Anti-Spam Options - [GlowHost] Spam-O-Matic - Spam Firewall stops forum spam

If you install this mod, please mark this as "Installed."

VERSION 2.1.2 RELEASED 5/28/2013!


About Spam-O-Matic 2.x:
Spam-O-Matic 2.x (SOM) is a spam firewall for your vBulletin Forums version 4.x and later. It prevents known spammers from registering on your forums. If they can't register, they can't spam!

Languages Packs Available
English
German - Courtesy of Alex@bulletin (included in zip)
Romanian - Courtesy of Teascu Dorin's (included in zip)
Spanish - Courtesy of vbluis (included in zip)

How it Works
This data responsible for blocking user registrations comes from the stopforumspam.com (SFS) spammer database. After the user who is trying to register passes the built-in vBulletin registration checks which you have configured in your vBulletin settings, SOM then checks the SFS database to see if the IP, username, or email address that the user is trying to register with has been recently tagged as a known spam source on other forums around the Internet. Also can be configured to check the Akismet service for known comment spam.

This is without a doubt, one of the most important mods that you will be using on your forum.

Other Notable Stuff
It also does a ton of other cool stuff like moderating posts automatically if the post is found in the Akismet database, or if it contains words on your "Bad Words" keyword list which can be configured within the mod itself.

The mod WORKS with vBulletin's new Facebook integration.
This module works with all of the Facebook functions that are built into the vB4 series.
Similar mods do not handle Facebook integration completely.

This module has the ability to submit new spammer details to the StopForumSpam or Akismet databases automatically, all without any new templates or manual template modifications! :up:

This means other forums that are running Spam-O-Matic will not have the same spammer on their forums if you have (automatically) reported the spammer to the SFS database.

Just install the product in the product manager, upload a few files, configure the system and you are done. (Estimated time: 5-10 minutes)

What's new in 2.1.0:

• Fixed a problem with MySQL engine selection to make mod more compatible with different types of servers.
• When SOM "Newbies Group" is activated + vB's native option to "Verify Email address in Registration" is activated at the same time, "Users Awaiting Email Confirmation" must click the verification link to become a newbie.
• Added remove user, post, ban to user profile options in admincp under "Quick User Links"
• Added German Language Pack
• Optimized default settings to work with the needs of most forums
• Added a new coupon for GlowHost (available after you submit a spammer)
• Several other performance tuning options

Feature List:

• Optional Public Statistics. Show off to the world how many bad guys you have automatically prevented from posting junk on your forum.
• Auto-Moderation moderates posts that have links, bad words, and other configurable settings.
• Auto-Moderation ignores your RSS posts.
• Registration / Denial Logs available from Admincp > Statistics and Logs
• Optional "Newbies" Manager! After registration, newly registered users can be placed in a "Newbies" group which has more limited permissions as compared to your regular "Registered Users" group. Newbies will graduate to your Registered Users group based on your required post count settings.
• Auto-Submit Spammers from the moderation tools menu on each postbit.
• Remove Posts, threads, PMs, Calendar Events from your spammer in one easy wizard. No double logins needed.
• Shows other users who signed up with the same IP. (Sleeping Spammers)
• Optional Affiliate System
• ~50 customizable settings to fine-tune Spam-O-Matic to your exact needs.

A) StopForumSpam:
The StopForumSpam Module lets you:

• Check a registrant's IP address.
• Check a registrant's email address.
• Check a registrants Username.
• Disable or enable any of the above checks.
• Block and log, or, allow and log known spammers.
• All registration attempts are logged for your viewing pleasure.
• Several other performance tuning options

If a user (or bot) tries to register on your forum and they pass the built-in vBulletin registration system. (Human verification, email verification, etc), their registration details are then passed to the Spam-O-Matic firewall for further checking.

NOTE: You should use some sort of human verification checking in vBulletin's built-in options to limit the number of requests to the already heavily-loaded StopForumSpam database servers. This will also prevent additional load because SOM will not have to do anything if the bot/spammer fails preliminary registration validation which is built-into vBulletin itself.

It is completely invisible to humans who are registering that this process is taking place. Bots are stopped dead in their tracks.

If a spammer is able to sneak past the first line of defense, and manages to post, then there are secondary, tertiary, and, uh...4th level protections too!

B) Auto-Moderation:
Auto Moderation lets you:

• Define how many URLs a new member can post before being sent to moderation.
• Define keywords that will send a post to Auto-moderation (viagra, porn, more here)
• Define minimum post count to avoid Auto-moderation.
• Excludes admin and moderators from Auto-moderation.
• Completely disable Auto-moderation if you don't want it.

C) Akismet Service
Spammers that make it past the StopForumSpam and Auto-Moderation will be checked against the Akismet service. If they manage to make a post, and then are found on Akismet, they can be auto-moderated.

