full log. The subset of the log you provided isn't the part of the log that we need to look at to help with this.

For now, we do have a few questions for you. Are you sending messages to a lot of new people? That kind of thing can be flagged by our systems, which then shows you the CAPTCHA.

Is there anything else you're doing that's unusual? Do you think that maybe you're not successfully completing the captcha challenges?

[SergeAgeyev]

My workflow:
I am using the Signal for several months at the moment.
I am sending private messages as routine support-via-signal duties.
Some of my messages are identical (links to the sections of the manual), as the problems may be similar.
Sometimes, I start conversations with new people, as they provide us with phone numbers via product reg.info.
In total, I am sending 20-30 messages a day.

My problem:
I cannot get rid of Verification Dialog, even though I have passed CAPTCHA successfully.
It stays on top of the app, even though I have passed CAPTCHA ok (may times).

Please look at the screenshot, you will see "Verification Complete" toast in the Signal window and a green checkmark from CAPTCHA in the browser window in the background. But "Verification to continue messaging" is still here.

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

Thanks. Again, we do need your complete debug log, and the log from your phone as well if we are to fully understand the captcha situation. If you're more comfortable sending those logs to support, you can do that here: https://support.signal.org/hc/en-us/requests/new?desktop

[SergeAgeyev]

Looks like its fixed, at least in version 6.13.0 verification works as expected.

[arlaurent]

Bug Description

"Verify to continue messaging" ...Help, I'm trapped in an... "Verify to continue messaging" ... infinite loop! "Verify to continue messaging"

Steps to Reproduce

1. Send message in high volume/high traffic private Signal group.
2. Signal asks to verify.
3. Click Continue.
4. Signal opens browser to hCaptcha.
5. Complete Captcha.
6. Redirects me to Signal.
7. Signal asks me to verify again.
8. Rinse, repeat.

This has happened on three different occasions now. To say that this is extremely annoying is understating the problem.

Platform Info

Signal Version: 6.29.0 production (Apple silicon)
OS: MacOS Ventura 13.4.1 (c) (22F770820d)
Hardware: MacBook Air M2, 2022

Linked Version: Android version 13
Mobile Signal Version: 6.28.6

Screenshot Sequence

Step 1.

Step 2.

Step 3.

(doing the captcha)

Step 4.

Step 5.

Yes, the captcha is really done!

Step 6.

Hello darkness my old friend...

[indutny-signal]

@arlaurent could you send us your debug logs from Desktop and (if possible) your phone as well? Thanks!

[brutal-orange]

@indutny-signal I just sent a funny video to all my friends, and I'm now inside an infinite loop myself (on PC). I've successfully completed the captcha many, many times. Do you need anything that could help you? The phone app still works fine, and I can see the messages I sent from the phone app on my Windows client.

Edit: I just sent a support ticket about it (November 12th, 16:26 PM CEST). It contains the logs from both the phone app, as well as the Winodws client. Didn't feel comfortable posting this here. Unfortunately, I didn't get a ticket id and/or an email about it :/, so, I can't reference you to anything.

Edit2: Come to think of it, a friend just joined Signal yesterday or so. He's used it before, but uninstalled it. I sent him some messages, but he didn't reply yet. Today, I sent him that video, and it's when I was prompted to verify. Maybe that has something to do with it?

[indutny-signal]

Thanks for the logs. We will look into them!

[Seneral]

Using Signal regularly and never had a problem, then messaged ONE new person (hard to find people that use signal here), and now I'm getting a verification every single time I go to write them (and only them). No problem writing to long-time contacts. And on my desktop app, it doesn't even do anything after clicking continue, I have to skip it (Linux Flatpak), so I cannot write to them at ALL using the desktop app. I did manage to send a file over it once, and then later, a message from the desktop client triggered it.
I am using a VPN but that should be my right. It's sad that with the few people I can communicate with over Signal, it's apparently not reliable, which is the sole thing a communication tool really should be. Unsurprisingly I won't be using Signal for new contacts, if there's even the slightest chance this could happen. It's just not worth it. A normal user should never be able to reach the quotas to trigger spam filters in the first place (and frankly, I never received spam on Signal, either). Sorry for the rant, but I am honestly baffled this is a problem. Users should not need to fight the platform they are relying on to communicate.

[evok3d]

The best solution was posted by someone else, though I can't find the link.

