Add-On Releases - SpamBuster: Identify, log and remove spam posts on your forum

This is the v3.6 version of SpamBuster that I wrote for vBulletin v3.5.x This version is mainly bug fixes.

What does it do?
It spots posts that could potentially be spam then (depending on option settings) creates a thread alerting site admin/moderators about the post and/or hides the post from view.

How does it identify the spam?
All off the posts for users with a post count of less than 10 (configurable) have their posts checked against a number of rules. Each rule has a different "score". If the total score for the post exceeds a specified limit then the post is deemed to be spam.

Can I add my own rules?
The installer file has a default rule set with it, you may wish to customise the rules in the options section of the AdminCP. The rules system is fairly simple to add to, in simple terms each rule is a perl regular expression and a score.

How do I install it?
Import the product via the Product Manager in the AdminCP. The options group and plugins will be added to your system. Now would be a good time to click the install link on here to record the fact that you've installed it.

How do I configure it?
Head to the "SpamBuster" option group in the "vBulletin Options" section of your AdminCP. Fill in the relevant fields. Further documentation will follow but it should be obvious what each setting does for the moment.

How do I upgrade?
Just run a regular install. It's worth backing up your settings particluarly the rules before performing the upgrade. If you have any problems I recommend removing the product then installing it from scratch.

How can I test it?
Try posting a new thread/post with some trigger values in it. The string cialis should do the trick.

Help it's broken my forum!
Erm, that's not an intended feature. Disable all six of the plugins that are part of the product "SpamBuster" and post an error report to this thread. The forum will work fine.

Why doesn't it do x,y or z?
Because I've either not thought about it yet or I've not written it yet. Please drop a post into this thread with any (sensible!) suggestions.

Can I use it commercially?
You're free to use it for whatever purpose comercially/privately as long as you don't resell the code. It's released under the LGPL, see the link below for futher info. If you find this plugin useful and you'd like to make a donation please use the "donate" button below.


click to donate


This software is licenced under the CC-GNU LGPL.


Changelog

• 8th November 2007 - v1.1.2 - New thread redirect bug fixed
• 14th August 2007 - v1.1.1 - Multiple post bug fix
• 13th August 2007 - v1.1.0 - Important bug fixes, updated rules file
• 15th June 2006 - v1.0.1 - Updated list of rules uploaded as a text file
• 6th April 2006 - v1.0.0 - Stable release: code remains the same but the rules file has changed.

[webghey]

and you're logged in with an acct less than 10 posts? Not your own acct?

I went into the admincp - created a new user/login
log out of the admincp/site
log in as my test user - make a post about free ipods and viagra or something on sale..
log out..

log back in as admin - look at the post. Mine was invisible and caught by the program... and has caught quite a few spam threads.

I don't know what to tell you - the guy who wrote it will have to help maybe?

[UK Jimbo]

Originally Posted by webghey

and you're logged in with an acct less than 10 posts? Not your own acct?

I went into the admincp - created a new user/login
log out of the admincp/site
log in as my test user - make a post about free ipods and viagra or something on sale..
log out..

log back in as admin - look at the post. Mine was invisible and caught by the program... and has caught quite a few spam threads.

I don't know what to tell you - the guy who wrote it will have to help maybe?

A sound advice (pretty much what I would have recommended). Looking at his last post though it seems he has it sorted.

Re: usergroup inclusion/exclusion
It's something that will be in a future release. I think if you look back through the thread someone might have a hack that does it.

[lazytown]

This is a great mod with only one major flaw.... That is the ability to specify whole words or boundaries. For example, if a person types the word "Virginia," the post will get flagged as spam (due to virgin in the rules). If they link to a jpeg (.jpg) it will get flagged as a link to japan (which is .jp). Without being able to detect spaces/etc or only matching a whole word, it becomes very difficult to make rules that work properly. I need a better understanding of the regular expressions used here.

As a side note -- is there a simple way to detect a link to any URL? Perhaps just the [url] BBcode?

-vissa

[UK Jimbo]

Originally Posted by vissa

This is a great mod with only one major flaw.... That is the ability to specify whole words or boundaries. For example, if a person types the work "Virginia," the post will get flagged as spam (due to virgin in the rules). If they link to a jpeg (.jpg) it will get flagged as a link to japan (which is .jp). Without being able to detect spaces/etc or only matching a whole word, it becomes very difficult to make rules that work properly. I need a better understanding of the regular expressions used here.

That's a limitation of the current set of rules not of the mod itself.

You're quite right - it's overly aggressive and needs to be reworked (I posted about this a couple of months back).

It shouldn't be too hard to look for those strings with regular expressions like:

"/\Wvirgin\W/"

That would search for virgin with non "word" characters either side of it.

Originally Posted by vissa

As a side note -- is there a simple way to detect a link to any URL? Perhaps just the [url] BBcode?

vB does automatic URL parsing as well so http://www.google.com/ would end up being stored without the [url] tags but would appear as a link in the page.

I think your safest bet is to look for http:// (remember to escape the / so it'll read http:\/\/ ni the config)

James

[BadgerDog]

Originally Posted by vissa

This is a great mod with only one major flaw.... That is the ability to specify whole words or boundaries. For example, if a person types the work "Virginia," the post will get flagged as spam (due to virgin in the rules). If they link to a jpeg (.jpg) it will get flagged as a link to japan (which is .jp). Without being able to detect spaces/etc or only matching a whole word, it becomes very difficult to make rules that work properly. I need a better understanding of the regular expressions used here.

As a side note -- is there a simple way to detect a link to any URL? Perhaps just the [url] BBcode?

I agree ... :up:

It's a great mod that started out well on our forums, but it seems to be nailing an inordinate amount of posts that have nothing wrong with them, except things like your "Virginia" example....

Too bad....

Have reduced post count check to "1" to see if that helps only nail those first time registration then immediately spam types...

Regards,
Badger

[UK Jimbo]

Originally Posted by BadgerDog

It's a great mod that started out well on our forums, but it seems to be nailing an inordinate amount of posts that have nothing wrong with them, except things like your "Virginia" example....

I'd suggest reverting back to an older version of the rules and you shouldn't have these problems.


If anyone could do some refining of the rules that would be fantastic.

As and when I get the time I'd like to create a test setup where I can test the rules file against a set of known spam/geniune posts.

[lazytown]

Originally Posted by UK Jimbo

I'd suggest reverting back to an older version of the rules and you shouldn't have these problems.


If anyone could do some refining of the rules that would be fantastic.

As and when I get the time I'd like to create a test setup where I can test the rules file against a set of known spam/geniune posts.

Thanks for the tips in the last couple of posts... Where can we get a list of the regular expression rules that are available/possible?

-vissa

[UK Jimbo]

Originally Posted by vissa

Thanks for the tips in the last couple of posts... Where can we get a list of the regular expression rules that are available/possible?

The spambuster rules are all in the configuration/settings section of the admincp.

Google should show up some tutorials on perl regular expressions (which is the type of regular expression SpamBuster uses). Some of it can be a bit daunting though.

It should be fairly easy to modify the existing rules into the \Wvirgin\W style I described earlier.

[BadgerDog]

Originally Posted by UK Jimbo

I'd suggest reverting back to an older version of the rules and you shouldn't have these problems.

I didn't know we could do that....

It might help.... :up:

While maintaining the current code version, could you post the "old" rule set you refer to so we can plug it into the appropriate area under our AdminCP options?

Thanks...

Regards,
Badger

[UK Jimbo]

There's a text file at https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=109258 which you should be able to open then copy/paste into the settings section.