The Akismet settings let you:

• Set the number of posts that Akismet will check from each user. After this number is exceeded, Akismet checking will be disabled for that user.
• Auto-Submit spammers that post on your boards back to the Akismet service so that other forums and blogs do not do not receive the same spam.
• Completely disable the Akismet service.

D) Newbies Manager
Should you decide to enable this option, you can create a new usergroup and then tell Spam-O-Matic about it. Once SOM knows about this usergroup, and once enabled, all new users will be part of the Newbies group. The idea here is that you make a Newbies group that has limited forum permissions. For example, no signatures, no BB code, no images, and etc. This group is created completely in the vB admincp. Spam-O-Matic simply makes it the graduation process to the normal Registered Users group, automatic.
Learn More and Discuss the Newbies Manager here.

Punitive Actions:
If you find a spammer has made it past your 4 front-lines of defense, and has managed to post on your forum, then you can help the community...

The spammer's details can be sent to the Stop Forum Spam and Akismet databases automatically, preventing them from registering or posting on other forums. When other forums do the same, the protection is reciprocated.

Simply moderate a post and choose the option to "Delete Posts As Spam..." an then choose the option to "Ban User." Banning the user sends their details to either Akismet, StopForumSpam, (or both) depending on how you set it up.

API Keys:
API Keys are not required for this system to stop spammers on your forums. But you should obtain them so that your forum can contribute to the real-time block lists.

A StopForumSpam API key is required if you want to contribute to the StopForumSpam blacklists by adding your spammers to their database. By submitting spammers you help keep other forums and blogs clean.

An Akismet API key is required if you want to enable any Akismet auto-moderation features in this module. Akismet API key is not required for all Auto-Moderation functions.

You can obtain a Stop Forum Spam API key which is free from stopforumspam.com.

Get your StopForumSpam API Key Here

You can obtain an Akismet API key from Akismet.com.
Akismet offers free and paid API keys so choose your version based on your situation.

Get your Akismet API Key Here

Why it is better than the other anti-spam solutions on vBulletin.org:

• Works with all of vBulletin 4 functions including Facebook automatic registration.
• Report spammers that you find to the Stop Forum Spam Database.
• Report spammers that you find to the Akismet Database.
• Built-in Auto-moderation.
• Auto-moderation rules based on post count.
• Auto-moderation rules based keywords.
• Auto-moderation rules based Akismet results.
• Enable or disable any actions that you do not want.
• Customizable "Registration Rejected" message.
• Consolidates 4 popular methods of spam prevention into one product.
• No Manual Template Modifications!
• Lots of community support!

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Compatibility:
vBulletin 4.0.x

Server Requirements:
Curl or allow_url_fopen must be compiled/enabled into PHP. Ask your web host to enable curl or allow_url_fopen if it is not already available on your server's PHP configuration. (Or just host with GlowHost.com, where it already is

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Donations:

If you like this mod, sure, you can donate!

Donations can be all sorts of things:
1) The "Give Thanks" option in your settings is an optional link back to GlowHost Web Hosting.
2) Tell your friends and others about this mod.
3) If you are in need of web hosting, please consider ordering it from the hosting and development professionals at GlowHost.com who were able to develop this mod to you.
4) Help others who are having trouble with this mod by posting tips and suggestions in this forum thread.
5) Cash! Use the "Support Developer" option on the top right of this page.

When you choose to donate, you are contributing to the product development, bug fixes and new releases for SOM and are helping to feed our hungry developers and their families! In other words, your donations helps to cover the time and money spent to develop this system.

The entire team at GlowHost thanks you for your help and support!

We hope you enjoy the mod! :up:

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Installation:

1) Download the attached file
2) Mark As Installed
3) SOM 2.x does not support updates from the v1.x series.
When upgrading to version 2.x, please, be sure to remove any other existing version of SOM 1.x from the product manager before installing v2.x series. Also make sure to remove /forum/includes/xml/bitfield_glowhostspamomatic.xml from version 1 if you had it installed.

4) Extract the zip file, and view the readme file for the rest of the instructions.

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Original concept credits go to the authors of vBStopForumSpam, MonkeyStop.

[Boofo]

Originally Posted by onehost

I am starting to wonder how reliable spam-o-matic really is...I wanted to check
out some member issues, so i signed up on my own forum as a new member.

Immediately, I was denied, and accused of being a spammer...
(yes, on my own damn forum)

I wonder how many legit members are being denied also? After all, if you
were denied on a forum, would you actually take the time to email admin?
or would you just be on your way to someplace else?

Before you go blaming this mod for that, you might want to check if you have another mod that might be messing with things also. Others have had no problem doing what you did, so it might be something else. I would eliminate that possibility before I accuse this mod.

[Alfa1]

Originally Posted by onehost

I am starting to wonder how reliable spam-o-matic really is...I wanted to check
out some member issues, so i signed up on my own forum as a new member.

Immediately, I was denied, and accused of being a spammer...
(yes, on my own damn forum)

I wonder how many legit members are being denied also? After all, if you
were denied on a forum, would you actually take the time to email admin?
or would you just be on your way to someplace else?

