Miscellaneous Hacks - Enhanced Captcha Image Verification - stop bots from signing up!!

Title : Enhanced Captcha Image Verification

Version : 1.1

Coder : Andy Calderbank & Jason Williams

Purpose : Add extra Image Verification to the registration process, using an alternative system to the Captcha system.

Why : It would appear that spammers can now "read" the Captcha codes and overcome the verification process.

How : This extra feature uses images which are harder for a spam program/bot to interpret than text characters. The user has a choice of 4 randomly displayed images, and the answer is given below. The user must click on that image to proceed, if the incorrect image is selected an error message is shown. The images are randomly shown (from however many are in the directory - you can have as many as you want, just has to be more that 4!) and are automatically created from the images/verification/ directory - all on the fly. Sample images are included with this release, but you can use your own - I recommend using 100 x 100 pixels, in .jpg format and naming the image with a meaningful title (ie A House.jpg) - the extension is stripped so only the filename itself is shown.

To further enhance security, the images are passed through a script which means that none of the images on the screen have file names - and cannot be associated to the question by title alone.

I have been testing this on my forum and have found it to be effective - I cannot guarantee that this will stop all spamming, but this relies more on human input than a computer "reading" the image.

Important : This has been tested on 3.6.2 - I cannot guarantee it will work on anything above, please test with caution - and as always BACKUP FIRST! This will not work on anything below 3.6.0.

Demo : http://www.steadiforum.com/register.php

I hope this is help to the VBulletin community as I know this is a growing problem. I don't fancy the thought of trawling through hundreds of new members deleting stupid usernames and spam posts.

Installation :

1. Upload the verification/ directory to your images/ folder - make sure .htaccess and show.php are present - otherwise it won't work.
2. Import Product - product-image_verification.xml

Upgrading :

1. Upload show.php to the images/verification/ directory.
2. Import Product - product-image_verification.xml - select Allow Overwrite to enable upgrade.

Requirements : GD Libraries installed

File uploads : 39 (including images)
Files to Import : 1
New Templates : 1
New Phrases : 5
Uses Hooks : 1
New Queries : 0

History :
v1.0 - Original release
v1.01 - Slight code change for forums in sub-directories (thanks go to Barakat for solving this one)
v1.1 - Issue resolved with Windows servers also template clean up for xhtml compliance
v1.11 - Added version check function, minor upgrade.

Done - if you like please click install! (and I won't ask for any donations as long as you click Nominate for MOTM!)

Don't forget you don't have to use the provided images - you can customise these to any you wish - I've used ones that are hopefully universal and everyone will recognise.

[donwon]

I am getting this error:

Warning: dir(images/verification/) [function.dir]: failed to open dir: No such file or directory in [path]/register.php(204) : eval()'d code on line 6

Fatal error: Call to a member function read() on a non-object in /home/*****/public_html/forums/register.php(204) : eval()'d code on line 7

[sheep92032]

Has anyone actually tested this? Giving them as many chances as they like is a really bad idea. I tested this by trying to click every image but the correct one. Before i got to the last image i was varified before clicking the correct one.

I think the only reason this is effective is because bots don't know of this mod yet and is probably just as effective as asking a question in plain text.

So my advice is to fix the bug i mentioned and give them one chance to answer correctly, then block them from trying for an hour, then if they fail again block them completely. But even then it can be cracked with chance.

[hamid]

Warning: dir(images/verification/) [function.dir]: failed to open dir: No such file or directory in [path]/register.php(204) : eval()'d code on line 6

Fatal error: Call to a member function read() on a non-object in /home/epaytalk/public_html/register.php(204) : eval()'d code on line 7

[mmorpgfocus]

Does not work in anyway on Vbulletin 3.8.3

Warning: dir(images/verification/) [function.dir]: failed to open dir: No such file or directory in [path]/register.php(204) : eval()'d code on line 6

Fatal error: Call to a member function on a non-object in /homepages/21/d288423135/htdocs/forum/register.php(204) : eval()'d code on line 7

Yes I made sure the instructions for installation were followed exactly.

[mmorpgfocus]

Yep its junk. Not just me. Everyone gets the exact same error.

[Biker_GA]

Those that followed the instructions to the letter are having no issues. Blanket statements of "it's junk" are unwarranted and uncalled for.

[mmorpgfocus]

Originally Posted by Biker_GA

Those that followed the instructions to the letter are having no issues. Blanket statements of "it's junk" are unwarranted and uncalled for.

People running the latest version all get the exact same error. If it just happened to me I would agree, since every other post on the past two pages is the exact same error and failure I would say this add-on has no value if you are running 3.8.3 or 3.8.4.

[Biker_GA]

First of all, there is no 3.8.4. Second, I'm running 3.8.3 AND this modification with no issues at all. In the last 3 pages of posts, TWO individuals (yourself included) posted your error. Now.. Your point is?

[mmorpgfocus]

Originally Posted by Biker_GA

First of all, there is no 3.8.4. Second, I'm running 3.8.3 AND this modification with no issues at all. Now.. Your point is?

The majority of posts show that the majority of the time it doesn't work with the same error for everyone. There are other add-ons that work and install with no headache and accomplish the same ends. Why mess with this one?

Best of luck Mr. Biker.

[kyrenator]

It doesnt work for me!