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.

[blankoboy]

antialiasis, this is such a simple yet fantastic hack for VB. Not only is this good for spam prevention but also great as an aptitude test for your forum userbase.

Right off the bat you can help to eliminate casual trolls by asking for answers to semi-intelligent questions . Well, it can help to filter out folks who are not completely intune with the topic of your forum if you so choose. Keep up the great work!

[antialiasis]

Quick Register form? Where is that exactly? o.o

[Quantnet]

Great news. Updated. I tested and it works great. Now, only if you can offer an option of multiple choice for the questions.

[schanulleke]

:banana: THANKYOU ! I am very happy to see the update you posted today. I will install this later today, but I am sure this will work out great.

Thank you very much for your time and effort!

EDIT: it works. Thank you!

[Skatiechik]

Originally Posted by dartho

Haha! Die you spamming Rusky!

Still no spammers since installation

@SkatieChick - I have this running under 3.5.4 which I would imagine to be minimally different to 3.5.2
Install the XML from this post: https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....6&postcount=36
and then in the Register template, search for the line:

PHP Code:

<if condition="$show['regimagecheck']"> 


and add

PHP Code:

$nospamfield 


immediately above it

Perhaps AntiAlais can add this to the install instructions?

Ok cheers, I will give this a try and see if I can get it to work myself. However can you be more explicit in your instructions please.

Reason being I more familiar with phpBB and this the first mod I will have added to VBulletin.

I have worked out the .xml files needs to be imported via the product manager to install them.

Just done that, you talk about editing the register template, is that via ftp in a folder somewhere, or is it accesible for the ACP?

Cheers.

[makaiguy]

Originally Posted by antialiasis

Version 2.0 at last! The NoSpam! functionality has been added to guest searches, guest posts and guest "Contact Us" as well as the original registration. To upgrade, just download the new zip file and import the new product through the Admin CP with Allow Overwrite set to On.

An "official" 3.5.x version is coming as well as soon as I've gotten 3.5 to install on my test board and can mess with making the template edits automatic.

Version 2.0 update works wonderfully in my 3.6.4 test board, including guest searches and 'contact us' (I don't have guest posting).

Thank you so much. I've turned Captcha off all together now.

... now I've just got to find time to update my 'real' board to 3.6.4 ...

[Skatiechik]

Originally Posted by Skatiechik

Ok cheers, I will give this a try and see if I can get it to work myself. However can you be more explicit in your instructions please.

Reason being I more familiar with phpBB and this the first mod I will have added to VBulletin.

I have worked out the .xml files needs to be imported via the product manager to install them.

Just done that, you talk about editing the register template, is that via ftp in a folder somewhere, or is it accesible for the ACP?

Cheers.

I just fumbled around a bit in the dark, and figured out what you meant by edit template. Added the line to the customised template and all seems to be working. Not sure what the other admin had issues, with best go ask incase I have done something wrong Looks fine to me though.

[subzonline]

thanks i requested this a bit ago. and im glad to see it is here.

[scootman]

Click Install... Thanks

[tobias_t]

I installed the plugin under 3.5.3 and made the change to the template, but the NoSpam field still doesn´t show up on the register page. Users who try to register do however get an error message for not filling out the (invisible) field. Any suggestions?

Thanks, Tobias