Anti-Spam Options - vbStopForumSpam

vbStopForumSpam

Mod of the month winner October 2009.... That cant be bad :up:

Apologies in advance, this is a copy of the 3.6/3.7/3.8 mod that has been verified to work in 4.0 (its so that I dont get a billion PMs asking if it works in 4.0)

This provides access to a RBL type system for forum admins, listing known spam IP / email / usernames. The RBL database is provided by www.stopforumspam.com. You do NOT need an API key from the website in order to access the database. only to submit data if you should wish to do so.

At the point of user registration, the mod checks if the IP number / provided username / email addresses appear on a block list and can block the registration.

Whilst this isnt the most perfect way to stop all forum spam, its another step that spammers have to overcome.

What it does

It checks with a remote database of known forum spammers. Their IP number, email address and forum username are tested and based on your configuration, you can reject / log / accept user registrations based on what you get back.

This version doesnt have
- whitelisting or the ability to submit users to the database but it will within the next week.
- automatic user deletion / post / PM purging. There are good tools out there already, this does something else.

Instructions are included in the installation.txt file - PLEASE read it first and dont forget to actually upload the files in the upload folder, otherwise it WILL kill your registration progress and you wont see the log file options in admincp.

Changes to vB
- 3 new database tables
- 2 database table alternations
- No new templates.
- 2 Hook (register_addmember_process & register_addmember_complete)

Ive tested it but had feedback that it works with versions as old as 3.6.2... Support should go back to older versions, as long as they have hook support for register_addmember_process / register_addmember_complete

For code to submit spammers to the database, check this post for code changes
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....&postcount=288

Reported to work
- 3.6.1, 3.6.2, 3.6.9, 3.6.10, 3.7.0, 3.7.1, 3.7.2, 3.7.3, 3.74, 3.80, 3.81, 3.82, 3.83, 3.8.4, 4.0beta3, 4.0 Gold, 4.2pl1,2

Installers should remember to refresh their ACP navigation window when they first install it so they can see the new log file menu item.

REQUIRES MySQL 4.1.1+

There is a small mod, coded by Wired1 that will allow you to submit spammer details to the database from the admin control panel, here https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....&postcount=289 This relies 100% on javascript being enabled and makes no tests that it is enabled.

You need to have an API key from www.stopforumspam.com in order to submit data, its free and easy to get... You DONT need an API key in order to use this mod however, only to submit spammer data.

Issues are
- The usergroup permissions / view details etc DONT work. I jumped the gun and put the permissions controls in there before I put the code in. Please delete the includes/xml/bitfield_vbstopforumspam.xml file and rebuild your postbit

Installation
- Follow the instructions in the zip file, that includes the file upload the correct folders.

Please click Installed

The original thread is at https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=176481 where there is a wealth of knowledge about the mod, please ask questions in there.

[tambo]

Originally Posted by TheSupportForum

http://api.stopforumspam.org is not default for this script, you will need to update the string yourself
otherwise it points to http://stopforumspam.com which is their old API

What's the difference, in terms of how the plugin works?

Sorry if that's a remedial question.

[TheSupportForum]

Originally Posted by tambo

What's the difference, in terms of how the plugin works?

Sorry if that's a remedial question.

their new API location had been migrated for load balancing, it includes more up-to-date a DNSBL list

[tambo]

Ah, OK. Will look into editing the string. Cheers.

[djbaxter]

Originally Posted by TheSupportForum

their new API location had been migrated for load balancing, it includes more up-to-date a DNSBL list

Please point me to where at the SFS site it states this; I have been unable to find any such statement.

The old URLs work just fine for me. Additionally, the submission form at the SFS site is still located at http://www.stopforumspam.com/add

From http://www.stopforumspam.com/usage

Examples

http://www.stopforumspam.com/api?ip=91.186.18.61
http://www.stopforumspam.com/api?ema...ehis5e@mail.ru
http://www.stopforumspam.com/api?username=MariFoogwoogy


Multiple queries

Queries for some or all fields can be made in a single query, as here

http://www.stopforumspam.com/api?ip=...ehis5e@mail.ru

[TheSupportForum]

Originally Posted by djbaxter

Please point me to where at the SFS site it states this; I have been unable to find any such statement.

The old URLs work just fine for me. Additionally, the submission form at the SFS site is still located at http://www.stopforumspam.com/add

i have already linked it to another person in a few posts back, not sure which one it is but the link is there

[djbaxter]

I posted this at the SFS forum just now:

Can you clarify the status of the alternate URLs for checking and/or adding spammers to your database? I have seen posts at vBulletin.org in particular indicating that stopforumspam.com is obsolete and or that api.stopforumspam.org is more up to date.

What is the recommended URL to use

1. for checking a new registration against the database; and

2. for submitting a spammer to the database?

Here is pedigree's reply:

At the moment, they point to the same box but I hope to move the lot to api.stopforumspam.org in the near future. I have issues to iron out with DNS failover, balancing etc. You can use either but I cant 100% guarantee the road map going forward until i get these issues sorted out.

[TheSupportForum]

Originally Posted by djbaxter

I posted this at the SFS forum just now:



Here is pedigree's reply:

in many cases the new link has never broke, not 1 has passed

[djbaxter]

Originally Posted by TheSupportForum

in many cases the new link has never broke, not 1 has passed

And I can verify that the same is true for the original link.

And pedigree's reply is quite clear: Both URLs point to exactly the same location. So telling people who are having problems that the fix is to change the URL is misleading at best - that won't change anything or fix any problems they may be experiencing.

In particular, your statement that the stopforumspam.org database is more up to date is clearly not true.

[TheSupportForum]

Originally Posted by djbaxter

And I can verify that the same is true for the original link.

And pedigree's reply is quite clear: Both URLs point to exactly the same location. So telling people who are having problems that the fix is to change the URL is misleading at best - that won't change anything or fix any problems they may be experiencing.

In particular, your statement that the stopforumspam.org database is more up to date is clearly not true.

i have only had lets say 10 pass with that
but i can say that it has been more reliable for me

if people has been taking notice of posts here and on their forum then yes it would be more up to date

[djbaxter]

Originally Posted by TheSupportForum

i have only had lets say 10 pass with that
but i can say that it has been more reliable for me

if people has been taking notice of posts here and on their forum then yes it would be more up to date

Sorry but that is simply not true and cannot be true. Please re-read pedigree's statement this morning:

http://www.stopforumspam.com/forum/v...d=33712#p33712

Originally Posted by pedigree

At the moment, they {i.e., both URLs} point to the same box