Squiggly letters and jagged numbers might have already overstayed their welcome on the Web.  These annoying yet necessary human verification tests, which attempt to keep our personal information safe and blogs free of junk, have been defeated.

According to Websense, the security firm that has identified the hacking, warns that a computer was able to beat the system and proceed to create multiple Hotmail accounts in order to disseminate spam.

Similar attacks have recently occurred against Microsoft’s Live Mail accounts and Google’s Gmail and Blogger services.

Ferris Research, an analyst firm specializing in messaging and collaboration, estimates that spam (and preventative measures) cost the U.S. economy $42 billion annually.

Computers are looking more and more human everyday.  Beware.

Read more at the Houston Chronicle.