Anti-Spam Options - vbStopForumSpam

vbStopForumSpam

Mod of the month winner October 2009.... That cant be bad :up:

Apologies in advance, this is a copy of the 3.6/3.7/3.8 mod that has been verified to work in 4.0 (its so that I dont get a billion PMs asking if it works in 4.0)

This provides access to a RBL type system for forum admins, listing known spam IP / email / usernames. The RBL database is provided by www.stopforumspam.com. You do NOT need an API key from the website in order to access the database. only to submit data if you should wish to do so.

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.

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.

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.

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

Ive tested it but had feedback that it works with versions as old as 3.6.2... Support should go back to older versions, as long as they have hook support for register_addmember_process / register_addmember_complete

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

Reported to work
- 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, 4.0beta3, 4.0 Gold, 4.2pl1,2

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+

There is a small mod, coded by Wired1 that will allow you to submit spammer details to the database from the admin control panel, here https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....&postcount=289 This relies 100% on javascript being enabled and makes no tests that it is enabled.

You need to have an API key from www.stopforumspam.com in order to submit data, its free and easy to get... You DONT need an API key in order to use this mod however, only to submit spammer data.

Issues are
- The usergroup permissions / view details etc DONT work. I jumped the gun and put the permissions controls in there before I put the code in. Please delete the includes/xml/bitfield_vbstopforumspam.xml file and rebuild your postbit

Installation
- Follow the instructions in the zip file, that includes the file upload the correct folders.

Please click Installed

The original thread is at https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=176481 where there is a wealth of knowledge about the mod, please ask questions in there.

[pedigree]

Originally Posted by radmoose

Thanks for the mod update.

BTW, there is a slight change in the docs needed (not sure just for 4.x)

Item 4 in the installation manual should read...

4 - You can edit the default rejection message by Admin Control Panel / Languages & Phrases / Phrase Manager / Error Messages / vbstopformspam_reject and vbstopformspam_reject_connectionerror

There isn't a "Front-End Error Messages" section, just "Error Messages"

Not a big deal but it took me a minute to find the right spot.

When I can hold my eyes open (tomorrow I guess), Ill change the instructions and reload the mod.

[Charlie98902]

Thanks installed.

[radmoose]

Originally Posted by pedigree

When I can hold my eyes open (tomorrow I guess), Ill change the instructions and reload the mod.

=) Sleep is a good thing. No rush, mainly posted it for information for others. Thanks for updating this mod.

One question.. is anyone getting valid usernames and/or email addresses in their log?

My log looks strange, but it is possible that they were using "Unregistered" and "EMAIL"...but strange that it is on ALL of the items in the log.

Unregistered	2009-12-24 08:32:14	EMAIL	202.116.160.89	Result on field ip - 202.116.160.89 - Spammer and rejected by policy
Unregistered	2009-12-24 07:40:14		64.191.50.99	Result on field ip - 64.191.50.99 - Spammer and rejected by policy
Unregistered	2009-12-24 01:34:41		80.250.48.21	Result on field ip - 80.250.48.21 - Spammer and rejected by policy
Unregistered	2009-12-24 01:19:34	EMAIL	78.159.32.218	Result on field ip - 78.159.32.218 - Spammer and rejected by policy
Unregistered	2009-12-23 23:23:46	EMAIL	60.217.248.135	Result on field ip - 60.217.248.135 - Spammer and rejected by policy
Unregistered	2009-12-23 15:30:20	EMAIL	95.28.51.170	Result on field username - Unregistered - Spammer and rejected by policy

[KissOfDeath]

Thanks for this, as soon as i upgraded to vbulletin 4 i started getting him by spambots, hopefully this will help

[snerd]

Originally Posted by radmoose

Unregistered	2009-12-24 08:32:14	EMAIL	202.116.160.89	Result on field ip - 202.116.160.89 - Spammer and rejected by policy
Unregistered	2009-12-24 07:40:14		64.191.50.99	Result on field ip - 64.191.50.99 - Spammer and rejected by policy
Unregistered	2009-12-24 01:34:41		80.250.48.21	Result on field ip - 80.250.48.21 - Spammer and rejected by policy
Unregistered	2009-12-24 01:19:34	EMAIL	78.159.32.218	Result on field ip - 78.159.32.218 - Spammer and rejected by policy
Unregistered	2009-12-23 23:23:46	EMAIL	60.217.248.135	Result on field ip - 60.217.248.135 - Spammer and rejected by policy
Unregistered	2009-12-23 15:30:20	EMAIL	95.28.51.170	Result on field username - Unregistered - Spammer and rejected by policy

Yeah, I get that too. But every one of them traces IP back to RIPE, which is always some stupid spammer or troll in my case.

[S1OPP]

I installed this yesterday and it's already blocked a bunch of spammer/bots.

Big thanks!

[kall]

Dang.

vbStopForumSpam Log Viewer (page 1/49) | There are 734 total log entries.

And I only installed when this thread appeared.. 734 in 4 days. Nice.

[pedigree]

734 in 4 days, wow, they like you.

[pjaco]

Thanks

[halkum]

Had to uninstall it as it stopped several trusted friends from joining.