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Download: Stop Spammer Registration


Dylan Riggs

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Posted

Okay so update, still blocking many many new accounts, but now the spambots are using emails/ips not in projecthoneypot/stopforumspam.com databases. Any ideas what to do about them? Other than ban those accounts? I see them as just validating for too long.


And they have very spammy looking emails:

virtshopbluesprings@gmail.com
diet@simplybeautifully.com
everettfsargent@cablelynx.com
joe123123joe@hotmail.com

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Posted

Okay so update, still blocking many many new accounts, but now the spambots are using emails/ips not in projecthoneypot/stopforumspam.com databases. Any ideas what to do about them? Other than ban those accounts? I see them as just validating for too long.




And they have very spammy looking emails:



[color=#4C4C4C]virtshopbluesprings@gmail.com[/color]


[color=#4C4C4C]diet@simplybeautifully.com[/color]


[color=#4C4C4C]everettfsargent@cablelynx.com[/color]


[color=#4C4C4C]joe123123joe@hotmail.com[/color][color=#4C4C4C] [/color]




Report them to SFS so they be added to the database..where it say "add spam data" on SFS site that's where you add the data so it will update they list so next time they will be block from all forums.
Posted

Okay so update, still blocking many many new accounts, but now the spambots are using emails/ips not in projecthoneypot/stopforumspam.com databases. Any ideas what to do about them? Other than ban those accounts? I see them as just validating for too long.




And they have very spammy looking emails:



[color=#4C4C4C]virtshopbluesprings@gmail.com[/color]


[color=#4C4C4C]diet@simplybeautifully.com[/color]


[color=#4C4C4C]everettfsargent@cablelynx.com[/color]


[color=#4C4C4C]joe123123joe@hotmail.com[/color][color=#4C4C4C] [/color]




SFS policy is that unless they have actually dropped their spam payload - i.e. backlinks, they should not be added to the SFS database.



I don't know where you read that because I went through the License/Privacy/Legal as well as API details, FAQ, and submission page no such rule appears. This would make sense if you are reporting 'new' spammers, however part of SFS is keeping track of their appearances on websites and preventing spam before it happens. But sometimes emails/usernames (buywowgoldnow etc...) are blatantly obvious of their intentions... and even if they haven't yet posted spam I'd report them.

In your case MGBrose would just delete there accounts. If they make another appearance, then I'd report them. In the next update, you'll be able to report a user from their profile page... so you won't have to go to their website and fill out the form.
Posted

I don't know where you read that because I went through the License/Privacy/Legal as well as API details, FAQ, and submission page no such rule appears. This would make sense if you are reporting 'new' spammers, however part of SFS is keeping track of their appearances on websites and preventing spam before it happens. But sometimes emails/usernames (buywowgoldnow etc...) are blatantly obvious of their intentions... and even if they haven't yet posted spam I'd report them.




There have been numerous discussions concerning this matter at SFS and obviously spammy email/username is currently considered insufficient evidence to submit. Here's one relevant topic and there are a number of others -

http://www.stopforum...pic.php?id=3716

For the sake of brevity, current SFS policy boils down to this statement -


It's very simple. If the registrant has spammed your forum, submit the data. If the registrant hasn't spammed your forum, there's nothing to submit.


Posted

I am contacting them regarding this matter to find out their official opinion on this. What they say will change whether or not this feature is removed.

Posted

Alright, I've got a response. Despite this information not being clearly stated on their website, you cannot report spammer 'sightings' if they haven't yet littered on your forum. I wish to advise everyone to turn off SFS Reporting, as they may block your API.

The functionality for automatic reporting will be removed in the next version and replaced with a manual reporting.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Posted

Could always make it an option up to the user. Reason I say that is, if the spammer is already in the SFS database, adding another entry when they try your forum confirming that they are trying to spam other forums is not a bad thing.

Posted

...if the spammer is already in the SFS database, adding another entry when they try your forum confirming that they are trying to spam other forums is not a bad thing.




Again, unless your board has actually been spammed, doing so is in breach of SFS reporting policy and as Cyrem notes may result in you being blocked from accessing the SFS database.
Posted

I am also having problems getting this, as well as the other hook (not at the same time), to work on my forum. I'm using the same settings as posted above. Also:

allow_url_fopen On
cURL support enabled
cURL Information libcurl/7.18.2 OpenSSL/0.9.8g zlib/1.2.3.3 libidn/1.8 libssh2/0.18

I'm baffled as to how these spammers are getting past all of the anti-spam methods I'm using. (Question/Answer, reCaptcha and this hook)

Posted

I am also having problems getting this, as well as the other hook (not at the same time), to work on my forum. I'm using the same settings as posted above. Also:



allow_url_fopen On


cURL support enabled


cURL Information libcurl/7.18.2 OpenSSL/0.9.8g zlib/1.2.3.3 libidn/1.8 libssh2/0.18



I'm baffled as to how these spammers are getting past all of the anti-spam methods I'm using. (Question/Answer, [color=#ff0000]reCaptcha[/color] and this hook)




reCaptcha has been beaten by a clever spam bot developer.

