Software-as-a-service bot protection startup DataDome today announced Device Check, an invisible CAPTCHA alternative designed to keep bots at bay and human users secure.

Described as an “invisible challenge” that works behind the scenes, Device Check validates device-specific signals with proofs of work without prompting any visible interaction with end users. It does so by analyzing device-specific signals in real-time, such as requestor environment, automation framework usage or any bot cloaking techniques.

Device Check is said to identify the most advanced and evasive bots from their initial requests. The service differs from traditional security measures that may only catch bots after repeated suspicious behavior. Instead, Device Check’s algorithms are finely tuned to spot telltale signs of automation and malicious intent.

The service enforces device-level proofs-of-work via JS challenges, substantially increasing detection accuracy and further reducing the frequency of visual CAPTCHAs. With one early access customer, an unnamed luxury brand retailer, DataDome was able to improve detection accuracy and reduce the false positive rate down to .001%.

The results are achieved without any user display, checkbox, or user interaction before making a bad bot or human decision. With DataDome, less than 1 in 10,000 human requests are challenged, ensuring that 99.99% of challenges are only used to thwart bots. Device Check also reduces the likelihood of humans facing challenges further by analyzing and validating device-specific signals in real-time.

Device Check is privacy-compliant and secures 100% of customer endpoints, including mobile, web and application programming interfaces, without hurting the user experience, the company claims.

“Bot attacks continue to grow in sophistication and can easily mimic human behavior or circumvent CAPTCHAs,” said co-founder and Chief Executive Benjamin Fabre. “This fact, combined with user frustration over traditional CAPTCHAs, is precisely why enterprises need a new approach that pairs robust bot security with frictionless user experiences.”

Fabre added that “CAPTCHAs should never be the first line of defense against bots” and that in contrast, “with Device Check, customers can now reduce the need for CAPTCHA displays even further, ensuring legitimate users’ online experiences are both secure and seamless.”

DataDome was previously in the news in March when it raised $42 million in new funding to support its mission to rid the web of bot-driven cyberattacks and fraud. The Series C round was led by InfraVia Growth Management SAS, with participation from existing investors Elephant Venture Capital GmbH, ISAI Gestion SAS and others.

Photo: DataDome/Twitter