You can check why your registration was denied.

[tommac3]

One issue we are having with the board is that people come on and register a new account and then in their user profile they put spam links. They also post without a link ... then add a spam signature later. Both of those things are allowable even with this tool. Is there a way to easily mark new users as spammer from their user profile? Also putting users into moderation who add links to their signature and or anywhere in the profile

[GlowHost.com]

Originally Posted by tommac3

One issue we are having with the board is that people come on and register a new account and then in their user profile they put spam links. They also post without a link ... then add a spam signature later. Both of those things are allowable even with this tool. Is there a way to easily mark new users as spammer from their user profile? Also putting users into moderation who add links to their signature and or anywhere in the profile

You can use the newbies manager to put them in a newbies group. That group you should make with less permissions, for example, turn off the ability for the newbies group to post signatures.

[onehost]

Originally Posted by Boofo

Before you go blaming this mod for that, you might want to check if you have another mod that might be messing with things also. Others have had no problem doing what you did, so it might be something else. I would eliminate that possibility before I accuse this mod.

Sounds like an excuse...Does spam-o-matic deny registrations? If the spam mod
thinks I am a spammer then tell me why i would blame another mod for blocking
my signup to my own board?

Its like when someone hacked my completevb.com theme, all roads
are pointing to his theme URL, but rather then helping, his first advice
is to say its not his theme but another mod...all hacking url attempts
lead to his theme, so why would I think it would be another mod?

Same here, if this mod prevents registrations for whatever reason based on
stuff we do not really understand, then why would I assume that another
mod was the cause of my registration failure when it clearly stated that
I was denied because the forum thought I was a spammer...so why
would i think it was another mod then spam o matic? its not another mod,
spam-o-matic thought i was a spammer for a reason...and if it denied
me for that reason, then I can only suspect that it is not perfect and
may deny other members also...accept it, or not....

I really do not like the concept anyway that spam o matic shuts you down
without any real cause...a simple questions and answers will prevent
95%+ of most spam signups anyway....

[Alfa1]

If you are not giving information on why you were denied registration, then it will be hard to see what the problem is. You are not clearly stating your problem. Check your logs and see why you were rejected. Please do this first. Then you can expect people to try help you.

You do address one problem though: out of the box the messages to the user are pretty vague and can easily be interpreted as if the user is accused of being a spammer. I get lots of support tickets from aggravated people that have interpreted the message as such. In 99% of all cases their IP is blacklisted by SFS.

If users would instead get a message that their details are blacklisted by SFS, that thousands of websites use this third party service and that users should contact their ISP to resolve this, then users would not take this so personal. That would save a lot of support tickets as well.

[fxs158]

My one forum apparently had allot of spam for a while, is there a way to run this against the existing members so that it deletes the members and posts that match spammers automatically?

[PossumX]

The generic message is easy to change, as it is simply a phrase:

$vbphrase[glowhostspamomatic_reject]

I have used the below, which is explanatory, and I think needed, so that an unintended victim understands why this occurred, and that it is being done in the best interest of the overall community. It may be a bit verbose, but when denying a registration, it is prudent to present the reasoning, for those that get caught up in this that are not spammers.

Your Registration Request has been denied, due to your IP Address, Username, or Email Address being listed by the <a href="http://www.stopforumspam.com">StopForumSpam.com</a> anti-spam engine.<p/><p/>
The StopForumSpam.com service monitors and tracks spammers, worldwide, and lists their varying details within their servers.  Should any of your details match their database, this will result in registration denial.<p/>
In addition to StopForumSpam.com, we also use the <a href="http://www.akismet.com">Akismet.com</a> service as well to monitor and block spamming activity.<p/>
We would respectfully suggest that you either attempt to use another email and/or username, and see if this resolves the issue for you.  If it does not, it means that your IP Address has been tagged as a spammer, and this needs to be resolved via your Internet Service Provider.  We can assist you in getting this resolved.<p/>
<b>If you are still having troubles, please use the <a href="http://www.YOURFORUM.com/CONTACTLINK">Contact Us Link</a> and we will get your account setup for you.</b><p/>
We apologize for any inconvenience caused and truly want you as a part of our community.  The volume of spammer activity in recent times has driven these measures to be put in place, in order to keep YOURFORUMNAME from being filled up by spam postings.<p/>
Thank you for your understanding.

Also, make sure you set the StopForumSpam: Remote Expiry option to a reasonable time frame (e.g.: don't make it months).

[owning_y0u]

Can you please tell me why the submit function in de admin cp profile editor has been removed?

P.s. Askimet and Stopforumspam API are filled in correctly
p.s.1 asked this question earlier but never received the answer

[PossumX]

Originally Posted by owning_y0u

Can you please tell me why the submit function in de admin cp profile editor has been removed?r

I echo this. That function was perfect to deal with new registrants who simply signed up (got through the mod) and were either sleepers, or homepage stuffers.