Question/Answer isn't reliable, and it just puts off legitimate members from joining. I don't use it at all.

KeyCaptcha, the IPS anti-spam service, and this hook are my anti-spam tools.
Posted

reCaptcha has been beaten by a clever spam bot developer.



Question/Answer isn't reliable, and it just puts off legitimate members from joining. I don't use it at all.



KeyCaptcha, the IPS anti-spam service, and this hook are my anti-spam tools.



I set up KeyCaptcha in place of reCaptcha and the spam has stopped - for now!
Posted

I haven't tested the hook yet but in the screenshot I see you have a setting "Enable/Disable Hook", is there any actual need for it? A user could simply enable/disable the hook itself in the hooks list rather than switching the setting.

Just wondering :unsure:

Posted

Just Updated to 1.3.0 (If you downloaded it in the past 5 minutes after this update, please re-download, a setting wasn't working which I fixed).

  • Added check for usernames.
  • Warning for empty string should be fixed.
  • Using match: 'both IP & email' now works (it was broken before).
  • Added 'Spammers Blocked' statistic to board index.
  • Removed auto-reporting to SFS upon block (for compliance with SFS)
  • Changed ProjectHP's "offline" message to "offline/no records".
  • Removed tag stripping.
  • "Report User to StopForumSpam" link has been added on user profiles.
  • This hook can now check for updates.

@ teraByte - Hmm good point.
Posted

Big respect too you......when you click on "report user to SFS i'm getting a driver error..


There appears to be an error with the database.

Also i'm still seeing the settings "StopForumSpam Database Submission" in my settings...

Guest Reystar
Posted

When it says

  • "Report User to StopForumSpam" link has been added on user profiles.


does it mean that everyone can report that member? or just the admin?
Posted

Big respect too you......when you click on "report user to SFS i'm getting a driver error..




[color=#281B1B][font=arial, tahoma, sans-serif][size=4]There appears to be an error with the database.[/size][/font][/color]



[color=#281B1B][font=arial, tahoma, sans-serif][size=4]Also i'm still seeing the settings "[/size][/font][/color][color=#246594]StopForumSpam Database Submission" in my settings...[/color]



You shouldn't be seeing those settings anymore. Did you uninstall the old version before installing the new?

If not, do that... and also try the profile link again after the re-install.



When it says

  • "Report User to StopForumSpam" link has been added on user profiles.


does it mean that everyone can report that member? or just the admin?



Only the usergroup(s) which you select in the settings has that link.
Posted

Update for 1.3.1 (Please uninstall old versions and upgrade to this version ASAP)
This update is somewhat important because 1.3.0 sends styling information with the username, which adds incorrect information to SFS's database. This version fixes this, please also check your submissions to make sure that any reports manually sent when you had 1.3.0, did not include styling.

  • Removed Enable/Disable hook as it is not needed.
  • Renamed a couple settings.
  • Moved some settings around.
  • Added Ok/Cancel confirmation on user reporting (to prevent accidental submissions).
  • Now uses IPB's inbuilt file retrieval functions(may solve issues for some users).
  • Reports sent also sent name styling by mistake, this has been fixed.
Posted

Respect,every thing seem too be working as intended now,i've removed the old version and done a fresh install so that seem to fixed the issues i was having.bless

Posted

Respect,every thing seem too be working as intended now,i've removed the old version and done a fresh install so that seem to fixed the issues i was having.bless




Excellent, glad to hear it.
Posted

Just installed the new version and now getting a new error message

[01-Feb-2012 16:54:54] PHP Strict Standards:  Declaration of cstopspamreg_bstats::boardIndexTemplate() should be compatible with that of skin_boards_5::boardIndexTemplate() in /home/MYSITE/public_html/admin/sources/classes/output/publicOutput.php(3435) : eval()'d code on line 14

Posted

Just installed the new version and now getting a new error message



Thanks for the report, this update should fix it.

Update to 1.3.2 (Please uninstall old versions before installing the new version)
This update just fixes an error you could get when displaying the blocked spammers count on the board index.
Posted

What will be nice if you can add "report SFS link'to the pop up box as well then staff have to always go to the person profile to report them if they are spammer,it will take less time if it was added to the pop up profile box as well...

Posted

Thanks for the report, this update should fix it.



Update to 1.3.2 [color=#ff0000](Please uninstall old versions before installing the new version)[/color]


This update just fixes an error you could get when displaying the blocked spammers count on the board index.




Works perfectly, thanks.

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