vBStealth 2.0

vBStealth 2.0
(by Martin64, martin64@vbhackers.com)

[about]

vBStealth is a hack that prevents trouble makers from spreading their stupidity at your board and it does that by hiding their threads, making their posts magically disappear and helping the world by ignoring their pityful private messages. These users are unaware that they are ignored; their threads and posts show up normally when they're viewing them - only admins, mods, stealth banned users and guests are able to see these. Mhuahahah!

vBStealth was initially based on Frank's "Secretly ban a user" hack (https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthrea...threadid=36205) but is much more advanced and is is taking the idea of putting users on ignore further. This hack makes the secretly banned users even more secret - they have been stealth banned! *LOL*, please forgive me for naming the hack that.

[what it does]

- Threads and posts before the user was banned will show up, but threads and posts after the user was banned will be hidden to everyone but admins, mods, stealth banned users and guests.
- Hides threads in forumdisplay started by stealth users to everyone but admins, mods, stealth banned users and guests.
- Hides posts in showthread by stealth users to everyone but admins, mods, stealth banned users and guests.
- Ignores private messages sent by stealth users.
- Gives the option for moderators to either set a regular ban or a stealth ban in the Mod CP.
- Moderators are able to unban stealth banned users in the Mod CP.
- Skips updating the count post, last poster name and date for stealth banned users in forumdisplay and forumhome.
- Hides stealth users threads and posts when searching to everyone but admins, mods, stealth banned users and guests.

[note]

Make sure to backup your files! I don't want to be held responsible if you lose your two hundred hacks installed.

[important!]

You MUST stealth ban your users from the Mod CP, just changing usergroup in the Admin CP won't add the neccessary timestamp. The same goes for unbanning stealth banned users, you MUST do that from the Mod CP as well for the same reason.
If you have upgraded, you MUST put the users back to the registered group and then stealth ban them, or it won't add the neccessary timestamp.

[credits]

SJR and Xenon, for helping with some code fixes
Frank for creating "Secretly ban a user" which inspired me to work on vBStealth.

[upgrading from 1.X]

Be sure to do what's listed under [important!] above! Also, although not needed, I recommend completely uninstalling 1.X versions before installing vBStealth 2.0, as the file changes have changed for many of the files. If you are to upgrade, be sure to run the query, and go through the file changes very carefully.

[change log]

2.0: Hack now uses timestamps: Threads and posts before the user was banned will show up, but threads and posts after the user was banned will be hidden to everyone but stealth banned users, admins and mods.
1.3: Undid the changes to showthread.php, as it could lead to suspicion among stealth banned users if they communicate (thanks WetWired for the heads up). Also, I changed the code changes to newreply.php, so that it'll work if you have the Store Hack by Lesane installed.
1.2: Small fixes to search.php and newreply.php. New file modified: newthread.php.
1.1: Added changes to search.php as suggested by TECK (thanks ), which hides stealth users threads and posts when searching.
1.0: First release, no changes dummy. :P

[Martin64]

vBStealth 2.0 released.

CHANGELOG:

2.0: Hack now uses timestamps: Threads and posts before the user was banned will show up, but threads and posts after the user was banned will be hidden to everyone but stealth banned users, admins and mods.

[Martin64]

Now what one of the moderators at my boards said earlier is actually true:

"Stealth banned users can now converse among themselves.

vBStealth user 1 - can anyone see my posts???!!

vBStealth user 2 - I can see it.

Moderator - Yeah, everything's fine.

vBStealth user 1 - Ok, I thought something was wrong.

*Moderator laughs"

[Mike Gaidin]

Can guests see the posts of those that have been stealth banned?

[Martin64]

[important!]

You MUST stealth ban your users from the Mod CP, just changing usergroup in the Admin CP won't add the neccessary timestamp. The same goes for unbanning stealth banned users, you MUST do that from the Mod CP as well for the same reason.
If you have upgraded, you MUST put the users back to the registered group and then stealth ban them, or it won't add the neccessary timestamp.

[Martin64]

Originally posted by J-OST
Can guests see the posts of those that have been stealth banned?

Read my first post thoroughly, it explains how the hack works.

[Martin64]

OK, I've redone a few things. Guests are now able to see all stealth banned posts. This solves the problem of stealth banned users logging out and noticing something is fishy since their new posts doesn't show up. Check the attached pic to understand better how the hack works. :smoke:

[N9ne]

Hey Martin, I have vBStealth 1.3 installed and I was wondering, would you have upgrade instructions to 2.0? Reinstalling takes too long

[Martin64]

Originally posted by N9ne
Hey Martin, I have vBStealth 1.3 installed and I was wondering, would you have upgrade instructions to 2.0? Reinstalling takes too long

Yeah, something like this I suppose you could call upgrade instructions:

1. Put all your stealth banned users back in the registered group and take notes of who they are.
2. Run the query.
3. Do the changes to the following files: ADMIN/FUNCTIONS.PHP, MOD/INDEX.PHP, MOD/USER.PHP, FORUMDISPLAY.PHP, NEWREPLY.PHP, SEARCH.PHP. The other files haven't been changed since 1.3. The changes you're doing will be very similar to what you've done in vBStealth 1.3 so the code changes should not be hard to find.
4. Stealth ban your users from the Mod CP.

I'm afraid I can't do easier upgrade instructions than that.

For everyone who still haven't upgraded, 2.0 ownz 1.3 :banana:

[over]

nicely done however wont be using at the moment, not really got a need to atm prefer banned persons to show up as banned. got reason box on site for ban in their profile, so others know if break rules, (flaming only reason have banned peeps so far for...) woudl be nice though to see a hack that will remove a banned usergroup count from the total members count... (which this thread gave me idea of )

[wooolF[RM]]

][high]* wooolF[RM] clicks install [/high]