Miscellaneous Hacks - Check Proxy RBL on New User Registration.

Check Proxy RBL on New User Registration Version 4.1

Version 4.1 includes remains unchanged from version 4.0 with the exception of a code fix to deal with an SQL injection security hole in the code.

What does this hack do?

Hooking in at register_addmember_process and register_addmember_complete this hack compares the IP address of the person registering with the Realtime Block List(s) of your choice. Based on your configuration the RBL Checker will then perform one of these actions:

1. Nothing, the registration continues as normal.
2. Registration continues as normal, but the user is automatically moved into the "Pending Moderation" group of your choice.
3. Registration continues as normal, but the user is automatically permanently banned.
4. Registration is blocked, an error message is displayed to the user.

Please Note: It is strongly recommended that you configure PM or Thread based notification so that you may monitor registrations that are from IPs that are a positive hit on the RBL. Especially if you configure the checker to allow registrations to complete normally.

These options are configurable in AdminCP > Options > DM-RBL Check on Registration.


Why Block Proxies?

Banned and Spammers users often get around IP bans by simply using an open proxy - of which there are thousands - to get around the IP ban. Very few legitimate users slow their surfing by using an anonymous proxy.


How do you Install?

1. Create a user from which PMs, Posts, etc. will be generated.
2. In your adminCP obtain values for the "banned" and "pending moderation" groupIDs (Defaults are 8 and 4).
3. Install the attached product.

IMPORTANT NOTE:You must specify a username if you plan on configuring the AUTOBAN or NOTIFICATION options. Otherwise you WILL get errors.


What is the default config?
By default the RBLChecker will check the IP of a new registration, allow registration to complete, but add the new user to the "COPPA Members Awaiting Moderation" usergroup. You can then approve/reject those members depending on whether you think they are/aren't spammers/trolls.

You can modify the settings in the AdminCP to Ban or Block as you like.


Hack History:

Version 4.1
- Fixed SQL Injection security hole.
- Fixed some minor typos in automatically generated messages.

Version 4.0
- Added ability to specify error reported on blocks.
- Added ability to specify ban reason and custom title.
- Added ability to move users to "pending moderation" group if registration is allowed.
- Updated list of RBLs checked based on testing with lists of "anonymous" proxies.
- Fixed IP address of Notification Posts equalling IP of blocked user. (Now Notification IP = 1.2.3.4)

Version 3.2
- Fixed typo causing blocked registrations to be reported as allowed.

Version 3.1
- change in variable name in v3.0 broke RBL checking. Corrected error.
- match notification now includes the name of the RBL that matches the IP.

Version 3.0
- plugin now fires at "register_addmember_process" allowing the user to completely fill in the form.
- Added the ability to specify more than one RBL.
- Added option to specify whether registration is blocked or allowed to complete.
- Added option to automatically ban registrations that are allowed to complete but have a positive IP match.
- Added option to specify user who is "notifier".
- Added option to specify a forum where a notification thread will be created.
- Added option to supress notification PM / Thread when an IP matches blacklist or known proxy list.
- Added customized error codes for notifications - notification now indicates whether a registration IP has matched the RBL, blacklist, or predefined list of anonymizers.
- Reworded Phrases.
- Removed 10.x.x.x IP from known proxy/anonymizer list.

version 2.0
- Added configuration options under vboptions > DM-RBL Check on Registration.
- Added PM on Block.
- Added option to select RBL.
- Added Custom Whitelist.
- Added Custom Blacklist.
- Added list of free proxies.
- Changed default RBL to sbl-xbl.spamhaus.org
- Added option to enable/disable checking.

version 1.0
- added plugin to check against opm.tornevall.org
- added custom phrase to be reported as error on registration start.


Using this Hack?
If you install this hack please click "Installed" to receive updates.

If you find this hack useful you can always hit that paypal button too...

[Hendrizius]

Thanks for this mod.

I have those RBLS:
dnsbl.ahbl.org
proxies.dnsbl.sorbs.net
list.dsbl.org
http.dnsbl.sorbs.net
socks.dnsbl.sorbs.net
misc.dnsbl.sorbs.net
dnsbl.njabl.org

I just checked and tried to register using a proxy (hidemyass.com). A very popular one. I was able to complete registration. Does that mean my RBLs are wrong ? ^^

edit: I got a lot of PMs today. So it seems to be blocking users. However I really wonder why hidemyass.com is not blocked ><

[StevenTN]

You can add it manually to the known proxies list.

[pedigree]

not trying to thread steal but I just finished working on a RBL of known forum spammers. vbStopForumSpam, which does lookups (at registration) from www.stopforumspam.com

I run a small forum and its stopped all the new registrations since I installed it

[StevenTN]

Well, it's all cool and stuff. But, I like the RBL method used here, considering I have a larger forum, and it catches about 8-10 a day with a 99% accuracy rate. There are some false positives, which is due to some of them coming from spam zombies, but you're going to have that anyway. In those cases, we give an alternate method of registration that involves human intervention. New members that are legit do go for that option.

Also, this addon does handle proxies.

[webspider]

I'm hoping we'll see a version for 3.7

[rinkrat]

This version works on my 3.7

[webspider]

Thanks that good to know.

Does anyone have a good list of RBL's and Known Proxies IP's?

[Tom1234]

Originally Posted by mfyvie

Also, further to this post, I recommend moving the hook used for Check IP against RBLs/IPs to register_addmember_complete (and change to execution order 4 if you do this), due to the fact that multiple notifications get sent for every bot that turns up.

It might be useful to duplicate sections of code in both plugins so that blocking is done in the Check IP against RBLs/IPs plugin and notifications are done in Auto-Ban or Flag for Moderation plugin. This would avoid all the unnecessary notifications for bots that never succeed in registering anyway.

Was this idea implemented in the latest version?

[DaNIEL MeNTED]

Originally Posted by gsk8

How are you coming along with that? Any projected release date?

None as of yet... I'm in the process of selling my house so time is at a bit of a premium. I hope to have a beta for testing by the end of may... I've built it so its fully customizable.

IP black list/white list...
country blacklist/whitelist...
configure as many RBLs as you want...
configure specific response codes to the RBLs...

Everything is based on weighting... so you set a score you want to block at and then set 'confidence' levels for SCLs... if an IP's score > your threshold then a block/ban/etc. gets fired.

I'm also working on a system where when a forum blocks an IP it get added to a central DB, so everyone can benefit from a site's positive blocks...

Also built in a user-context menu 'ban as spammer' and 'ban as troll'...

Originally Posted by webspider

I'm hoping we'll see a version for 3.7

The next version will be tested on both 3.6/3.7

[DaNIEL MeNTED]

Again... sorry for the delay in responding. I admin one forum, volunteer code for a couple of organizations, and lately have been traveling to trade shows for work.

I don't really like coding in dribs and drabs... I'm hoping I can dedicate a week to finishing up a beta for testing this month.

Cheers.