Integration with vBulletin - BlockScript vBulletin Integration

This plugin allows you to easily integrate your BlockScript installation into your vBulletin forum, eliminating the need for any manual file modifications. The BlockScript installation package is included with this download.

BlockScript is a PHP script which enables webmasters to quickly and easily deny access to problematic users that are difficult to block using standard methods. We are pleased to announce that BlockScript now provides free access to the following core features:

• Country Blocking
• Custom IP Whitelisting
• Custom IP Blacklisting
• Logging

BlockScript provides free access to these core features and purchasing a license key unlocks all other features.

When licensed, BlockScript detects and blocks requests from all types of proxy servers and anonymity networks, hosting networks, undesirable robots and spiders, and even entire countries. Running a popular forum requires constant vigilance. Forums face constant attack from threats such as: spammers who take advantage of a forum, bots that steal your content and bandwidth, and trolls who seek attention no matter the cost to you. Now you can stop problem users who use proxies and anonymity networks to bypass your bans.

Demo URL: http://www.blockscript.com/

[upsideout]

Originally Posted by TheLastSuperman

How do we know from their site what is a core feature and not? http://www.blockscript.com/features.php that is not clear and I would personally like some clarification on it as I assume others would before installing .

The following features are "core features" and are always free: Country Blocking, Custom IP Whitelisting, Custom IP Blacklisting, Logging, and limited access to the APIs. These core features are available by default, whether or not you choose to activate a free trial, and continue to be available even after a free trial expires.

[Boofo]

Originally Posted by Angel-Wings

If you're using GeoLite as DB for blocking countries, installing mod_geoip and setting up mod_rewrite to deny requests from country ranges seems way more effective since this works with deny / allow before even PHP gets active.
Just mean it's useless to drop traffic via PHP since the traffic already reached it.

And about the other things - decent firewall and mod_security offer the same options in a way better way - including logging and all the other things.

Just my opinion - if one wants to block, best do it at the first levels (Firewall, Webserver) instead of the last levels (PHP script etc.)

Something like:



Will redirect all US users to /msg/error.html. Efficient, free and everything is logged in the access or error log of the Webserver before PHP even gets active.

Should be more efficient than letting PHP parse everything. Bots and Proxies - well - mod_security can take care of them

What does RewriteBase / do? I haven't used that yet but I do have some re-directs.

[Angel-Wings]

Originally Posted by Boofo

What does RewriteBase / do? I haven't used that yet but I do have some re-directs.

Since "we" want to apply rewrites for the entire Vhost / Directory or wherever you placed your rewrite, we set it this way.
RewriteBase has to be absolute related to the location where you want to apply it's rules.
If you place it with

RewriteBase /

in your Docroot <directory> block it rules apply for all handled subdirectories, if you place it inside a <directory> block only this directory.
Another way would be placing it inside your Docroot <directory> block and using another RewriteBase.
As example:

<Directory /your/document/root/>
...
RewriteBase /subdirectory
...
</Directory>

And

<Directory /your/document/root/subdirectory/>
...
RewriteBase /
</Directory>

Basically do the same. Up to you on how you want to organize your rules. I've a "rewrite.conf" file that is loaded via include - more easy to overview for me.

Well - that was kinda off-topic

And about the plugin:

I would still keep the point that it's not good to apply blocks at the latest level of the chain because the IP and the traffic already made it the PHP parser and PHP is busy reading the IP via REQUEST or X_FORWARDED_FOR, open a database, read more data, compare, apply or not apply block etc. etc. etc.

And someone who can't create a .htaccess or add a line like:

Deny from 254.254.254.254

To block this IP shouldn't maybe have his own server and rent either a managed machine or some shared hosting.

Blocking via PHP is like letting the burglar into your house then trying to take care of him while it would be better to just close the door and the windows that he can't even make it into.

[Delphiprogrammi]

hello,

Yes i did see that (the one week trial) but vb.org rules say this kind of plugins are not permitted here... still it can be usefull (and helpfull) for users who are not so "technical" when i need to block a whole country i just configure iptables todo it but i can understand this is not so easy as this plugin can do

[upsideout]

Originally Posted by TheLastSuperman

How do we know from their site what is a core feature and not? http://www.blockscript.com/features.php that is not clear and I would personally like some clarification on it as I assume others would before installing .

Thank you for your suggestion. UpsideOut has updated the features page to more clearly outline the core features. Please note that there are more features included for free than have been previously mentioned.

[TheLastSuperman]

Originally Posted by Delphiprogrammi

hello,

Yes i did see that (the one week trial) but vb.org rules say this kind of plugins are not permitted here... still it can be usefull (and helpfull) for users who are not so "technical" when i need to block a whole country i just configure iptables todo it but i can understand this is not so easy as this plugin can do

Actually, it's a one week free trial of the FULL version then it reverts to the free or "lite" which still retains the core features and as you can see upsideout has calrified that below and they have updated their features page to reflect such .

http://www.blockscript.com/features.php

Originally Posted by upsideout

Thank you for your suggestion. We have updated the features page to more clearly outline the core features. Please note that there are more features included for free than have been previously mentioned.

No thank you for the clarification .

[irishblacknight]

I've been trying to install this script and plugin and keep getting loads of stupid errors.
If I install the plugin it complains about the paths:
Warning: include_once([path]/../../blockscript/detector.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in [path]/includes/init.php(331) : eval()'d code on line 6

Warning: include_once(): Failed opening '[path]/../../blockscript/detector.php' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/share/php:/usr/share/pear') in [path]/includes/init.php(331) : eval()'d code on line 6

Disabling the plugin (which means disabling all plugins completely because nothing will load) I tried to just install the script by itself and was met with a load of inexplicable errors about .htaccess files and 403 errors
*sigh*

[upsideout]

irishblacknight,

Note, this plugin is for integration into vBulletin and you will need to setup BlockScript first.

Please ensure you have uploaded the BlockScript package, set the appropriate permissions, and configured the options in the BlockScript Control Panel before using this plugin.

If you still encounter difficulties, please contact us via the contact form on our website and we will be happy to assist you further.

[irishblacknight]

Originally Posted by upsideout

irishblacknight,

Note, this plugin is for integration into vBulletin and you will need to setup BlockScript first.

Please ensure you have uploaded the BlockScript package, set the appropriate permissions, and configured the options in the BlockScript Control Panel before using this plugin.

If you still encounter difficulties, please contact us via the contact form on our website and we will be happy to assist you further.

Hmmm
So your install docs are a bit lacking

Basically I've tried installing the script by itself and then adding the plugin, but neither method works.

It's also not mentioned anywhere in the docs you ship with the plugin that ioncube loaders are needed.

[upsideout]

Originally Posted by irishblacknight

Hmmm
So your install docs are a bit lacking

Basically I've tried installing the script by itself and then adding the plugin, but neither method works.

It's also not mentioned anywhere in the docs you ship with the plugin that ioncube loaders are needed.

Thank you for the feedback and we apologize for any confusion. The readme.txt file in the blockscript folder contains a link to the installation instructions for BlockScript (http://www.blockscript.com/install.php). Manual integration instructions are also provided on this page (if you prefer to manually integrate BlockScript). The readme.txt file in the plugin folder contains instructions for installing the plugin.

BlockScript does require ioncube loaders and they are included with the package when downloaded from the BlockScript website, however, we weren't able to attach them with this plugin because of the file size limitation.

If you still encounter difficulties, please contact us via the contact form on our website and we will be able to provide timely assistance.