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dessant/buster

★ 9,057JavaScriptAudience · generalComplexity · 1/5LicenseSetup · easy

TLDR

Buster is a browser extension that automatically solves reCAPTCHA audio challenges using speech recognition, so you skip the image puzzle entirely with a single button click.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((Buster))
    What it does
      reCAPTCHA solving
      Audio recognition
      One-click bypass
    Browsers
      Chrome
      Firefox
      Edge
      Opera
    Components
      Browser extension
      Companion desktop app
    Why it exists
      Accessibility
      Levels playing field
      Human difficulty
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Code map

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Things people build with this

USE CASE 1

Automatically solve reCAPTCHA challenges on any website by clicking one button instead of identifying objects in blurry images.

USE CASE 2

Install the optional companion desktop app to improve Buster's CAPTCHA-solving success rate on difficult challenges.

USE CASE 3

Build on the open source code to study how audio-based CAPTCHA solving works for accessibility or security research.

Tech stack

JavaScript

Getting it running

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min
Use and modify freely, but any software you distribute based on this must also be open source under GPL3.

In plain English

Buster is a browser extension that helps you get through reCAPTCHA challenges without having to click on fire hydrants or crosswalks. Instead of solving the visual puzzle, it switches to the audio version of the challenge and uses speech recognition to transcribe and answer it automatically. You click a button at the bottom of the reCAPTCHA widget, and Buster does the rest. It is available for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Opera. The project's motivation is stated plainly in the README: reCAPTCHA challenges are often harder for real people than for automated systems. Factors like cognitive ability, native language, cultural familiarity with the images shown, or the type of device or network you are on can make these tests disproportionately difficult for humans. Buster was built to give regular users access to the same kind of automated solving that bots already use, leveling that playing field. Beyond the basic browser extension, there is an optional companion app called the client app. This separate program runs on your Windows, Linux, or macOS computer and simulates user interactions more convincingly, which improves the extension's success rate. The README points to a separate repository for instructions on downloading and installing it. The extension is installable directly from the Chrome Web Store, Firefox Add-ons, Microsoft Edge Add-ons, and Opera Add-ons pages. The source code is available here on GitHub. The project is funded through Patreon, PayPal, and Bitcoin contributions from supporters, and the README also lists a commercial sponsor. Buster is released under the GNU General Public License v3.0, meaning anyone can use, modify, and share the code as long as derivative versions carry the same license.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
How do I install Buster on Chrome or Firefox and use it to automatically solve a reCAPTCHA without clicking image squares?
Prompt 2
Buster is sometimes failing on reCAPTCHAs. Should I install the companion app and what does it do differently?
Prompt 3
I want to understand how Buster's audio CAPTCHA solving works technically. Walk me through the source code flow from button click to answer submission.
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