This is how you can verify yourself on Linux:

• Click on Verify (opens the link in your browser)

• Verify using the captcha

• Once it is verified in the browser, you will get the Xdg-open dialog prompt

• Ignore the prompt

• Right click on the "Open Signal" hyperlink below the verification box (see screenshot below) and copy the link address
  

• Make sure Signal is closed.

• In terminal type signal-desktop space and then paste the link address from the previous step

• execute the command

• It will open Signal and run the verification and display "verification complete"

• You can now resume using Signal.

• If you get "verification failed" it means you waited too long between the copy and running the command in Terminal, in which case just do the browser verification again to get a new one.

[v6]

Why is this closed?

The rest of us are still getting this.

[trevor-signal]

Why is this closed?

The rest of us are still getting this.

@v6 can you be more explicit about the behavior you're now seeing? We've resolved some issues related to captchas, so debug logs will be very helpful to understand what's happening in your case.

[dewetblomerus]

I am experiencing this on Android

[indutny-signal]

@dewetblomerus sorry about this. Same as Trevor has mentioned above, debug logs from your Desktop and phone would be really helpful next time you experience it!

[arlaurent]

Hey Fedor, how can I send you these logs personally/directly? I am a bit uncomfortable having my private convos being explored by anyone on the signal team! Hope you understand!

…

On Mon, May 6, 2024 at 9:19 AM Fedor Indutny ***@***.***> wrote: @dewetblomerus <https://github.com/dewetblomerus> sorry about this. Same as Trevor has mentioned above, debug logs from your Desktop and phone would be really helpful next time you experience it! — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#6353 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AANGPOO4FTFK44XQZZWNZWLZA6USVAVCNFSM6AAAAAAWPAMIJWVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZDAOJWGQZDONBWGA> . You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[indutny-signal]

@arlaurent you could use indutny@signal.org. Thanks!

[synapticlee]

I am also having this issue and have reinstalled and unlinked signal desktop so many times. I sent in a support ticket on the app.

[tasket]

I'm having the same problem trying to enter my first message to someone. I just installed Signal desktop on Debian 12 from snapcraft. The web browser is Firefox v115 ESR. I haven't tried evok3d's workaround yet...

[tasket]

I tried @evok3d 's workaround and it failed: Signal runs and then says Verification Failed in the lower left corner and puts up another "Verify to continue" prompt. I don't think I waited too long to run signal-desktop (with pasted link).

[krlabs]

Absolute the same situation - LOOP CONFIRMATIONS. We confirm, click continue and Signal Desktop App again ask to confirm.. What kind of fool introduced this check?

[cyberwolfie1]

I am having the same issues on Signal Desktop 7.11 on Linux, installed via your instructions for Debian-based installations. Started only recently, and only when messaging someone new from the contact list. Message will not be delivered (perpetually spinning circle). I am often connected via a VPN server. Loop of captchas, message being "Verification failed. Please try again later". First time this occurred, it eventually worked. Not sure what I did to make it work then, and I am unable to reproduce that now.

I can send a message to the same person on mobile (Android), where the message status is seen to be delivered (two open circles). Connected via same VPN on mobile (though not necessarily same server). After this, the original message from the desktop client will still not be delivered.

Edited to add: This also occurs when I am not connected to the VPN, which I have of course have tried.

[jamiebuilds-signal]

@cyberwolfie1 Could you clarify what you're experiencing now? Are you having a captcha loop on desktop or are you not receiving delivery receipts on desktop? Also could you include a debuglog

[tasket]

I think part of what is happening, and causing confusion, is that the mobile version allows you to add the desktop app as a device. This results in the desktop version still showing the captcha while also being able to access the chat(s) if the captcha is ignored.

This situation, with the basic auth UI of the desktop being ignored by the devs, is unfortunate because the desktop version is potentially more secure than the mobile version if the desktop OS is carefully setup with virtual machines (Qubes OS for example) or similar means of isolating threats.

