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.

[Mrdby]

and another person I KNOW for a fact that isn't a spammer got to register, but they didn't get accepted into the user database.

Unregistered 2010-06-14 15:44:57 rossi@itsfreemail.com 196.40.10.240 Result on field username - Unregistered - Spammer and rejected by policy
Big Buddy Lee 2010-06-14 15:38:43 gamehtmike@gmail.com 144.230.63.57 Allowed registration

[MagiKelly]

You probably want to disable the username check. This is very likely to catch innocent registrations and is really no indication the person is a spammer. IP and email check only is the best option.

[Mrdby]

Originally Posted by MagiKelly

You probably want to disable the username check. This is very likely to catch innocent registrations and is really no indication the person is a spammer. IP and email check only is the best option.

i just did... i will see how it works! Thanks!

[djbaxter]

Originally Posted by MagiKelly

You probably want to disable the username check. This is very likely to catch innocent registrations and is really no indication the person is a spammer. IP and email check only is the best option.

That's what I've been doing for some time now. Works like a charm.

[Mrdby]

thanks!!

[Mrdby]

one got in


enteciani 2010-06-16 04:09:33 zgjzfl8@gmail.com 188.100.214.248 Allowed registration
enteciani 2010-06-16 04:09:04 zgjzfl8@gmail.com 188.100.214.248 Allowed registration
Unregistered 2010-06-16 04:08:34 zgjzfl8@gmail.com 188.100.214.248 Allowed registration
Unregistered 2010-06-16 04:08:05 zgjzfl8@gmail.com 188.100.214.248 Allowed registration
Unregistered 2010-06-16 04:05:46 zgjzfl8@gmail.com 188.100.214.248 Allowed registration
Unregistered 2010-06-16 04:05:41 zgjzfl8@gmail.com 188.100.214.248 Allowed registration

[BrightStar]

Mine says allowed registration but members are still not registered?

I'll contact those email address to ask what error message did they encounter.

[fabioski]

Does this mod work with 4.0.2 version?

[djbaxter]

Originally Posted by fabioski

Does this mod work with 4.0.2 version?

I've had it working on 4.01, 4.02, 4.03, and 4.04.

[Boofo]

Originally Posted by Louva-Deus

// $errors = vb 3.0.0+ support
// $userdata->errors = vb 3.6.1-4.0.x support
if (empty($errors) AND empty($userdata->errors))
{
				$sfsPurged = false;
				require_once('includes/functions_vbsfs.php');
				sfsProcess();
}

This allows vB to operate like it normally would when handling registration attempts and only passes data on to the vbStopForumSpam mod if the registration form has been filled out properly. This clears a lot of nonsense from the log records and it saves lookup time and server resources. It might even save the Stop Forum Spam website a little bandwidth.

Finally, this helps to reduce any accidental blocking of legitimate users from registering on your site, either locally or through being mistakenly added to the Stop Forum Spam database, which lists email as well as IP addresses. Remember that virtually none of the people added by mistake will know to come to the Stop Forum Spam website to get their information removed so they can register on a forum they want to join.

HTH

LD

Shouldn't this:

if (empty($errors) AND empty($userdata->errors))

be this?

if (empty($errors) OR empty($userdata->errors))