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

How does it work?
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....&postcount=381

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

Tested on vb3.7.x, vB3.8.x , vB4.x.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, Hook changed extra logging and statistics added by Ozzy47 (Chris)
18th December 2014 Version 3.1.1 uploaded, prevented spiders being counted when mod turned off.
17th December 2014 Version 3.1.2 uploaded, due to rogue code from another mod
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

[Simon Lloyd]

It shouldn't create threads and it may have been that typo (thanks for spotting it) in the updated xml i have also added a fix so that if the forumid is blank the routine is exited

[EuroBeat2]

Originally Posted by Alan_SP

Threads are created, but I don't know where. Also I don't know where can I remove them and how? 6 Threads are created at the moment.
.

I had the same problem. However, being stupid I turned ON option to create threads, but have not specified the forum. Obviously threads should not be created if forum was not specified and I believe author is going to fix it.

Anyway, the best way to clear the threads (I got 20 of them) is to use your AdminCP -> Threads And Post -> Prune and purge them. I basically removed them using "Other Option'" and put the string: "Activity From Bot" in the TITLE field and it took care of it. I checked DB and they were removed. After this operation Advanced Statistics Plugin no longer reports them.

Hope it helps.

EB

[Amadeusmq]

Does anyone have a pruned list of just the really BAD spiders? Honestly, my only problem has been with Baidu (80 spiders at one point) ....and I'm not really knowledgeable enough to know which of that LONG list are: "really bad", "kindof bad", "annoying", etc.

Thanks!

[Simon Lloyd]

It really depends on your target audience, if you were catering for China then you'd allow Baidu, if you were catering for Russia then you'd allow Yandex (Russian Yahoo), most of the bots in that short list (trust me it is short as there are many more that add no value to your site or stats) are known scrapers, bad bots or foriegn spiders that you just don't need.

Check other sites and see which bots they are allowing, see if they are in your country, research the ones they show to see if they're good or bad for your site.

[Amadeusmq]

Just as a FYI, the "Check Version" option in the admincp->Plugins&Products->Installed Products listing doesn't work.

The error message is:

Version check failed. No version number was found at this location. The URL for the version check may be incorrect, or the server may be experiencing problems. Please try again later.

The hard link in the listing does correctly point to this thread; however, the version check doesn't work properly.

[Simon Lloyd]

Thanks i'll sort that out

[Alan_SP]

Originally Posted by EuroBeat2

Anyway, the best way to clear the threads (I got 20 of them) is to use your AdminCP -> Threads And Post -> Prune and purge them. I basically removed them using "Other Option'" and put the string: "Activity From Bot" in the TITLE field and it took care of it. I checked DB and they were removed. After this operation Advanced Statistics Plugin no longer reports them.

Thanks.

I found other method. Go to ACP->Maintenance->Update Counters->Remove Orphan Threads (at the end of list)

This sorted it out quickly and I too didn't see threads anymore.

[Alan_SP]

Originally Posted by Simon Lloyd

It shouldn't create threads and it may have been that typo (thanks for spotting it) in the updated xml i have also added a fix so that if the forumid is blank the routine is exited

Yes, I know. It's very strange that it created this six threads.

Probably you should also put 0 instead 1 in options for thread creating by default? Maybe that could help?

[EuroBeat2]

Originally Posted by Alan_SP

Thanks.

I found other method. Go to ACP->Maintenance->Update Counters->Remove Orphan Threads (at the end of list)

This sorted it out quickly and I too didn't see threads anymore.

Good thinking. I missed that one.

EB

[Simon Lloyd]

Originally Posted by EuroBeat2

...... Obviously threads should not be created if forum was not specified and I believe author is going to fix it.

Fixed

Originally Posted by Amadeusmq

Just as a FYI, the "Check Version" option in the admincp->Plugins&Products->Installed Products listing doesn't work.

The error message is:

The hard link in the listing does correctly point to this thread; however, the version check doesn't work properly.

Fixed

Originally Posted by Alan_SP

Yes, I know. It's very strange that it created this six threads.

Probably you should also put 0 instead 1 in options for thread creating by default? Maybe that could help?

Fixed