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.

[NexDog]

This suddenly stopped working for me. I mean it works, but I have this one bot that always gets past it and signs up and spams 2 to 3 times a day.

[inciarco]

Great Mod, Works Ok in vB 3.6.8. PL2. :up:

Thank You Very Much For Sharing it. :up:

My Best Regards.

[legionofangels]

Great mod.

Thanks for sharing it.

I recommend you put this in your opening post, or a link to it:

https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....&postcount=343

It is required for it to work with the Quick Register Mod. I was thinking that it had to be that to, since the QR field is it's own field, but I didn't know where to put the code until I found that.

Linking to it would save you future questions, that will arise as your text instructions at this moment, are not fully correct. The answer box appears in Quick Register but the question does not unless you do the change that the member suggested.

I used this question mixing a number with a word 10 and third, to try and confuse a bot almost like a problem solving question.

If 10 is a third of the total, what is the total?

I am wondering something though, you say it only shows one question and it randomizes them, is that correct?

If so, how many questions do you think we should come up with?

[SoftDux]

great mod, thanx

[crazymilk]

Hey Guys.

SOrry but could somebody tell me how to install this? I have 3.6.2 version and am getting hit hard with the damm spammers

[eJM]

Originally Posted by crazymilk

Hey Guys.

SOrry but could somebody tell me how to install this? I have 3.6.2 version and am getting hit hard with the damm spammers

You can't read the installation instructions written above in the mod description??? :down:

[crazymilk]

I know I read that but sorry I am still unsure


edit no worries..sorted

[manning]

How well does this work? E.G what percentage of reg spam does it stop?

[AuroraStorm]

I installed this on a friend's board because she's getting slammed with spammers. I added four questions but it only shows just the one. I didn't space the questions apart. Should I have done that, because I followed the example in the original attachment.

I read earlier where soemone said it would have been better as a profile field and I think he was right...

Edited: Uninstalled...it didn't work...bots were still able to get through the question and it wasn't an easy question either...

[asandhanam]

I'm running VB 3.6.11. I just installed this plugin intending to use it with my custom form (using form hack) and contact us. I followed the instructions from install.txt & integration.txt. But it doesn't seem to be working. I also edited the contact us template manually and added $nospamfield above $imagereg as per troubleshooting.txt. Still wouldn't work. Can't understand why. Help please.