Anti-Spam Options - [GlowHost] Spam-O-Matic - Spam Firewall stops forum spam

If you install this mod, please mark this as "Installed."

VERSION 2.1.2 RELEASED 5/28/2013!


About Spam-O-Matic 2.x:
Spam-O-Matic 2.x (SOM) is a spam firewall for your vBulletin Forums version 4.x and later. It prevents known spammers from registering on your forums. If they can't register, they can't spam!

Languages Packs Available
English
German - Courtesy of Alex@bulletin (included in zip)
Romanian - Courtesy of Teascu Dorin's (included in zip)
Spanish - Courtesy of vbluis (included in zip)

How it Works
This data responsible for blocking user registrations comes from the stopforumspam.com (SFS) spammer database. After the user who is trying to register passes the built-in vBulletin registration checks which you have configured in your vBulletin settings, SOM then checks the SFS database to see if the IP, username, or email address that the user is trying to register with has been recently tagged as a known spam source on other forums around the Internet. Also can be configured to check the Akismet service for known comment spam.

This is without a doubt, one of the most important mods that you will be using on your forum.

Other Notable Stuff
It also does a ton of other cool stuff like moderating posts automatically if the post is found in the Akismet database, or if it contains words on your "Bad Words" keyword list which can be configured within the mod itself.

The mod WORKS with vBulletin's new Facebook integration.
This module works with all of the Facebook functions that are built into the vB4 series.
Similar mods do not handle Facebook integration completely.

This module has the ability to submit new spammer details to the StopForumSpam or Akismet databases automatically, all without any new templates or manual template modifications! :up:

This means other forums that are running Spam-O-Matic will not have the same spammer on their forums if you have (automatically) reported the spammer to the SFS database.

Just install the product in the product manager, upload a few files, configure the system and you are done. (Estimated time: 5-10 minutes)

What's new in 2.1.0:

• Fixed a problem with MySQL engine selection to make mod more compatible with different types of servers.
• When SOM "Newbies Group" is activated + vB's native option to "Verify Email address in Registration" is activated at the same time, "Users Awaiting Email Confirmation" must click the verification link to become a newbie.
• Added remove user, post, ban to user profile options in admincp under "Quick User Links"
• Added German Language Pack
• Optimized default settings to work with the needs of most forums
• Added a new coupon for GlowHost (available after you submit a spammer)
• Several other performance tuning options

Feature List:

• Optional Public Statistics. Show off to the world how many bad guys you have automatically prevented from posting junk on your forum.
• Auto-Moderation moderates posts that have links, bad words, and other configurable settings.
• Auto-Moderation ignores your RSS posts.
• Registration / Denial Logs available from Admincp > Statistics and Logs
• Optional "Newbies" Manager! After registration, newly registered users can be placed in a "Newbies" group which has more limited permissions as compared to your regular "Registered Users" group. Newbies will graduate to your Registered Users group based on your required post count settings.
• Auto-Submit Spammers from the moderation tools menu on each postbit.
• Remove Posts, threads, PMs, Calendar Events from your spammer in one easy wizard. No double logins needed.
• Shows other users who signed up with the same IP. (Sleeping Spammers)
• Optional Affiliate System
• ~50 customizable settings to fine-tune Spam-O-Matic to your exact needs.

A) StopForumSpam:
The StopForumSpam Module lets you:

• Check a registrant's IP address.
• Check a registrant's email address.
• Check a registrants Username.
• Disable or enable any of the above checks.
• Block and log, or, allow and log known spammers.
• All registration attempts are logged for your viewing pleasure.
• Several other performance tuning options

If a user (or bot) tries to register on your forum and they pass the built-in vBulletin registration system. (Human verification, email verification, etc), their registration details are then passed to the Spam-O-Matic firewall for further checking.

NOTE: You should use some sort of human verification checking in vBulletin's built-in options to limit the number of requests to the already heavily-loaded StopForumSpam database servers. This will also prevent additional load because SOM will not have to do anything if the bot/spammer fails preliminary registration validation which is built-into vBulletin itself.

It is completely invisible to humans who are registering that this process is taking place. Bots are stopped dead in their tracks.

If a spammer is able to sneak past the first line of defense, and manages to post, then there are secondary, tertiary, and, uh...4th level protections too!

