Administrative and Maintenance Tools - vbStopForumSpam - known spammer lookup for new registrations

vbStopForumSpam

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.

VB4 here https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthrea...hreadid=230921
Its the same code, it works in 3.54 to 4.0


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. You do not need to download the product-vbstopforumspam-3.54.xml file unless you are using a vBulletin version older than 3.6.0

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

Known to work - tested by me
- vBulletin 3.6.8 on Apache 2.2 / PHP 5.1.2 on Linux using cUrl
- vBulletin 3.7 Gold on Apache 2.0 / PHP 4.4.3 on Windows without cUrl (template changes wont work on 3.7 - thats in the next version with auto template changes)

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

Reported in the thread 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

If you have 3.54, then you can use the product-vbstopforumspam-3.54.xml file attached instead of the one in the ZIP file, which will allow older vBulletin versions to access this mods' features. I personally havent tested this version, its a user contribution, thanks to Darrell Mobley, that changes the way the XML works when imported into older versions.

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+

Future versions
- Automatic integration into vBulletin to add users to the stopForumSpam.com database from a form
- Whitelisting of username / IP / email addresses
- AJAX integration to allow for lookups from within the users profile
- Decreased remote query count from three per user to one per user.

Versions / Changes

0.1 Initial Release

0.2 pedigrees special brew birthday release.
- Small security update. If you have 0.1 installed, download 0.2 and replace your existing functions_vbsfs.php with the one in the archive. It just tests to see if its running inside the VB framework before anything else. This is what happens when you code at 2am after drinking wine

0.3
- stopped it processing valid registrations twice
- moved all non-function code into the plugin. Not a big one as 0.2 basically did that
- fixed a typo in the log pruner that stopped it working (404)
- removed unused fields from the database for people with mysql that doesnt support varchar > 255 (ie mySQL4). If you have 0.2 installed and dont need to prune your logs just yet, you dont really need to install this version but can instead wait for 1.0 unless of a massive security update.

0.4
- logs registrations that arent/wouldnt be blocked
- fixed XML errors when username has a space it in
- tightened up the cache so that it doesnt test a username against an email name to give a bypass result (for when a username is an email address that isnt banned where the email address is)
- fixed some basic logic errors in the PHP

0.6
- Should work on PHP 4.4 now - rewrote the XML with PHP4 in mind (tested on Apache2.0/PHP 4.4.3)
- Fixed a caching system where data wasnt being updated correctly which could cause a remote query when one wasnt needed
- Possible false negative situation when a spammer was blocked due to SFS.com being down who then visited again when it was up but within the cache expiry time
- Remote query failure when the result page isnt XML should work a bit better now. It does a very basic test for valid XML results.
- Fixed log purging (again) and it should actually work properly now.
- No longer requires PHP5
- The log viewer now links to a user profile when registration is allowed.

v0.61 - Removed a template change that was invalid vBulletin code. The package you download will still say its 0.60 however

NB : When upgrading from any version to 0.6, you must remove and then add the plugin due to changes in one of the database tables

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 upload the correct folders
- ONLY download the 3.54 xml file if youre using a vbulletin version prior to 3.6.0. use this file to install the mod instead of the xml file in the zip file.

Please click Installed

[Alfa1]

It works on 3.8.3

Please add a function to search for denied registrations. I frequently get help requests from people who want to register, but are denied because they are in the SFS listing. I need to find out why they where blocked and explain this to them. i.e. Is the IP or email is listed as spammer in the SFS database? I have 63k entries in the database, so scrolling is not very effective.

Better yet, would be if blocked member would get a more thorough explanation of why they where blocked.

Please add a whitelist.

Why does the log display each registrant multiple times?

Is there a maximum size to the log, when the size becomes a problem?

EDIT: it seems that almost all complaints are caused by AOL IPs.

[Makc666]

Originally Posted by JohnAnderson

quick question does this work with 3.8.x or is it only for 3.6.x

There is a RED NOTE in first post...

Originally Posted by Alfa1

Please add a function to search for denied registrations. I frequently get help requests from people who want to register, but are denied because they are in the SFS listing. I need to find out why they where blocked and explain this to them. i.e. Is the IP or email is listed as spammer in the SFS database? I have 63k entries in the database, so scrolling is not very effective.

Make a good proposal here https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?p=1826723.

Originally Posted by Alfa1

Better yet, would be if blocked member would get a more thorough explanation of why they where blocked.

May be an option. I really don't want bot-users to know why there were not allowed to register.

Originally Posted by Alfa1

Please add a whitelist.

And how it will be filled?
What whitelist it must be - IP? Email? User name?

Originally Posted by Alfa1

Why does the log display each registrant multiple times?

Because the bots tries to register several times and can't brake the captcha picture.

