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

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

VB4.x Version of Ban Spiders By User Agent

Tested on vb3.7.x, vB3.8.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, Extra logging and statistics added by Ozzy47 (Chris)
18th December 2014 Version 3.1.2 uploaded, due to rogue process from other mod
18th December 2014 Version 3.1.3 uploaded, due to previous one being VB4 mistakingly uploaded

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

[Max Taxable]

Originally Posted by hotshot

Isn't this supposed to reduce the number of Bot registations too? I have this mod installed and I still get hundreds of bot registrations that are blocked by vbStopForumSpam.

This has nothing whatsoever to do with spam bot registrations. This Mod blocks by USER AGENT STRINGS you define. But be careful - it doesn't know if it's a bot or a human, and doesn't care - so don't enter anything that is a common UA term. You have the potential to block billions of legitimate users!

This however, does have to do with spam bot registrations:

https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=289463

[valdet]

Originally Posted by Simon Lloyd

The output.txt is generated as bots found in your list attempt to call a forum or thread, there's no time lag and the file should be created straight away. If you have no cms then the file should be available at www.mysite.com/output.txt if forum is in a folder then something like www.mysite.com/forum/output.txt

Any issues post back and i'll deal with them for you

Hi Simon,


Is there any particular server setting that needs to be enabled for the Write to output.txt file to work?

I have set the settings to create a new thread and store entries in log file (I switched between them as well. Enabled one, disabled second and vice-versa)

I am on vB 3.8.7
None are working.

Thanks,

[Simon Lloyd]

It will be to do with whether you have permission to write to the file on your server, the script creates one if it doesn't exist and then writes to it , if I remember rightly at /public_html level, i'll check tomorrow when I get home and give you a "How to" write at that level if my mod writes above it.

[Max Taxable]

If you haven't added "rippers" to your list, do so.

[valdet]

Originally Posted by Simon Lloyd

It will be to do with whether you have permission to write to the file on your server, the script creates one if it doesn't exist and then writes to it , if I remember rightly at /public_html level, i'll check tomorrow when I get home and give you a "How to" write at that level if my mod writes above it.

Thanks for reply.

The file is created and has proper CHMOD permissions. But neither log file option, nor the Create a thread option are working.
FYI, I am using my admin account to create threads into a not public forum. This forum allows admins to post new threads.

Thanks.

[Simon Lloyd]

That's not what I meant, I mean you may not have permissions on your server to write a file above the /public_html folder (the log file is written to the server not the forum!). When I sort out the issues with my forum later i'll take a look at this and release a fix

[tambo]

Originally Posted by Simon Lloyd

Ok, firstly i'd incorporate a safe bot list where you can add bots that you dont want to be banned. The difference with this and .htaccess is, with .htaccess the bots don't even get to call any page on your site but having a lot in your .htaccess list can cause your server to load and slow down, this mod allows the call of a page...etc but as soon as they do it never completes for them as they are then redirected straight away and as you've experienced they quickly drop off and so does your server load and you save tons of bandwidth.

Consider me a +1 vote.

I still get great use out of this and, honestly, anything that can make a plugin dynamic with a degree of self-sufficiency is right up my street.

So... yes!

[Simon Lloyd]

I'd forgotten all about that as i didnt get much response, if i have time over the next week or so i'll look at doing that

[Dan49]

Thank you for the mod Simon.

Originally Posted by Max Taxable

My current (updated) list of banned user agents entered into this Mod:

MSIE 1
MSIE 2
MSIE 3
MSIE 4
MSIE 5
MSIE 6

Entering the older MSIEs and the older Operas has virtually eliminated bot registration attempts. It's down to just one or two a day, and the "IsBot" Mod is still catching those. It used to be, 40-50 a day that would be caught.

I have a bunch of guests with Russian IPs with MSIE 7 & MSIE 8 in the UA. It's been a couple of years since Max's list, is it now safe to block 7 & 8?

[Simon Lloyd]

I know I sound like a broken record but it really is a personal choice about who you want to block, less fortunate countries will have older browsers and it's probably safe to block up to MSIE6, later browsers will still be in use, so you really need to check your demographics and make sure you are catering for your intended audience.

Sorry but that's the best advice I can give.