Administrative and Maintenance Tools - vbStopForumSpam

At the point of user registration, the mod checks if the IP number / provided username / email addresses appear on a block list and can block the registration. This queries the StopForumSpam database (where I am a coder and administrator) to see if a new users IP address/email address/IP number are listed as known spammer sources.

Whilst this isnt the most perfect way to stop all forum spam, its another step that spammers have to overcome.

What it does

It checks with a remote database of known forum spammers. Their IP number, email address and forum username are tested and based on your configuration, you can reject / log / accept user registrations based on what you get back.

This version doesnt have
- whitelisting or the ability to submit users to the database but it will within the next week.
- automatic user deletion / post / PM purging. There are good tools out there already, this does something else.

Currently, I would say this is an beta codebase. Please treat it as such.

Instructions are included in the installation.txt file - PLEASE read it first and dont forget to actually upload the files in the upload folder, otherwise it WILL kill your registration progress and you wont see the log file options in admincp.

This is the exact same version that is on the 3.6 forums because it works with 3.54 to 3.84 (at time of wriing, the latest version)

Changes to vB
- 3 new database tables
- 2 database table alternations
- No new templates.
- 2 Hook (register_addmember_process & register_addmember_complete)

Known to work - tested by me
- vBulletin 3.6.8 on Apache 2.2 / PHP 5.1.2 on Linux using cUrl
- vBulletin 3.7 Gold on Apache 2.0 / PHP 4.4.3 on Windows without cUrl (template changes wont work on 3.7 - thats in the next version with auto template changes)

For code to submit spammers to the database, check this post for code changes
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showp...&postcount=288

Reported in the thread to work
- 3.5.4 3.6.1, 3.6.2, 3.6.9, 3.6.10, 3.7.0, 3.7.1, 3.7.2, 3.7.3, 3.74, 3.80, 3.81, 3.82, 3.83, 3.8.4

Installers should remember to refresh their ACP navigation window when they first install it so they can see the new log file menu item.

REQUIRES MySQL 4.1.1+

If you want to submit data directly from the user admincp to the database, then you can install an addon mod (Coded by Wired1) here https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....&postcount=288

You need to have an API key from www.stopforumspam.com in order to submit data, its free and easy to get... The code above is a quick hack that changes the pages "form" so that it submits to the database. As its a quick hack, this relies 100% on javascript being enabled and makes no tests that it is enabled.

Please click Installed

[Scalemotorcars]

Just an update. Since installing Ive only had a few spammers. This really cut out most of the junk... Thanks again...

[Scalemotorcars]

Originally Posted by cnredd

Been 5 days...tryin' again...

Make sure you uploaded all files. Also check your permissions. Ill bet its one of those. Im using it without any problems.

[Scalemotorcars]

Just yesterday I realized my database error email was set incorrectly in my config.php so as any good admin would do I fixed it right away. Now I'm kind of wishing I hadn't.

Im getting database error about every 5 minutes or so since then. All the errors are about the same as to whats wrong but the user id and ip are all different. I figured it was the limit at SFS of 1000 calls a day but SFS is not listing these IP's or user ID's as spam so now it looks like a hack.

Heres an example of the latest.

Database error in vBulletin 3.8.4:

Invalid SQL:
SELECT DATEDIFF(NOW(), '2011-02-08 07:20:59') AS DAYS;;

MySQL Error : You have an error in your SQL syntax. Check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near '(NOW(), '2011-02-08 07:20:59') AS DAYS' at line 1
Error Number : 1064
Request Date : Tuesday, February 8th 2011 @ 12:34:55 PM
Error Date : Tuesday, February 8th 2011 @ 12:34:58 PM
Script : http://www.scalemotorcars.com/forum/register.php?do=addmember
Referrer : http://www.scalemotorcars.com/forum/register.php
IP Address : 84.108.193.156
Username : QopCorinas
Classname : vB_Database
MySQL Version :

Anyone have an ideal how to fix it or how to suppress the error if it is just a timeout?

Thanks....

[Scalemotorcars]

I may have found the solution myself. I hope its just my antiquated mySQL 4.0. messing it up. https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....&postcount=353

So whats it cost to have a site moved to another (newer) server anyway?

[Scalemotorcars]

Every VB board needs this hack. Nominated for MOTH.

Thanks again!!!!

[NakedCrook]

I installed this mod on my vB and I can say this...

Spam registration has gone down to 0.

This is the most useful thing EVER created for vBulletin. Mod of the Year! This should be default in vBulletin. This is the endgame scenario for spammers!

[clarkstoncracke]

Here is my update on this product. I've had it installed for roughly 3 months, and it has now filtered out 16,538 entrees, however my registration numbers are much lower, and I'm receiving many, many emails that legit people are being blocked. I'm not really sure what to do. Even if 10% of the filtered accounts were real, I think I am ahead by being over cautious, as opposed to letting the spam in. Currently looking for a new way to up the accuracy of removing spam bots.

[NakedCrook]

Originally Posted by clarkstoncracke

Here is my update on this product. I've had it installed for roughly 3 months, and it has now filtered out 16,538 entrees, however my registration numbers are much lower, and I'm receiving many, many emails that legit people are being blocked. I'm not really sure what to do. Even if 10% of the filtered accounts were real, I think I am ahead by being over cautious, as opposed to letting the spam in. Currently looking for a new way to up the accuracy of removing spam bots.

I have received emails like that too. I let someone through and the first thing that user did was post spam.

Some spam accounts are made by real people who are paid to manually make accounts to beat bot protection.

Do not be fooled.

[Scalemotorcars]

Spammers are getting past this for the last week. Not all but enough to be a pain in the butt. Is there a problem with the api?

[ETDC]

^ Yes, the site's been down for a while now.