Anti-Spam Options - Spambot Stopper - Prevent Spambots from Registering

What is it?
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This mod rejects registrations where the form is filled out in less than a minimum time. You can configure one of the following actions to be taken when an automated registration is detected:

- Show a "No Permissions" page
- Display the "Successful Registration" message but without creating an account
- Redirect the user to any URL you choose
- Reload the registration page with an error message of your choosing

You can also provide a list of email addresses to be notified each time a registration is blocked.

Added for version 1.1.1: Time delay enforcer, maximum time option, time limits to cut down on email notifications, posting to a thread.

In the future, I'd like to add some simple logging and statistics, and a summary type of email notification (because people seem to quickly get tired of the single emails).

Note: I coded this myself from scratch, but I would like to acknowledge a couple of previous mods that used this same idea, by users Calorie and noppid, and maybe others. In any case, I believe this one adds some features that the others don't have.

Other advantages: no ads or links, no abuse of update notifications, no disappearing features, no threats to delete the mod (it will never be deleted, at least by me). Also, translations are allowed.

Installation:
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1) If you have "Is Bot", "Stop the Registration Bots", "Spammers Suck!", or another mod that works on registration time, note any admincp settings for that mod then uninstall it.

2) Import the product XML file from the Product Manager.

3) Go to Settings > Options > Spambot Stopper Options and configure the desired settings.

4) IMPORTANT: try to register a new user to make sure that there are no problems with humans registering. If you want, you can also temporarily set the minimum time to a higher value (like 60 seconds) and test to see if the spammer rejection is working.



History:
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1.1.1 (Feb 16, 2013)

• Added timer for enforcing minimum time
• Added maximum registration time limit
• Added time limits for email notifications
• Added posting notificatiosn to a thread

1.0.1 (Feb 01, 2013)

• Fixed bug
• Added check for fake timestamps

1.0 (Jan 31, 2013)

• Initial Release

[Alibass]

Strange it has stopped working for me. I'm no longer receiving email notifications and I manually tried to register under 90 secs and it allowed my registration.

I uninstalled it and reinstalled and still getting the same thing. Oh well it was good while it lasted. Haven't the time to track the problem down since all I have installed was the patch.

[ozzy47]

Perhaps Kevin will know something, but I am still getting the emails, I would have to say probably 100 or so in the past 24 hrs.

[Barcham]

I installed the patch and have had no problems at all with this or any other mod I have installed. I am still receiving email notifications, 25 yesterday, and there has been no change in spammers getting through. I did have two manage to register yesterday, probably human spammers, but they were easily detected as they both used the same IP address and that triggered another mod I have running so I just removed them manually.

[Alibass]

Originally Posted by Alibass

Strange it has stopped working for me. I'm no longer receiving email notifications and I manually tried to register under 90 secs and it allowed my registration.

I uninstalled it and reinstalled and still getting the same thing. Oh well it was good while it lasted. Haven't the time to track the problem down since all I have installed was the patch.

UPDATE: Working again after many uninstalls and reinstalls. Haven't a clue what the problem was or what fixed.

[ozzy47]

Glad it is sorted, but I wish we knew what the root cause was.

[EstebanCampos]

I try download but fail, now i cant download again. Why??

[ozzy47]

Are you getting any errors, are you able to download other mods?

[financegav]

This has worked pretty good, dropped it to less than 5 spam bots getting through per day for http://www.saverscene.com.au/ - going to try adding it with a post count setting. Tried Glow Host - Spam-O-Matic but sadly the warning of "you can not post links" doesn't stay on the page long enough before re-directing and real people give up on the website.

[Max Taxable]

Originally Posted by financegav

This has worked pretty good, dropped it to less than 5 spam bots getting through per day

Lower time settings help the bots. I recommend starting at 25 seconds for the speed setting.

[Barcham]

I have mine set at 45 seconds and that has pretty much stopped all spam bots dead in their tracks. I had it set at 25 originally and there were a few getting through so I increased it by 5 second increments until I hit 45 and that seems to have done it.

Whoever is programming the bots is a total idiot in any case. Almost all the handles that are blocked tend to be constructed to represent real names, a capital letter for the first name combined with a last name starting with a capital letter. Makes the occasional one that does get through very easy to find.

I have noticed a huge increase in bots the last couple of days though. My various protections have blocked well over 300 in the last day and a half where I usually deal with about 10 to 25 per day.