Miscellaneous Hacks - Stop the Registration Bots

Control your vBulletin forum registration process and stop the registration bots.

This mod will check the the time it takes for a vBulletin registration form to be submitted. If the form is submitted faster then humanly possible, the registration will be denied and the admin contact will be emailed about the event. The time is settable

We will start the registration on the forum rules page in two ways. First we will add a custom hidden field with a hash. Second we will insert a randomly named hidden field with a random value. This should make it a bit difficult to program a bot since the field names on all sites will be different as well as the values.

We will use a second set of random hidden fields on the form page as well to add to the confusion.

Time stamps to check the time spent on registration submission are stored in a DB table and private.

A registration will have to come through the Rules page and the form. Every Site will be different.

Installation is very easy.

There are two templates to edit.
One database table is added.
Three hooks are utilized.
Includes uninstall code.
Adds to vBulletin options.
Set time frame option.
Includes Phrases.
Sends Mail to Admin.
No files to upload.
XML product install.
Instructions attached in zip.

Demo usage and view source at http://www.riderinfo.com/

Compatibility
This hack is known to work on vBulletin 3.6.11 PL1 and will likely work back a few versions in the 3.6.x vBulletin series. Of course it works on 3.7.x as posted too.

HISTORY
1.2.2
added admin email on/off setting
moved hook code to files to reduce overhead.
1.2.1
Added Enable/Disable setting.
Fixed coppa includes file probem
Added file upload instructions to readme file.
1.2.0
Added JS timer to registration button.
Added enable/diable for email.
Removed ACP settings for random fields on rules and reg form pages and automated.
Reworded Pharses in ACP.
Recoded rules form and reg form edits.
Renamed variables for better code following.
Added more DB fields per user reg for tracking random automation.
New Hook on start_registration for functions.
Added new functions file. includes/stb_functions.php.
1.0.3
Changed input user name on rules form to random named hidden field with hash value.
Removed \n chars from email phrases.
All changes to registration are transparent to the folks registering.
Renamed DB username field to hash.
New hook on register_signup.
1.0.2
Added new Pre Reg Name hidden field to register form edits and ACP.
Added code to deal transparently with user deciding to change name after pre submitting it.
1.0.1
Fixed typo, changed 36000 to 3600 in product file.
1.0.0
Original Release.

[TsirhCitna]

Installed.

[noppid]

Thanks! Please feel free to give some feed back, good or bad.

This was just one of those things that happened, there was no plan really. It's a follow up on some stuff I read researching another project I plan to release soon that may be very useful as well. It's the exact opposite of this in that it helps your forum avoid looking like email is spammy and gives the users and admins some really nice new ways to control some important settings that effect email.

[chtdatweb]

Thanks,

I installed and the process was seamless! marked as installed

[logicuk]

noppid your back making hacks sweeeeeeeeeet

[Q-v-n-s-Q]

nice liltle hack

[Boofo]

What if the user decides they want to use another name after that screen? Is there some warning that tells them that they have to use that name or is it set by default where they can't change it?

And, no, I have not had any beers, if this sounds confusing.

[projectego]

[high]* projectego clicks install [/high]

[Hornstar]

Originally Posted by noppid

Thanks! Please feel free to give some feed back, good or bad.

This was just one of those things that happened, there was no plan really. It's a follow up on some stuff I read researching another project I plan to release soon that may be very useful as well. It's the exact opposite of this in that it helps your forum avoid looking like email is spammy and gives the users and admins some really nice new ways to control some important settings that effect email.

Excellent! something which I need asap, as I have had to block yahoo emails from registering on my site as none of my emails get through to yahoo inboxes anymore.

[noppid]

Originally Posted by Boofo

What if the user decides they want to use another name after that screen? Is there some warning that tells them that they have to use that name or is it set by default where they can't change it?

And, no, I have not had any beers, if this sounds confusing.

Let me ponder that while I'm at an appointment this morning. We may need a "start over" link for that. That seems easy enough. Good catch.

EDIT: On second thought, if they change their mind on the name, the bot detection mechanism should be transparent. We likely need another field in the DB.