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

[Simon Lloyd]

The way this system here at .org works it tells me if you have downloaded the mod and im afraid it doesn't show downloaded against your name.

To be clear, this mod does not have any residual elements, remove it and everything to do with the mod is removed, there isn't any maintained list or database entries, if the user is still being blocked it's something else on your forum like the cache timeout or indeed their caching.

This mod will only block whatever you enter as a string to look for in the UA, post me the list as you had it so I can help, saying it blocked someone is like me telling you I bought a car and it doesn't work, any help?

And i'm always chilled

[SEAda]

Originally Posted by Simon Lloyd

The way this system here at .org works it tells me if you have downloaded the mod and im afraid it doesn't show downloaded against your name.

To be clear, this mod does not have any residual elements, remove it and everything to do with the mod is removed, there isn't any maintained list or database entries, if the user is still being blocked it's something else on your forum like the cache timeout or indeed their caching.

This mod will only block whatever you enter as a string to look for in the UA, post me the list as you had it so I can help, saying it blocked someone is like me telling you I bought a car and it doesn't work, any help?

And i'm always chilled

Thank you for your help and I apologise if it seemed as if I was disparaging your mod in anyway. It will get a high rating from me.

[SEAda]

I cleared system cache in vBulletin and it resolved my issue. Thanks!

[Simon Lloyd]

You should still post your list so I can give you help on things you may have in it that could cause you further issues.

[Gadget_Guy]

Hi,

I am ditching another spam management product in favour for the ones being suggested by Ozzymods.

This happens to be one piece of the puzzle.


Question....

What should I be doing for the options:

Redirect to spiders own IP?

and

Redirect URL?


Do I say "Yes" to the redirect?

What is the best thing to put in the redirect URL box?

It says this now: www.klikhierniet.net which is the default, but not sure what good this url does or if it should be something else.


D.

[Simon Lloyd]

You can either redirect to a url or back to their own IP its a matter of choice, selecting YES for back to their ip is favourite

The default url translates to "Don't click here", you can click it and see what they are faced with.

[Simon Lloyd]

Updated product uploaded.

[Simon Lloyd]

If anyone downloaded the new version before I posted this message please download it again and overwrite the previous one, the first update had a bug

[hotshot]

Thanks for the heads up!

[Doug Nelson]

Is this the bug that is keeping me from logging in since I installed it?