Anti-Spam Options - vbStopForumSpam

vbStopForumSpam

Mod of the month winner October 2009.... That cant be bad :up:

Apologies in advance, this is a copy of the 3.6/3.7/3.8 mod that has been verified to work in 4.0 (its so that I dont get a billion PMs asking if it works in 4.0)

This provides access to a RBL type system for forum admins, listing known spam IP / email / usernames. The RBL database is provided by www.stopforumspam.com. You do NOT need an API key from the website in order to access the database. only to submit data if you should wish to do so.

At the point of user registration, the mod checks if the IP number / provided username / email addresses appear on a block list and can block the registration.

Whilst this isnt the most perfect way to stop all forum spam, its another step that spammers have to overcome.

What it does

It checks with a remote database of known forum spammers. Their IP number, email address and forum username are tested and based on your configuration, you can reject / log / accept user registrations based on what you get back.

This version doesnt have
- whitelisting or the ability to submit users to the database but it will within the next week.
- automatic user deletion / post / PM purging. There are good tools out there already, this does something else.

Instructions are included in the installation.txt file - PLEASE read it first and dont forget to actually upload the files in the upload folder, otherwise it WILL kill your registration progress and you wont see the log file options in admincp.

Changes to vB
- 3 new database tables
- 2 database table alternations
- No new templates.
- 2 Hook (register_addmember_process & register_addmember_complete)

Ive tested it but had feedback that it works with versions as old as 3.6.2... Support should go back to older versions, as long as they have hook support for register_addmember_process / register_addmember_complete

For code to submit spammers to the database, check this post for code changes
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....&postcount=288

Reported to work
- 3.6.1, 3.6.2, 3.6.9, 3.6.10, 3.7.0, 3.7.1, 3.7.2, 3.7.3, 3.74, 3.80, 3.81, 3.82, 3.83, 3.8.4, 4.0beta3, 4.0 Gold, 4.2pl1,2

Installers should remember to refresh their ACP navigation window when they first install it so they can see the new log file menu item.

REQUIRES MySQL 4.1.1+

There is a small mod, coded by Wired1 that will allow you to submit spammer details to the database from the admin control panel, here https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....&postcount=289 This relies 100% on javascript being enabled and makes no tests that it is enabled.

You need to have an API key from www.stopforumspam.com in order to submit data, its free and easy to get... You DONT need an API key in order to use this mod however, only to submit spammer data.

Issues are
- The usergroup permissions / view details etc DONT work. I jumped the gun and put the permissions controls in there before I put the code in. Please delete the includes/xml/bitfield_vbstopforumspam.xml file and rebuild your postbit

Installation
- Follow the instructions in the zip file, that includes the file upload the correct folders.

Please click Installed

The original thread is at https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=176481 where there is a wealth of knowledge about the mod, please ask questions in there.

[Sage Knight]

Originally Posted by Snowhog

I like the idea of this MOD, and I want to install it. I am however, not well versed in vBulletin, even though I am an Administrator on our Forum.

Your Install instructions say to upload the contents of the Upload folder to the 'root of your server'. I'll beg indulgence and plead ignorance, but what is the root of our server??

Our Forum is installed on /srv/www/kubuntuforums.net/public_html

"Be kind to newbie Admins"

That is the root mate (public html)

Just copy and paste the whole folder. And make sure to test things first on your test board before going live with it

[Snowhog]

Originally Posted by Sage Knight

That is the root mate (public html)

Thank you. Much appreciated.

Added:
Can I simply upload the vbstopforumspam.php file to the admincp folder, and the cpnav_vbstopforumspam.xml to the includes/xml folder and then add/import products and select the product-vbstopforumspam.xml file, or do both .xml files need to be imported?

[Ohmer]

The site Stopforumspam is not working. It's getting an internal error? Hope it comes back up.

[Arie]

Looking at my logs, they have been down since 19:30 CT, so over 6 hours

I got 17 spam registrations and 3 valid ones. I hope they get back online fast.

[Sage Knight]

Originally Posted by Snowhog

Thank you. Much appreciated.

Added:
Can I simply upload the vbstopforumspam.php file to the admincp folder, and the cpnav_vbstopforumspam.xml to the includes/xml folder and then add/import products and select the product-vbstopforumspam.xml file, or do both .xml files need to be imported?

I'm on a iPad right now so can't say for sure what are the exact files or comfirm yours, just make sure to keep the directory structure intact, if you're using fille zilla you shouldn't have any issues uploading and maintaing structure.

After uploading the files just install the addon by importing the xml, like you do with any addon.

Only the install file needs to be imported, leave the other xmls in their proper folder as it is.

[hoplomachus]

Just got home to find out that our site has stopped getting memberships due to the website being down ... I also hope this is sorted fast.

[rickm]

Originally Posted by hoplomachus

Just got home to find out that our site has stopped getting memberships due to the website being down ... I also hope this is sorted fast.

Has been almost a months since this last update


Was this ever corrected?

Does everything seem to be working well?

[bzcomputers]

It was down for about 12 hours about a month ago. They have made changes to the backend of their system so that the issue that caused the extended downtime should not happen again. There hasn't been any issues since.

You can read about it on their web site if you want further details.
http://www.stopforumspam.com

[tambo]

What's the situation on v0.7?

Both this mod and Spam-O-Matic lack a whitelist. The author of Spam-O-Matic has stated that they don't see a need for it (despite tonnes of requests for it to be developed).

Is there any chance that the 0.7 version of this mod (in which whitelist was indicated would be included) will ever make a public release, or has the development ground to a halt?

[djbaxter]

What would be the purpose of a whitelist?