Miscellaneous Hacks - NoSpam! - an alternative to CAPTCHA images

This hack is for vBulletin 3.6.x. For 3.5.x, please use the one provided in this thread. If you are using 3.7.x, you must use the one in this thread.

This simple hack is meant as a replacement for the default CAPTCHA system in vBulletin. There are two main reasons one might want to do this: firstly, new technology is constantly being developed to crack CAPTCHA images and make spam accounts anyway, and secondly, the more secure the CAPTCHA, the more difficult it is for genuine users to tell what the numbers in the image are. There is also the issue of visually impaired users, and the fact that not all servers are capable of generating CAPTCHA images.

So what does this hack do instead? It asks a question. Any question you want. That's the best part: YOU make up the questions, which means that every forum is unique, which means that it is impossible for spambots to be simply programmed to bypass it at all forums with the hack installed. You can make one or many questions - if you make many, the hack will pick one at random when a guest attempts to register, search, post or send mail through the Contact Us form. Their input is compared with your specified answer, and voil?, if they get it right they're pretty much guaranteed to be human. If they get it wrong, they're given an error message.

It doesn't have to be a complicated question. Heck, you can just make it "Please type 'blah' into this box." Or you can go with inserting a simple image with HTML and ask what is shown on the image. Or you can ask them to tell you two plus two. It's up to you. In fact, this can also be used as a means of forcing people to read the rules by asking for a certain password found there, or if your forum focuses on a specialized subject, ask a question concerning the subject that all your genuine users will be able to answer, but a random troll or "CAPTCHA-sweatshop-reader" will be scratching their head over.

It's simple to install, too: just one product to import, and that's it.


VERSION HISTORY:

3.0: Added functionality to allow users to specify which pages should use NoSpam!.
2.0: Extended the NoSpam! functionality to guest posts, guest searches and guest "Contact Us" in addition to registration.
1.1: Made template edit automatic (with thanks to Cole2026), added ability to have more than one answer to each question, and made answers case insensitive. To upgrade, I recommend undoing the template edit so you won't have to worry about it anymore (replace $nospamfield in the template register with $imagereg, or if you added $nospamfield above $imagereg, just remove $nospamfield altogether), and then reimport the product through the Admin CP (making sure that Allow Overwrite is set to On).
1.0: Initial release.


INSTALLATION:

Please download NoSpam!.zip, not product-nospam.xml, for the tested version. product.nospam.xml is NoSpam! 4.0 adapted blindly to 3.6, i.e. by editing the XML file for the 3.7 version without actually testing it on a 3.6 board. Theoretically it should work, but I cannot guarantee it at this time. If you download NoSpam!.zip and unzip it, it will contain another file called product.nospam.xml, which you should use.

1. Import product-nospam.xml through the Admin CP product manager.
2. Go to your vBulletin options in the Admin CP and select NoSpam! Settings. Once there, turn the system on and input your questions and answers according to the instructions there.

The system should now be functional and running.


UNINSTALLATION:

Just uninstall the product through the Admin CP.


SUPPORT:

Full support will be given here in this thread. All suggestions are welcome.

Thank you and please click "Mark as Installed" if you like it.


If NoSpam! is not working for you or you are looking for something a little different, you might want to check out Advanced Textual Confirmation.

[phill2003]

Originally Posted by Eagle Creek

HI,


Then you still have exactly the same, dont you? You present a simple image like .JPG and then it can be read? .

No because you could use a picture of a naked chick and ask how many tits she has. the capture image wants to know what the letters and numbers are and programmes can be made to decypher that, but when you ask how hairy the biff is or how bog are the baps no programme on earth (I presume) is capable of that....

[limey]

I can't seem to get this to work with the Quick Register add on for vb 3.64.

This part of code is not in the global start section from what I can see.

$show['guest'] = true;

[antialiasis]

Veeb0rg: I'm afraid I have no experience with 3.0.x whatsoever, sorry. :/ Another coder is free to port it back if they like, though.

Eagle Creek:

Then you still have exactly the same, dont you? You present a simple image like .JPG and then it can be read? Or am I wrong understanding what you are writing .

No, because the simple image would contain an object that has to be recognized, not letters that can be read by applying computerized rules.

limey: If you are trying to use phill2003's solution, remember that you should be looking for that in the QuickRegister plugin, not the NoSpam! one.

[Eagle Creek]

Now I fully understand. Thanks for the explaination .

[limey]

Thanks antialiasis...alot!

[chkdgate]

I don't know if this has been answered somewhere in the 355+ posts but will this mod also work with Allow Unregistered Users to use 'Contact Us' under contact details? Even though my settings are Yes, but verify image, I still get loads of spam. I would love to install this if that's the case.

[antialiasis]

Yes, it works with guests using Contact Us.

[chkdgate]

Awesome. Downloaded it and will install tomorrow. It's late. Thank you for this because I'm getting sick and tired of getting Penis Enlargement ads and Viagra email attacks from my site. No joke.

[Veeb0rg]

Originally Posted by antialiasis

Veeb0rg: I'm afraid I have no experience with 3.0.x whatsoever, sorry. :/ Another coder is free to port it back if they like, though.

thanks for the reply.. I'm just tryin to get some sort of protection on this board i admin while i'm upgrading it/moving it to a new server. the spambots are out of control

[d1150488]

I can't get this to appear at all, i've tried several of the fixes, including the manual template edits. I tried restoring the tempate and product and re-tried, but with no luck

I've checked i've got the nospam template, i've got the reference in the reg template. I've got the hooks enabled, i've gone over and over the code, and i'm completely confused as to why it shouldn't work. I've had a good read through this thread, and i just can't find a fix