- Bloomberg blocked access after detecting unusual activity and required a CAPTCHA to continue, providing a block reference ID.
- The page says JavaScript and cookies must be enabled and not blocked, or access may fail.
- Common triggers include VPNs/proxies, shared or flagged IPs, rapid automated requests, extensions, or malware.
- Persistent blocks can disrupt time-sensitive market work and may require troubleshooting or contacting support with the reference ID.
Read More
The primary HTML content shows a standard site protection measure by Bloomberg: detecting “unusual activity” from a network, and requiring human verification (via CAPTCHA) before allowing further access. This is accompanied by a unique block reference ID—89e3b430-eb8e-11f0-a842-fdc959d1f585—which means the block is specific and traceable.
The notice also explicitly demands that the browser support JavaScript and cookies, and that these are not blocked. This suggests Bloomberg’s security mechanism depends on these elements to verify legitimacy. If either is disabled, it may trigger the block or prevent resolution.
By comparing similar incidents—particularly on platforms like Google—the triggers for “unusual network activity” tend to include using VPNs or proxies, shared IPs (in offices or multi-tenant buildings), large volumes of requests in short periods, background browser extensions making automated traffic, or malware on the network.
Strategically, blocked access harms user experience: financial professionals who rely on timely information may miss market moves; institutions might contemplate backup information sources or mirrored services; and Bloomberg must balance friction from blocks against user service. Persistent blocks, especially false positives, could erode trust.
Open questions include: Is the block localized to one device, or is it happening across all devices on the network? Has the user changed VPN or proxy settings recently? Is there any security breach or untrusted background process? And does the user’s ISP assign a dynamic IP that has been flagged before?
Supporting Notes
- Bloomberg displayed a message: “We’ve detected unusual activity from your computer network,” with instructions to verify via a CAPTCHA, and to ensure browser supports JavaScript and cookies. Also provides a specific Block reference ID.
- Instructions from the same page: contact support if issues persist and provide the block reference ID.
- Instances of “unusual traffic” messages on Google often triggered by VPN/proxy usage, shared network IPs, browser extensions, malware, or sending requests too rapidly.
- Fix-recommendations include clearing cookies/cache, disabling VPNs or extensions, scanning for malware, and contacting ISPs when persistent.