Cloudflare... what, who, why, when.. and how to stop it.

Discussion in 'Application Software' started by ThomasMann, Jul 25, 2021.

  1. ThomasMann

    ThomasMann MDL Expert

    Dec 31, 2015
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    For quite a while now I am being harrassed more and more often by cloudflare, asking me to answer captchas, if it decides to connect me at all. Sometimes it simply gets stuck in telling me without end, it needs to check my browser.. F.e. My family has three accounts with protonmail, and every day, all three of us have to prove that we are not bots by answering two captchas each. Because of "suspicious activity" from our IP.
    Using a VPN means of course that everyone using that server will have that IP.... But fail to understand this, yet are able to intercept all our internet traffic? What is going on with this garbage???

    Who is cloudflare, who authorized them to interfere, and most importantly: How I get rid off it?

    Thanks
     
  2. pisthai

    pisthai Imperfect Human

    Jul 29, 2009
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    Many websites using Cloudflare for to protect their websites and network! If you have a lot of problems with them and need to certify your connection, simply may mean that you've something on your own system which triggers the interaction of Cloudflare!

    That said, you'll need to deep check your machine and those others as well on your LAN, etc.! Something, which could be some hidden scripts, some of your may be insecure apps or others which triggering the 'jump in' of Cloudflare! That could be a lot of things! And all of those must have to do something with your connection to the Internet and/or some apps that using the Internet on their own behalf without you ever know!

    Overall. that could be a very tricky job to find out what your (and those others) system are doing!
     
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  3. ThomasMann

    ThomasMann MDL Expert

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    #3 ThomasMann, Jul 25, 2021
    Last edited: Jul 25, 2021
    (OP)
    I hope that is simply not the case...
    Cloudflare, or rather, what people like them call their "AI", simply sees that a certain server is connecting to a lot of computers using the same VPN = the same IP, which triggers their machines. If I use a slower VPN server in Mongolia, or wherever, I have no problem. What or who allows them to access my computer and tell me to prove I am human, or as they call it, check my browser?
    Trust me, it certainly is not the websites I am contacting.
    So my obvious question is: How and why are they intercepting my internet traffic, and what do I do, to prevent that? What legitimizes their doings?
     
  4. pisthai

    pisthai Imperfect Human

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    Again: NOT Cloudflare accesses YOUR computer/System, it's YOU who access protected Computer/Websites/etc. from a NOT clean system (whatever problems your systems have)!

    This whole year 2021 till now, did not have a single Cloudflare message, etc. coming up on my whole machines and LAN! And from a total of 9 machines, 4 are running 24/7 (the rest min. 10h) a day! some 3 years ago I had problems with Cloudflare as well and ended up doing clean installs of everything on 3 computers of my Network! Since no more problems!

    I also run one machine on a different Internet Connection, with a different ISP, and that machine has many times problems with Cloudflare! Mainly every 4-6 months I need to do clean installs of the whole system of that machine, which I mainly use just for 'testing' software, many of those illegal/pirated! Just, that machine is strongly for testings only, not for production works!

    So, that said, take your time and deeply check your system, because that's your machines that triggers the trouble you have!
     
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  5. -___-

    -___- MDL Member

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  6. case-sensitive

    case-sensitive MDL Expert

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    >How I get rid off it?

    Change the IP adress you use .

    >DNS over HTTPS

    The people at DNSCrypt say that is not as safe / is less safe than DNSCrypt ......... and personaly i wouldnt let NSA firefox take charge of any safety settings that i dont have to use :)
     
  7. Tiger-1

    Tiger-1 MDL Guru

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  8. TigTex

    TigTex MDL Senior Member

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    #10 TigTex, Jul 26, 2021
    Last edited: Jul 26, 2021
    Cloudflare doesn't decrypt your data. In order to do so, you need to have the cloudflare certificate installed on your system and use "cloudflare for teams", a zero trust network model that you can deploy on home and enterprise devices

    Note: if you are afraid of your data being shared, do not use any digital service, keep everything on paper at your home and pray to not get robbed.
    We live in a digital world and we need to trust our providers. If you do a traceroute to mydigitallife or whatever, you can see that your traffic goes though many hops. Cloudflare is just one of them. If you have sensitive data that can't be shared, make sure that you protect it offline.
    Take out that tin foil hat and enjoy life, mate. Nobody is that important to the US government, they have more things to do.
     
  9. ThomasMann

    ThomasMann MDL Expert

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    The IP adresses I use are VPN servers, and it is in their nature to run a lot of traffic...
    Can you clear up that sentence for me: "The people at DNSCrypt say that is not as safe / is less safe than DNSCrypt" What is not as safe?

