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.

[haynesforum]

Thanks for getting back to me. I'd like to try and sort this without assigning admin priveleges in the first instance.

The pages display and function as if No Spam! were not enabled.

[antialiasis]

Hmm.

First off, although this is kind of obvious, are you certain that the plugin system is enabled and all the NoSpam! plugins are active?

[z0diac]

AWESOME. Just installed it and tested it.

I have *NO IDEA* why scripts, web sites, forums, etc, etc.. .have EVER used "image verification" stuff. It's hard for humans to even read, and chances are the spam bots can read them better and continue on to whatever it is as a fake user...

It's SO EASY to just have a simple question + answer combination - why hasn't this been used since the beginning of new user verifications instead of image identification???? (I'm not asking you of course - I'm just frustrated the image identification system was EVER INVENTED)

Thanks a bunch for this hack!!! I've been receiving 2-3 spam posters a day for the those damn "pharmacy" messages. Hopefully this will clear up the problem!

[aslan]

Installed and test it. Great hack.
Thanx

[Resell]

Hi,

I imported the product and got this error during import :

Database error in vBulletin 3.5.3:

Invalid SQL:

### INSERT QUERY GENERATED BY fetch_query_sql() ###
INSERT INTO plugin
(`active`, `executionorder`, `title`, `hookname`, `phpcode`, `product`)
VALUES
('1', '5', 'Cache the NoSpam! template', 'cache_templates', 'if ($vbulletin->options[\'nospam_onoff\'])\r\n{\r\n switch (THIS_SCRIPT) {\r\n case \'register\':\r\n if ($vbulletin->options[\'nospam_use_reg\']) {\r\n $globaltemplates[] = \'nospam\';\r\n }\r\n break;\r\n case \'search\':\r\n if ($vbulletin->options[\'nospam_use_search\']) {\r\n $globaltemplates[] = \'nospam\';\r\n }\r\n break;\r\n case \'newreply\':\r\n case \'newthread\':\r\n if ($vbulletin->options[\'nospam_use_post\']) {\r\n $globaltemplates[] = \'nospam\';\r\n }\r\n break;\r\n case \'sendmessage\':\r\n if ($vbulletin->options[\'nospam_use_contactus\']) {\r\n $actiontemplates[\'contactus\'][] = \'nospam\';\r\n }\r\n break;\r\n }\r\n}', 'nospam');

MySQL Error : Unknown column 'executionorder' in 'field list'
Error Number : 1054
Date : Monday, April 9th 2007 @ 05:50:57 AM
Script : http://www.singapore-christian-netwo...ncp/plugin.php
Referrer : http://www.singapore-christian-netwo...?do=productadd
IP Address : 165.21.154.15
Username : admin
Classname : vb_database

Can u advise how to resolve?

[schanulleke]

Maybe it helps to install the hack that is meant for 3.5.x.

[LinkBliss_com]

OK I have it installed. Please double-check my math --

1 + 2 equals...:3:three
2 + 1 equals...:3:three
1 + 3 equals...:4:four
3 + 1 equals...:4:four

Eric

[adwade]

Originally Posted by LinkBliss_com

OK I have it installed. Please double-check my math --

1 + 2 equals...:3:three
2 + 1 equals...:3:three
1 + 3 equals...:4:four
3 + 1 equals...:4:four

Eric

Don't laugh, one other possibility is Roman Numerals. Everytime I think I've covered all the bases, some new user complains about some weird (but other correct) answer it should have accepted.

[haynesforum]

Originally Posted by antialiasis

Hmm.

First off, although this is kind of obvious, are you certain that the plugin system is enabled and all the NoSpam! plugins are active?

I used the plugin manager to install NoSPam! and the following NoSPam! plug-ins were (and still are) activated:

Cache the NoSpam! template; cache_templates.
Check if NoSpam! question has been answered correctly; newpost_process; register_addmember_process; search_process_start; sendmessage_docontactus_process.
Generate and insert NoSpam! question; global_start.

[Sean James]

Just a small question, if i install this mod on my forum and then download a style used on my forum (which i release here for free) will there be any template changes made to the style?

Or will i need to revert the template before downloading them?