Miscellaneous Hacks - Ban Spiders by User Agent

What this mod does
With this mod you can enter User Agents to watch or ban, you can also recieve emails or have an Output.txt created and updated with time and date of visits. It doesn't just have to be spiders, you can watch, log or ban any useragent!

How to install
Simply import the product ban_spider, the mod is active by default but none of the other options are turned on.

What is a UserAgent?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_agent

Understanding a UserAgent string
http://user-agent-string.info/parse

Genuine User Getting Blocked?
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....&postcount=105

Tools to help
http://whatsmyuseragent.com/SwitchingUserAgents.asp
http://www.botsvsbrowsers.com/SimulateUserAgent.asp

FAQ
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....&postcount=137

How does it work?
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....&postcount=381

What's a bot?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spambot

How do i ban a bot?
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....&postcount=318
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....7&postcount=51

Where's output.txt located?
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....&postcount=216

Bad bot lists
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....&postcount=259
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....&postcount=224
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....&postcount=281

Tested on vb3.7.x, vB3.8.x , vB4.x.x but should work on any version.

__________________________________________________ __________________
Special thanks to:
Lior
KH99
BoP5
for helping me sort out a few issues

...and beta testers
ForceHSS (Special thanks to Force for latest testing)
ozzy47
GreyHost

If you use this please mark as INSTALLED

History
9th June 2011 Orginal xml added
12th June 2011 Added both email notification and text file logging
22nd June 2011 Version 2.0.0, Added create thread on activity

1. Added match facility you can now use something like Yandex and it will match MOZILLA/5.0 (COMPATIBLE; YANDEXBOT/3.0; +HTTP://YANDEX.COM/BOTS)
2. Added clickable link to visited thread

22nd September 2011 added user redirect url selection
08th October Beta testing started for thread creation.
20th October Beta testing started for emailing.
21st October Beta testing complete Ver 3.0.0 uploaded
29th October minor fix added to cope with empty userid on thread creation
30th October Beta testing automatic redirection to spiders/bots IP
31st October New xml uploaded with automatic redirect to IP
25th November Minor fix for blank forumid fixed
26th November 2011 Fixed version check & create thread Off by default
17th December 2014 Version 3.1.0 uploaded, Hook changed extra logging and statistics added by Ozzy47 (Chris)
18th December 2014 Version 3.1.1 uploaded, prevented spiders being counted when mod turned off.
17th December 2014 Version 3.1.2 uploaded, due to rogue code from another mod
The Bad Bots list is now included in the product
Please prune out all those that you wish to be able to see your site (i suggest you definately prune out "DA" and "Custo" :

Support will now only be given to those who have this mod marked as INSTALLED

[Simon Lloyd]

Are you admin on your site? have you tried the prune posts in admincp?

[Simon Lloyd]

Any of you that are currently beta testing please PM me, i have fixed the emailing and it works on my test board perfectly. The emailing now includes date and time of detection, complete UserAgent string, clickable link of the thread they visted and by which spider name in your ban list they were discovered by

I will pm all those that pm me at around 21:00 GMT

[dszuecs]

Originally Posted by Simon Lloyd

Are you admin on your site? have you tried the prune posts in admincp?

Yes i am. Thanks for your message - i had to delete the threads via sql query haha.
Thanks & kindly regards

[Simon Lloyd]

Glad you're sorted

[Simon Lloyd]

Hi all, this next stage in the beta testing is going to be very short, i have proved it on 3 of my boards so i'm pretty confident that it does the business.

Version 3.0.0 will be released tomorrow around 8pm GMT provided there are no major issues raised by the beta testers.

I have further plans to develop this to provide some stats...etc (but don't hold your breath as i have an indepth programming project at work!) it may be some months yet

[ForceHSS]

tested the email part over nite and it works well

[Simon Lloyd]

Thanks ForceHSS, i'll upload that xml now then, you needn't download it as it will be the same version as you have now

Thanks for testing (credits given above!)

[ForceHSS]

happy to help

[nrasheed]

Hi,

I have Ver. 2.0.1. running on VB 4.1.7.

What would be the best approach to upgrade from 2.0.1 to 3.0.

Thanks,

[Simon Lloyd]

Just import the product into admincp and check the overwrite radio button