B) Auto-Moderation:
Auto Moderation lets you:

• Define how many URLs a new member can post before being sent to moderation.
• Define keywords that will send a post to Auto-moderation (viagra, porn, more here)
• Define minimum post count to avoid Auto-moderation.
• Excludes admin and moderators from Auto-moderation.
• Completely disable Auto-moderation if you don't want it.

C) Akismet Service
Spammers that make it past the StopForumSpam and Auto-Moderation will be checked against the Akismet service. If they manage to make a post, and then are found on Akismet, they can be auto-moderated.

The Akismet settings let you:

• Set the number of posts that Akismet will check from each user. After this number is exceeded, Akismet checking will be disabled for that user.
• Auto-Submit spammers that post on your boards back to the Akismet service so that other forums and blogs do not do not receive the same spam.
• Completely disable the Akismet service.

D) Newbies Manager
Should you decide to enable this option, you can create a new usergroup and then tell Spam-O-Matic about it. Once SOM knows about this usergroup, and once enabled, all new users will be part of the Newbies group. The idea here is that you make a Newbies group that has limited forum permissions. For example, no signatures, no BB code, no images, and etc. This group is created completely in the vB admincp. Spam-O-Matic simply makes it the graduation process to the normal Registered Users group, automatic.
Learn More and Discuss the Newbies Manager here.

Punitive Actions:
If you find a spammer has made it past your 4 front-lines of defense, and has managed to post on your forum, then you can help the community...

The spammer's details can be sent to the Stop Forum Spam and Akismet databases automatically, preventing them from registering or posting on other forums. When other forums do the same, the protection is reciprocated.

Simply moderate a post and choose the option to "Delete Posts As Spam..." an then choose the option to "Ban User." Banning the user sends their details to either Akismet, StopForumSpam, (or both) depending on how you set it up.

API Keys:
API Keys are not required for this system to stop spammers on your forums. But you should obtain them so that your forum can contribute to the real-time block lists.

A StopForumSpam API key is required if you want to contribute to the StopForumSpam blacklists by adding your spammers to their database. By submitting spammers you help keep other forums and blogs clean.

An Akismet API key is required if you want to enable any Akismet auto-moderation features in this module. Akismet API key is not required for all Auto-Moderation functions.

You can obtain a Stop Forum Spam API key which is free from stopforumspam.com.

Get your StopForumSpam API Key Here

You can obtain an Akismet API key from Akismet.com.
Akismet offers free and paid API keys so choose your version based on your situation.

Get your Akismet API Key Here

Why it is better than the other anti-spam solutions on vBulletin.org:

• Works with all of vBulletin 4 functions including Facebook automatic registration.
• Report spammers that you find to the Stop Forum Spam Database.
• Report spammers that you find to the Akismet Database.
• Built-in Auto-moderation.
• Auto-moderation rules based on post count.
• Auto-moderation rules based keywords.
• Auto-moderation rules based Akismet results.
• Enable or disable any actions that you do not want.
• Customizable "Registration Rejected" message.
• Consolidates 4 popular methods of spam prevention into one product.
• No Manual Template Modifications!
• Lots of community support!

======================
Compatibility:
vBulletin 4.0.x

Server Requirements:
Curl or allow_url_fopen must be compiled/enabled into PHP. Ask your web host to enable curl or allow_url_fopen if it is not already available on your server's PHP configuration. (Or just host with GlowHost.com, where it already is

=====================
Donations:

If you like this mod, sure, you can donate!

Donations can be all sorts of things:
1) The "Give Thanks" option in your settings is an optional link back to GlowHost Web Hosting.
2) Tell your friends and others about this mod.
3) If you are in need of web hosting, please consider ordering it from the hosting and development professionals at GlowHost.com who were able to develop this mod to you.
4) Help others who are having trouble with this mod by posting tips and suggestions in this forum thread.
5) Cash! Use the "Support Developer" option on the top right of this page.

When you choose to donate, you are contributing to the product development, bug fixes and new releases for SOM and are helping to feed our hungry developers and their families! In other words, your donations helps to cover the time and money spent to develop this system.

The entire team at GlowHost thanks you for your help and support!

