Miscellaneous Hacks - Stop the Registration Bots

Control your vBulletin forum registration process and stop the registration bots.

This mod will check the the time it takes for a vBulletin registration form to be submitted. If the form is submitted faster then humanly possible, the registration will be denied and the admin contact will be emailed about the event. The time is settable

We will start the registration on the forum rules page in two ways. First we will add a custom hidden field with a hash. Second we will insert a randomly named hidden field with a random value. This should make it a bit difficult to program a bot since the field names on all sites will be different as well as the values.

We will use a second set of random hidden fields on the form page as well to add to the confusion.

Time stamps to check the time spent on registration submission are stored in a DB table and private.

A registration will have to come through the Rules page and the form. Every Site will be different.

Installation is very easy.

There are two templates to edit.
One database table is added.
Three hooks are utilized.
Includes uninstall code.
Adds to vBulletin options.
Set time frame option.
Includes Phrases.
Sends Mail to Admin.
No files to upload.
XML product install.
Instructions attached in zip.

Demo usage and view source at http://www.riderinfo.com/

Compatibility
This hack is known to work on vBulletin 3.6.11 PL1 and will likely work back a few versions in the 3.6.x vBulletin series. Of course it works on 3.7.x as posted too.

HISTORY
1.2.2
added admin email on/off setting
moved hook code to files to reduce overhead.
1.2.1
Added Enable/Disable setting.
Fixed coppa includes file probem
Added file upload instructions to readme file.
1.2.0
Added JS timer to registration button.
Added enable/diable for email.
Removed ACP settings for random fields on rules and reg form pages and automated.
Reworded Pharses in ACP.
Recoded rules form and reg form edits.
Renamed variables for better code following.
Added more DB fields per user reg for tracking random automation.
New Hook on start_registration for functions.
Added new functions file. includes/stb_functions.php.
1.0.3
Changed input user name on rules form to random named hidden field with hash value.
Removed \n chars from email phrases.
All changes to registration are transparent to the folks registering.
Renamed DB username field to hash.
New hook on register_signup.
1.0.2
Added new Pre Reg Name hidden field to register form edits and ACP.
Added code to deal transparently with user deciding to change name after pre submitting it.
1.0.1
Fixed typo, changed 36000 to 3600 in product file.
1.0.0
Original Release.

[David Bott]

Still no answer on the above two posts.

This hack DOES has an issue with the hidden fields as we do have people saying a required field is missing when they go from the agreement page. It is NOT all the time and seems to only be with IE 8 users.

I have gone back to the standard timer one IsBot at this point.

[Ohiosweetheart]

David, you may want to try on his site, as this really is an excellent mod.
Here's the url - http://www.cpurigs.com/forums/index.php

Scroll down to the vBulletin Hacks and Template Mod Releases.

[MuhammadC]

This is an excellent mod... since installation, approximately 20 bots per day have been denied. And that's 20 or so spam threads my mods don't have to deal with. So, many thanks!!!

[noppid]

Glad to hear it's working out for ya'll.

[pts123]

I had a problem with this install on a previous website of mine, but since I'm taking it down and re-installing everything. I will try try again . . . slowly!

[pts123]

<font size="3">Will this mod work with version 3.8.2 ?</font>

[noppid]

Originally Posted by pts123

Will this mod work with version 3.8.2 ?

I do not know yet. Perhaps someone else can confirm that or shoot it down.

[merkaz]

Sorry but it didn't work for me .
I get a blank page at rules page ..

Why ?

[scourge]

I have it working on a 3.8.2 board without any problems.

[algert]

Originally Posted by scourge

I have it working on a 3.8.2 board without any problems.

doesnt work, it have stop registration for everyone.. :S