[cyberwolfie1]

@cyberwolfie1 Could you clarify what you're experiencing now? Are you having a captcha loop on desktop or are you not receiving delivery receipts on desktop? Also could you include a debuglog

I was stuck in a captcha loop over the course of the last 2-3 days. I would not receive delivery receipts for the attempted messages that first triggered this (which I guess is expected behavior?). But if I then messaged the same person on mobile (Android), I would be able to message these people on desktop as well, although the initial message would still not be sent. Following that I would be prompted with captcha seemingly at random (but maybe because it was still trying to send the original message?). Every time I completed the captcha, I would get the "Verification failed. Please try again later" error and I would have to click "Skip verification" to continue using the app until the next time I was prompted to verify.

Today I have so far not experienced this. The status of one of these messages is now "Send failed". I can provide a debug log next time I experience this.

I tried the workaround @evok3d posted, but that did not work for me. However, I did set the browser to automatically open the Signal captcha-links from signal.org, so I didn't try a link that had not previously been attempted.

[jamiebuilds-signal]

I assume the original message was never sent and it is continuing to retry. You could delete that message to stop the retry from happening. But to be clear if you send a new message now, does it also fail and prompt you with captchas? If you can do that and provide a debuglog that would be useful

[no-usernames-left]

This situation, with the basic auth UI of the desktop being ignored by the devs, is unfortunate because the desktop version is potentially more secure than the mobile version if the desktop OS is carefully setup with virtual machines (Qubes OS for example) or similar means of isolating threats.

It has nothing do with platform security; it is an antispam measure.

[tasket]

Denial is part of the failure. I didn't suggest that captcha be removed; the issue is that its broken on the desktop and not being fixed. Potentially locking people out of their own chats sure is an "anti" something, though.

[cyberwolfie1]

I assume the original message was never sent and it is continuing to retry. You could delete that message to stop the retry from happening. But to be clear if you send a new message now, does it also fail and prompt you with captchas? If you can do that and provide a debuglog that would be useful

After messaging on mobile, it does not fail on desktop anymore. It happened twice, as I was messaging two new contacts. Unfortunately I have no new contacts at the moment to contact for the first time to see if that prompts the captcha again. Is it still helpful with a debug log after a successful message sent to one of those who previously prompted the captcha?

[jamiebuilds-signal]

@cyberwolfie1 Unfortunately it may no longer be in your logs. But if you add them immediately they may still be in there. We recommend always grabbing them as soon as you experience an issue in order to preserve them.

https://support.signal.org/hc/en-us/articles/360007318591-Debug-Logs-and-Crash-Reports

[Morgayse]

• In terminal type signal-desktop space and then paste the link address from the previous step

If you need to do this with the flatpak, it can be done like so:

/usr/bin/flatpak run --branch=stable --arch=x86_64 --command=signal-desktop --file-forwarding org.signal.Signal @@u %U @@ -- signalcaptcha://blaaaaaah

I was able to find the flatpak command to use by opening my program menu, searching for Signal, right clicking edit, and viewing the raw command.

Trying to do this via the web url signalcaptcha://... doesn't work so this workaround is required afaict.

[preshy112]

Is there any method to bypass the verification captcha .

[hg3k]

I have the same issues,
1, Verifying appears on loop
2, Signal crashes when trying to delete chats and when reopened all chats are there ( tried reinstall and delete data from phone multiple times this bug reappears.
3, signal drains about 40% of my battery even after closing notifications archiving chats remove settings to automatically load files images and videos. And it says 1 m foreground and like 2hrs background.. But I wrote mainly about the verification loop to. I can write a book on bug I have in signal and cross different phones different devices.. If logs are needed half or more of my iPhone logs are signal crashes.

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

@hg3k It looks like you're running into issues on iOS - this is the right place to file issues for Signal iOS: https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-iOS/issues/

[blanchardjeremy]

I'm also experiencing this. I have experienced it on and off for the past three months.

Loop I get into on signal Desktop

• "Verify to continue messaging" dialog
• I complete the CAPTCHA successfully
• I see "verification failed. please try again later."

Sometimes I will also get a success message, though. And even then it will ask me to verify again within an hour or two.

I use ProtonVPN. But I tried turning off my VPN and still encountered the loop.

The issue seems to happen more often when I've recently started a big group chat (for normal uses, not spam).

Signal version: MacOS Desktop 7.18.0
Browser: Brave (Chromium) - Also tried in Safari, though and got the same results.

Debug log: https://debuglogs.org/desktop/7.18.0/9a4f322ad841792b430fcc9776e9ca73743e0feb74c96b023b54d6ad6fb63dbf.gz