Anti-Spam Options - Hostname or Useragent Registration Ban

THIS ADD-ON IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE AND IS NOT SUPPORTED

This is an add-on that is designed with vBulletin 4.1.5. It may not work on earlier versions of vBulletin. It is known to be working on vB versions 3.8.7, 4.0.7 and 4.1.5 through 4.2.0. I don't know if it is compatable with all versions of vB or not.

On my site, I receive quite a few PMs asking me how I prevent spam from being posted there. While I can't release everything I use because some of it is server based (external from vBulletin), I can release one of the lines of defense that I use.

This mod allows you to ban Hostnames and Useragents from registering on your site.

If a hostname or useragent contains any of the words you specify and they are trying to register, they are presented with an error telling them they are forbidden from registering on your site. And no registration screen ever appears.

In the event the hostname is blank, a WHOIS can be performed to establish the identity of the system being used to register.

The 'External Content' pulled by this mod is only the WHOIS information when that is enabled.

WARNING: This mod has the potential of banning humans from registering. Choose what words you use carefully.

Personally, I am not very concerned about banning an occasional human from registering. So, from time to time my system may ban a human that uses an anonymous proxy.

NOTE: This mod has a 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' clause. Please don't post telling people what words to ban. We don't need spammers getting around this mod by reading posts telling them what is being filtered.

REQUIREMENTS: In order for the WHOIS function used in this mod to work properly, your server must have OPENSSL installed.


* INSTALLATION *
---------------------
1) Upload the contents of the 'upload' folder to your forum's root.
(If your forum's location is http://www.example.com/forums/, the root is /forums/)

2) Import the product XML file (product-hostusercheck.xml) into the Product Manager in AdminCP.

3) Take some time to set the options in ACP->Settings->Options->Prevent Hostname or Useragent from Registering.

4) Be sure to turn on the mod when setting options in ACP->Settings->Options->Prevent Hostname or Useragent from Registering.



* History (Changelog) *
-----------------------------
1.0.3 (December 12, 2013)
- Fix hostname not being checked under certain circumstances.

1.0.2 (March 1, 2012)
- Fix error on registration page when Useragent or Hostname to ban is blank.

1.0.1 (February 24, 2012)
- Wrong hook being used for one of the plugins.

1.0.0 (January 22, 2012)
- Public Release

[MarkusB]

I`m missing the upload folder in the download file, is there one or works now without?

I see just the xml and txt file

[nhawk]

Originally Posted by MarkusB

I`m missing the upload folder in the download file, is there one or works now without?

I see just the xml and txt file

Sorry about that!

Download it again. I re-uploaded the zip file with the upload folder.

[Max Taxable]

I bet that makes all the difference!

EDIT to ask: Upload the individual files in the "phpwhois-4.2.2" folder? Or just upload the folder itself, to root?

[nhawk]

Originally Posted by Max Taxable

I bet that makes all the difference!

EDIT to ask: Upload the individual files in the "phpwhois-4.2.2" folder? Or just upload the folder itself, to root?

Upload the whole folder 'phpwhois-4.2.2' to the root. Not just the files.

Root
---- phpwhois-4.2.2

[Max Taxable]

Originally Posted by nhawk

Upload the whole folder 'phpwhois-4.2.2' to the root. Not just the files.

Root
---- phpwhois-4.2.2

Yep that's what I assumed and did, just wanted it clarified for the peeps.

[tambo]

Has anyone got this working for v4.1.12?

[nhawk]

Originally Posted by tambo

Has anyone got this working for v4.1.12?

It works with 4.1.12.

[tambo]

So it does.

Marked as installed. Very neat and very impressive. Thankyou for releasing it.

I'm experimenting with a few registration restriction mods as a means of limiting the incessant spamming from some wannabe revolutionaries on our site (using alt accounts of course... wouldn't want to sully their real identity).

Essentially, I'm wanting to block people from using a proxy at the point of registration (not bothered if they use a proxy to browse or post thereafter), so that they can't maintain their complete anonymity. I know that's an almost impossible task and fraught with difficulty.

I've managed to limit some tor hostnames (in less than an hour) using your mod and that's working well and slowed the problem, but most web proxies don't seem to have an identifiable hostname.

Any advice on how your mod can be used to tackle these, from your experience? Or if I should be looking at another solution to plug that gap, like LordOfWAR_PC's "Registration CIDR/IP" mod?

I've thought about using some port scanning mods as well, but they don't seem surgical enough.

[nhawk]

Originally Posted by tambo

So it does.

Marked as installed. Very neat and very impressive. Thankyou for releasing it.

I'm experimenting with a few registration restriction mods as a means of limiting the incessant spamming from some wannabe revolutionaries on our site (using alt accounts of course... wouldn't want to sully their real identity).

Essentially, I'm wanting to block people from using a proxy at the point of registration (not bothered if they use a proxy to browse or post thereafter), so that they can't maintain their complete anonymity. I know that's an almost impossible task and fraught with difficulty.

I've managed to limit some tor hostnames (in less than an hour) using your mod and that's working well and slowed the problem, but most web proxies don't seem to have an identifiable hostname.

Any advice on how your mod can be used to tackle these, from your experience? Or if I should be looking at another solution to plug that gap, like LordOfWAR_PC's "Registration CIDR/IP" mod?

I've thought about using some port scanning mods as well, but they don't seem surgical enough.

I can't go into too much detail as it would reveal the info to spammers, etc.

But, this does take some work on your end. You'll need to look up the IP owner for those that don't show a hostname. Make note of the NETNAME of the owner. (IE: DARL-TELECOM)

To do this I always start with ARIN and go from there...
ARIN - https://www.arin.net/
RIPE - https://apps.db.ripe.net/search/query.html
ASIA - http://wq.apnic.net/apnic-bin/whois.pl
LATIN AMERICA - http://lacnic.net/cgi-bin/lacnic/whois?lg=EN

There are a couple of others like AFRINIC and Japan, but I don't use those very often.

Then enable Do Whois in the mod and add the netname to hostnames that are banned.

Also keep in mind that no registration should ever come from a 'dedicated server' ip address (such as a 'rackcentre' address). That's a dead giveaway that it's a proxy.

[YOODA230]

not working for me (vBulletin 4.2.0 Patch Level 2) help me !!