We hope you enjoy the mod! :up:

=====================
Installation:

1) Download the attached file
2) Mark As Installed
3) SOM 2.x does not support updates from the v1.x series.
When upgrading to version 2.x, please, be sure to remove any other existing version of SOM 1.x from the product manager before installing v2.x series. Also make sure to remove /forum/includes/xml/bitfield_glowhostspamomatic.xml from version 1 if you had it installed.

4) Extract the zip file, and view the readme file for the rest of the instructions.

=====================

Original concept credits go to the authors of vBStopForumSpam, MonkeyStop.

[GerstnerUSA]

Originally Posted by ForceHSS

You need to change the settings in this mod and the default settings for modding posts

I am not sure what settings you are referring to?

I have set the mod to have SFS check IP and check e-mail addresses, but SOM has yet to deny a single registration.

I have had over 40 new registrations since i re-installed the mod today (12 hours ago).
38 Spammers Permanently Banned
26 Spammy Posts Automatically Moderated


I just checked one of the moderated posts on my forum and it was posted by:
User Details:
Username: nawfuscuncasy
User ID Number: 451
User E-mail: sarahsize537@hotmail.com
User Registration IP Address: 168.63.134.90
User IP Address for Selected Post: 168.63.134.90

I did a search on StopForumSpam and it shows:
Found 236 entries for "168.63.134.90"

The first 50 entries on the search show the same e-mail and IP address as the person registered on my forum. I would assume that this user should have been denied registration by SOM, but it wasn't...

Any Suggestions?

[Bluemax712]

Originally Posted by GerstnerUSA

I am not sure what settings you are referring to?

I have set the mod to have SFS check IP and check e-mail addresses, but SOM has yet to deny a single registration.

I have had over 40 new registrations since i re-installed the mod today (12 hours ago).
38 Spammers Permanently Banned
26 Spammy Posts Automatically Moderated


I just checked one of the moderated posts on my forum and it was posted by:
User Details:
Username: nawfuscuncasy
User ID Number: 451
User E-mail: sarahsize537@hotmail.com
User Registration IP Address: 168.63.134.90
User IP Address for Selected Post: 168.63.134.90

I did a search on StopForumSpam and it shows:
Found 236 entries for "168.63.134.90"

The first 50 entries on the search show the same e-mail and IP address as the person registered on my forum. I would assume that this user should have been denied registration by SOM, but it wasn't...

Any Suggestions?

Is this the only Mod you have running on your server - have you disabled all others?

[Syxguns]

Originally Posted by GerstnerUSA

I am not sure what settings you are referring to?
Any Suggestions?

GerstnerUSA,
Some of my settings may differ from others, it depends mostly on the amount of security that you need. This is my one and only mod for stopping bad registration. The only other thing that I use is Solve Media but that is to help generate a little revenue! So spammers give it your best shot, I make money every time you try.

This may be long, but maybe it will help others as well. I will not note everything because it is user preference.

First Akismet is for Blogs:

Enabled
Post Count: 5
Enter your key
Easy Cleanup: Yes

Stop Forum Spam IP Check: Enabled
User Name Check: Disabled (This setting may vary from user to user)
Email Check: Enabled
Desired Action: Log and Block Registration

Query Connection Errors: This one may vary from user to user as well. If the SFS database is down or unable to retrieve records you have two options. I Allow registration even if it means I may have to both remove them, block the IP and or E-mail. Always do a search before you block an IP!!

Remote Expiry: Another one that users may have set different. I have mine set to 30 but if you are having consistent a consistent problem you may want to set it higher. Just remember that if you do innocent people could have a problem being issued a dynamic address that a spammer used before them.

SFS Key:

Easy Clean Up: Yes

I used the Newbies Manager group once but I currently have it disabled. It is a good feature to turn on if you are having persistent problems. You may read about it here: http://forums.glowhost.com/programmi...ager-2382.html

I also currently have Auto Moderation Disabled.

The next few I don't even use at the time being. They primarily have to do with the Newbies group. However, there are a few more options that I do have enabled, but the list is pretty long.

See if your current settings are set up similar to mine. Maybe this will fix your issue.

[GerstnerUSA]

@Syxguns @apsrfbv4

Thank you for your responses.

I don't have any other Mods installed on the forum. My website does have OpenCart running and a RapidSSL Certificate.

