Anti-Spam Options - Is Bot: Registration Time Check

This mod calculates the time it takes to go between these two pages:

• /forum/register.php?do=register
• /forum/register.php?do=addmember

The point is to try and prevent bots from registering at your forum when the time between the two pages is humanly impossible, assuming that humans actually take the time to complete the registration page.

Should a user be blocked from registering at your forum, an email will be sent to your vB webmasteremail address and the user will see the vB noregister phrase message, so no screenshot is necessary.

[Lionel]

ok, this is how I auto ban them. I set mine to 5 seconds

In the Is Bot plugin at register_addmember_process, right before

eval(standard_error(fetch_error('noregister')));

Put

PHP Code:

$db->query_write("UPDATE " . TABLE_PREFIX . "setting  SET value = IF(value <> '', CONCAT(value, ' ', $isbot_ipaddy) WHERE varname ='banip'"); 
  
$db->query_write("UPDATE " . TABLE_PREFIX . "datastore  SET data = IF(data <> '', CONCAT(data, ' ', $isbot_email) WHERE title ='banemail'"); 


And let them try again with a longer time frame :-)

[TheMilkCarton]

You must have fast bots because mine usually take over 5 seconds on the *first* time.

After studying over 200+ of the last few days' attempts, I've realized it's meaningless to ban a specific IP or a specific email.. They ALWAYS change and even if they do re-attempt it's always from a different IP.

After getting several hundred attempts, I've also realized they are ALL covered by already very comprehensive banlist, and they ALL register from a specific timezone... so I might set the Execution Order of the timezone registration prevention hack higher than this, just so I don't get so many freaking emails.

What I have noticed is that there are a few select bots that always attempt with the exact same username. I'm already blocking them otherwise, so it's pointless to try banning them by username, though.

Also, Lionel...

Do you keep CAPTCHA on with all the options enabled? This mod isn't really doing anything for you then.. Probably 50% of your bots are taking over 5 seconds to register, and the thing that's keeping them from your forum is the CAPTCHA. I guess it can be useful with the things you've added to it, but you're probably getting a bunch of useless emails (unless of course you turned those off).

I, on the other hand, have disabled CAPTCHA (to make registration easier!) and with my suite of mods I've managed to avoid several hundred attempts in the past few days! I let one slip through on purpose to test my anti-spam mods, and those work well, too.

[Mr.Sinnev]

Eine gute sache!!!Bis jetzt funktioniert er einwandfrei....Danke:up:

[Saviour]

Installed on 3.6.8 PL2 with CAPTCHA enabled...we'll see what's what...and post accordingly.

Thanks for this hack.

[mano1.com]

could you tell em if this works on 3.5.4?

thank you!

[fringehead]

Hi there,

I installed this mod and haven't gotten a single email yet I have had several bot signups. Is there anyway to check if this is working? I'm using 3.6.8 Patch Level 2.

Thanks,

Sean

[amagab]

Really strange, did the bots stop? I had this mod installed for several months and I was blocking about 10-20 bots every day. Now I dont get anymore emails about blocked bots? Anyone else experiencing this?

[fringehead]

Originally Posted by fringehead

Hi there,

I installed this mod and haven't gotten a single email yet I have had several bot signups. Is there anyway to check if this is working? I'm using 3.6.8 Patch Level 2.

Thanks,

Sean

Sorry I didn't do the template mod so I should be set now!

[leitel]

Thank you for such a useful mod. Even with captcha and random reg questions, I was STILL getting bot registrations!!!!

With this mod I am trapping several bot attempts daily.

Thanks!

[fringehead]

IsBot is an awsome MOD! It blocked 12 bots today and we still have 5 hours left! I think the bot traffic is increasing.... Definitely a very useful tool!!

Sean