There is no logs for them in stopforumspam.com so the pass the mod but can't pass the captcha.

Originally Posted by Alfa1

Is there a maximum size to the log, when the size becomes a problem?

As it is placed in database the maximum size is you hosting size space limited for you database.

Found a BUG in phrases
In MOD's ACP options second and third name of options "IP Check URL" must be "Email Check URL" and "Username Check URL". The options' descriptions are correct.

[pedigree]

Originally Posted by Alfa1

It works on 3.8.3

Please add a function to search for denied registrations. I frequently get help requests from people who want to register, but are denied because they are in the SFS listing. I need to find out why they where blocked and explain this to them. i.e. Is the IP or email is listed as spammer in the SFS database? I have 63k entries in the database, so scrolling is not very effective.

Better yet, would be if blocked member would get a more thorough explanation of why they where blocked.

Please add a whitelist.

Why does the log display each registrant multiple times?

Is there a maximum size to the log, when the size becomes a problem?


EDIT: it seems that almost all complaints are caused by AOL IPs.

Ilput my hand up here, Ive been slacking on the code on 0.7. I had another baby and I now spend 6 hours a day travelling to and from work. Leaving home at 6am and arriving back at 8pm is kind of tiring.

Whitelist - already in 0.7

It displays multiple times as the person have posted their registration form multiple times.

More detailed errors / messages about rejection - The code is there is 0.7 but not added to the templates yet.

AOL - couldnt care less about AOL. They file almost all traffic down a very small number of proxy servers. If people dont like "being tarred with the sme brush" tell them to get another ISP that doesnt transparently proxy. There really isnt any way around this other than to whitelist all the AOL proxy servers.

Search the logs. The code is there but I need to add the search forms to the admin interface. If you type 192, it will show the records for any email/username/ip address that contains 192. I could add a referral number so that it gives the user a number that correspondes to a log entry. Would that work?

@Marc666- ohhh, ill fix those.

The log size, unless you run a tiny board, will never be as large as the other tables in the database.

[pedigree]

Originally Posted by Makc666

Proposal: It will be nice if in next version (hope 0.7*) there will be a way to report such user directly from log with one click!!!

Already done Well mostly. the code is there and its working for the User Options advanced display screen but I just need to code the form into the logs code so that it posts the submit data. It allows you to tick boxes or select all / invert and then posts all that data to the remote database

[wo0kie]

Excellent mod and as others have said, could use a bit more features.

Despite that, I'm loving it and will be tracking its progress in the coming weeks.

Thank you very much for this.

+installed / nominated.

[dodgechargerfan]

Originally Posted by pedigree

Already done Well mostly. the code is there and its working for the User Options advanced display screen but I just need to code the form into the logs code so that it posts the submit data. It allows you to tick boxes or select all / invert and then posts all that data to the remote database

Excellent! This is good news because for those log entries, there is no user (they were stopped by Captcha) and therefore no user options to view.

BTW, I'm loving this mod. Thanks very much!

[skippybosco]

Originally Posted by pedigree

I had another baby and I now spend 6 hours a day traveling to and from work. Leaving home at 6am and arriving back at 8pm is kind of tiring.

I can relate.. wife is 9 months pregnant with our first... free time the last few months has been non existent.. don't see that changing soon.

That being said, that is the beauty of this mod of yours... set it and forget it :-)

Thanks Pedigree!

[VampireG]

Top Mod nice one. It also seems to work on 3.8.3.

[MyCTaK]

Hello, i have problem. If "Query Connection Errors" is set to "block" noone can register, so i change it to "allow".

RealbestOlssen 2009-07-07 12:59:44 bestkoncha@hotmail.ru 194.8.74.37 Result on field username - RealbestOlssen [REMOTEERR] Unverfied but allowed by policy
RealbestOlssen 2009-07-07 12:59:44 bestkoncha@hotmail.ru 194.8.74.37 Result on field ip - 194.8.74.37 [REMOTEERR] Unverfied but allowed by policy
RealbestOlssen 2009-07-07 12:59:44 bestkoncha@hotmail.ru 194.8.74.37 Result on field email - bestkoncha@hotmail.ru [REMOTEERR] Unverfied but allowed by policy
RealbestOlssen 2009-07-07 12:59:44 bestkoncha@hotmail.ru 194.8.74.37 Allowed registration

Which php extensions are required from your mod to work?

I try with my url for IP test and i didn't recieve any request on it :/

I test with CURL option and without it.

EDIT: I found that i didn't have CURL extension and that was the problem! After instaling it everything is OK!

[egexperiment626]

I installed this mod over the weekend and so far I haven't had one spam registration or post. Worked perfectly from the moment it was installed on 3.8.3!

Thank you!!