    Thanks...
     
  10. ThomasMann

    ThomasMann MDL Expert

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    Your comments are really beginning to get on my nerves.. you are continuously assuming what others are doing, but know nothing...
    I have no problem with others reading my stuff. I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH HAVING TO SOLVE UP TO SIX CAPTCHAS AND THEN STILL NOT BEING ABLE TO GET TO THE WEBSITE, and all because of cloudflare.
    Maybe, where you live it is all easy, but I am writing from halfway around the world and on top of that using a VPN.
     
  11. TigTex

    TigTex MDL Senior Member

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    Well, if that's the reason you can try WARP+ which is a service from cloudflare. It is a "vpn like" connector and because it's an in house product, it should be perfectly compatible with cloudflare hosted websites. But I have no idea if it's available on your country or it's blocked
     
  12. boyonthebus

    boyonthebus MDL Expert

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    It is probably because of your computers not cloudflare. I have zero issues with them. Time to clean up your computer or perhaps not use a VPN. I don't.
     
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  13. pisthai

    pisthai Imperfect Human

    Jul 29, 2009
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    You have all times the possibility to contact Cloudflare to explain your problems to them! That would be the FIRST step at all to go! And while contacting Cloudflare for service and support, always have Screenshots of your Hard- and Software (Settings, etc.), the dis[laid screen messages, and all other relevant data ready to show to Cloudflare!

    The use of your VPNs may be the main trigger of your problems. Keep in mind, also third party VPNs changing their used IPs at least at any restart.

    As I already wrote before, the problem really comes from your machines, the used apps, your settings, and your way how to use the Internet.

    Cloudflare is as clean as ever possible and making the Internet much more secure!
     
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  14. shrinivas

    shrinivas MDL Member

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    I find that when I use certain VPNs, Cloudflare asks for Captcha to be solved. Sometimes the Captcha works, sometimes it doesn't. The only option is perhaps to change the VPN ?
    Even on clean installs, with Antivirus installed everything. I don't think it has anything to do with what is on my machine.
    It is a PITA !
    I don't think we can do anything about it.
     
  15. Flipp3r

    Flipp3r MDL Expert

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    The only time I used to see Cloudfare was when the site I was going too was down.
    Recently, it would semi come up with a non-working captcha screen for 1 site where I'd blocked advertising/images through hosts file.
    Removed the blocked stuff & now I don't see Cloudfare at all....
     
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  16. case-sensitive

    case-sensitive MDL Expert

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    Thomas

    Thanks for questions . I didnt reread the thread so my reply is from memory .

    1 - Your having problems because your using a VPN ........ thats also used by dubious people . You cant get rid of those dubious people so your alternative is ....... dont use the VPN ? This site does the same if you try to log on with TOR ....... for the same reasons .

    Personal comment ........ I dont understand why anyone would use an NSA VPN honeypot .

    2 - I use DNSCrypt for years . To help set it up i use SimpleDNSCrypt . In simpleDNSCrypt theres a setting ' DNS-over-HTTPS ' . I read the site every day , and asked and was told that its not as safe ...... and that DNSCrypt has better / newer encryption .

    ( I'm not hot on terminology so if anyone wants to diss what i say ....... they should ask the people who know ....... at DNSCrypt )
     
  17. ThomasMann

    ThomasMann MDL Expert

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    Thanks I totally agree. I live in Asia, and when I use a local VPN I have a problem, but high speed, IF it works. Using a VPN server in Europe, I get connection after one captcha, but slow speeds. I have learned that by now, but still find it unbelievable that such things are possible nowadays....

    I have a big problems with digital companies that access people's computer activities.
    I am certain that sooner or later these companies will pose a real huge problem for everybody's privacy, and I find it absolutely unacceptable that this is possible without people's knowledge and explicit permission.
    But then... this is the world we live in, and we are only at the beginning of such interferences.
     
  18. ThomasMann

    ThomasMann MDL Expert

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    I find it preposterous to suggest I stop using a VPN, because it does not suit a New York company, that never asked for my consent, or the consent of the people whose site I am accessing to interfere with my computer.... It would nice if you could be little clearer about what you consider a NSA VPN honeypot?

    Also I do not really understand what DNSCrypt is for... and why I wuld want that. I am using a VPN so some of my doings cannot be traced back to my computer IP, that is all. It is fine with me, if someone reads my mails and finds he feels important now. But It p.....s me off when someone interferes with my computer connection to the internet, without askíng my permission or even notifying me!

    I also get captchas here on MDL. Does that mean that MDL actually also works with these s**ts ????