I have checked through my settings>options>glowhost-spam-o-matic and they all were already using the same answers you recommended:

Stop Forum Spam IP Check: Enabled
User Name Check: Disabled
Email Check: Enabled
Desired Action: Log and Block Registration
Query Connection Errors: Allow Registration
Remote Expiry: 30
SFS Key: (I have not applied for one yet, will it check IP's/e-mail's without a key?)
Easy Clean Up: Yes

The only places that i differ from your description are:
I do not have an Akismet Key
I have Auto-Moderation "Enabled"

I have checked my IP address and my e-mail address in the SFS search area, and neither come up with any results. I would assume that they would not be blocking e-mail and IP Checking from my forum.

Could there be a setting that i accidentally changed somewhere in the forum that would not allow it to communicate or receive data from external websites? (ie. not allowing it to check with StopForumSpam..)

Do i need to add the StopForumSpam website somewhere within the settings as a trusted source?

Thank you for your time...

[Bluemax712]

On a test 4.2 server I tried registering the user with email sarahsize537@hotmail.com
and SOM stopped it with a "registration denied" message
It doesn't have a key installed - so it does work/block without one (normally)

One thing to check is the first option for SOM
the GroupProtect IDs is this set for 5,6,7?
Edit: then again if it is still moderating posts but not preventing signups it's probably not this setting - nm


Could that user have registered on your forum before it was added to the SFS database?


You can try doing a test register of a bad email address yourself
-Since you don't want an email sent out for the test you can disable email temporarily on your server by adding this line to includes/config.php

define('DISABLE_MAIL', 1);

- Then pick an email address from the current SFS database and try registering with it to see if it is blocked
- and remember to remove line to re-enable email after done testing



Also if you have root on your server?
You could capture a tcpdump during the signup and should see some traffic to www.stopforumspam.com
with a "GET /api?email=xxx@xxx" and a "GET /api?ip=xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx" in it


Or this may be easier to try from shell window on your server (without needing root):

wget http://www.stopforumspam.com/api?ema...37@hotmail.com -O response.txt

and the reply back from SFS in the response.txt file should contain something like:

<response success="true">
	<type>email</type>
	<appears>yes</appears>
	<lastseen>2013-04-11 18:28:34</lastseen>
	<frequency>165</frequency>
</response>

[Bluemax712]

Originally Posted by GerstnerUSA

Today, I uninstalled and re-installed the mod and I am still getting the same results.

Everyone is being allowed to register, but their posts are being moderated.

I am also running OpenCart on my website, so i know that cURL is running properly.

Should I try "or allow_url_fopen enable in PHP settings"? If so, where would i find the PHP Settings to change this?

Any suggestions?

in the CP--> Maintenance--> View PHP Info:
allow_url_fopen: On On
cURL support: enabled

[GerstnerUSA]

@apsrfvb4

I checked in the CP--> Maintenance--> View PHP Info:
allow_url_fopen: is showing On On
cURL support: is showing enabled

From your previous post, i checked with my domain host support (explained what i wanted to try) and they said that they don't have a shell window, or root access that i can use to try and test your other suggestions.

I tried to register with an e-mail address (em***ttew@gmail.com) that is on the front page of SFS (Top e-mails submitted) and i was able to register on my forum.

I checked the SOM Log Viewer and it shows: "em***ttew@gmail.com - Passed StopForumSpam checks. Sent to vBulletin Registration System."

I have my forum set-up as a subdomain (forum.mydomain.com) , and I installed all of the files into a subdirectory (/forum) on my website, not the root directory. Would that make any difference with anything?

Thank you for all of your suggestions. I hate to ask if you have any other ideas...

[Bluemax712]

other than try setting up a whole new test installation in something like forum2.mydomain.com
and see if can get it working.

Without shell access it's tuff - might even want to find another provider
especially if they don't have shell access themselves.

[GerstnerUSA]

@apsrfvb4

Thank you for all of your help. I will try a fresh install on another subdomain with a new database. Once i set it up, i will update this thread with my findings.

[ForceHSS]

Originally Posted by GerstnerUSA

@apsrfvb4

Thank you for all of your help. I will try a fresh install on another subdomain with a new database. Once i set it up, i will update this thread with my findings.

got your pm all fixed now for you