Anti-Spam Options - Spambot Stopper - Prevent Spambots from Registering

What is it?
----------------------------
This mod rejects registrations where the form is filled out in less than a minimum time. You can configure one of the following actions to be taken when an automated registration is detected:

- Show a "No Permissions" page
- Display the "Successful Registration" message but without creating an account
- Redirect the user to any URL you choose
- Reload the registration page with an error message of your choosing

You can also provide a list of email addresses to be notified each time a registration is blocked.

Added for version 1.1.1: Time delay enforcer, maximum time option, time limits to cut down on email notifications, posting to a thread.

In the future, I'd like to add some simple logging and statistics, and a summary type of email notification (because people seem to quickly get tired of the single emails).

Note: I coded this myself from scratch, but I would like to acknowledge a couple of previous mods that used this same idea, by users Calorie and noppid, and maybe others. In any case, I believe this one adds some features that the others don't have.

Other advantages: no ads or links, no abuse of update notifications, no disappearing features, no threats to delete the mod (it will never be deleted, at least by me). Also, translations are allowed.

Installation:
----------------------------
1) If you have "Is Bot", "Stop the Registration Bots", "Spammers Suck!", or another mod that works on registration time, note any admincp settings for that mod then uninstall it.

2) Import the product XML file from the Product Manager.

3) Go to Settings > Options > Spambot Stopper Options and configure the desired settings.

4) IMPORTANT: try to register a new user to make sure that there are no problems with humans registering. If you want, you can also temporarily set the minimum time to a higher value (like 60 seconds) and test to see if the spammer rejection is working.



History:
----------------------------
1.1.1 (Feb 16, 2013)

• Added timer for enforcing minimum time
• Added maximum registration time limit
• Added time limits for email notifications
• Added posting notificatiosn to a thread

1.0.1 (Feb 01, 2013)

• Fixed bug
• Added check for fake timestamps

1.0 (Jan 31, 2013)

• Initial Release

[djbaxter]

Originally Posted by kh99

There's an update because I found a bug while working on other features. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Edit: BTW, have people confirmed that this is working for them?

Definitely working for me. Recommend increasing the limit to 20 seconds from the default 15 though - several obvious spambots being caught at 17, 18 seconds on 4 forums where I'm using it.

[kh99]

Thanks. I'll increase the default to 20 in future releases.

And thanks for the confirmation. I kind of rushed out the update because I wasn't sure what effect the bug might have had, but if it was working for you then the answer is that it wasn't having any effect.

[Lionel]

bots always pick the first answer in required profile field. So one question is Are you a spammer?

yes
no

and they all pick up yes. That bans them automatically

suggestion. Why not add IP in database and also check IP when registering?

[kh99]

Originally Posted by Lionel

bots always pick the first answer in required profile field. So one question is Are you a spammer?

yes
no

and they all pick up yes. That bans them automatically

That's a good tip. Is there a mod that does the banning?

suggestion. Why not add IP in database and also check IP when registering?

I'm not sure what you mean - can you elaborate on that?

[Lionel]

No I just added it manually in global_bootstrap_init_start

PHP Code:

if( $vbulletin->userinfo['field10'] == '0') 
{ 
$vbulletin->db->query_write("UPDATE " . TABLE_PREFIX . "user SET usergroupid = '8' WHERE userid = '" . $vbulletin->userinfo['userid'] . "'"); 
} 


I ask them which version of vb they are using? but that's specific to my site

0
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
and they all pick up 0
and for banned IP, once banned I insert IP in a custom table and at registration:
And I verify that IP at registration register_addmember_process

PHP Code:

$ip = $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR']; 
$dateline = time(); 
$bannedip = array(); 
$bans = $vbulletin->db->query_read("SELECT ip FROM " . TABLE_PREFIX . "bannedip"); 
WHILE($ban = $vbulletin->db->fetch_array($bans)) 
{ 
$bannedip[] = $ban['ip']; 
} 
unset($ban); 
$vbulletin->db->free_result($bans); 
if(in_array($ip, $bannedip)) 


{//then your mod kicks off 


I stop 80 to 150 bots daily and sort of solve that plague

[kh99]

Thanks, that sounds great. If that's your code and you're giving me permission, maybe I'll include those as options in a later version.

[Lionel]

Sure you can include a vboptions to include the trick profile field id.
Once banned I send user to gay.com

I have been using this for 6 months now and that finally gave me a break

[Lionel]

Required custom profile fields is great as that increase the registration time

[kh99]

Thanks, I'll consider those for the next update.

[Lionel]

And for those complaining about amount of emails they are getting, just create and outlook rule to send those mails to a specific folder, then delete the contents of that folder daily. You will be surprised how fast it gets filled up with banned notifications