验证码
verification code
Growing calls are being made to create a better customer verification code for the purchase of railway ticket online in China, as many are concerned about the current system leading up to the Spring Festival buying rush.
近日,为网购火车票的用户提供更好"验证码"的呼声越来越强,许多人担心目前的系统会导致春节出现一票难求的局面.
为了防止抢票软件(ticket-buying plug-in)的干扰,今年,12306网站再次升级,目前采用的验证系统(verification system)要求用户从8幅彩图中选出符合要求的图片(matching pictures with a corresponding description).不过,很多有过网购车票的市民表示,图形验证码的大小和种类(size and style)不仅增加了,图片的清晰度(clarity)也不高,识别起来比较困难.有些关键词还从一个变成了两个.
一家网站统计称,12306网站的购票验证码共有581种,按照要输入两个关键词的规则,排列组合(permutation)多达336980种.一次性输入准确的比例为8%,两次输入准确的比例为27%,三次甚至4次以上输入准确的比例为65%.如果一次性输入成功的平均用时为5秒的话,按照热门车票(popular tickets)"秒杀"(flash sale/Lightning deals)的情况计算,每输错一次验证码,就意味着当次购票成功率下降80%左右.
此外,为防止黄牛党(scalpers)囤票抢票(snapping up quantities of tickets)再以高价转手(reselling them at inflated prices),12306近日开始执行手机"双向核验"(two-factor authentication),将手机号和身份证绑定,防止身份信息被抢注,验证后可以用手机号登录.
手机双向核验可以说成two-factor/dual-factor authentication with one's phone.
Two-factor authentication,也称为2FA或2-Step Verification,即二元认证、或双重认证.也就是在用户名和密码之外再加一道身份认证环节,例如一次性密码（OTP, One Time Password）、手机短信动态密码等.
"12月3日前必须在12306网站完成'手机双向核验'",你上周大概也因为这条消息而受到了惊吓.
事实证明,这条消息系误传,12306的手机双向核验仍在继续.
"The verification code ... has beaten out 99 per cent of its users," one person commented online.
一位网友发表评论称："验证码已经击败了全国99%的用户……"
Another person asked: "How much did the railway company spend on this ... platform. It doesn't work. Call Jack Ma. Use his Aliyun system. I support Boss Ma purchasing the railway company," another wrote on Weibo, the Chinese version of Twitter.
另一位网友则在微博上质疑称,铁路公司到底花了多少钱在这个平台上？根本就没法用.叫马云来,用阿里云系统,我支持马老板买下铁路公司.
还有网友表示：'春节将至,登录12306抢票很让人心塞, 即使网速手速都给力,图片验证那一关分分钟把用户逼疯的节奏.比高考还难.'不过更多网友表示,面对验证码不知所措(at a loss).
