Miscellaneous Hacks - Ban Spiders by User Agent

What this mod does
With this mod you can enter User Agents to watch or ban, you can also recieve emails or have an Output.txt created and updated with time and date of visits. It doesn't just have to be spiders, you can watch, log or ban any useragent!

How to install
Simply import the product ban_spider, the mod is active by default but none of the other options are turned on.

What is a UserAgent?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_agent

Understanding a UserAgent string
http://user-agent-string.info/parse

Genuine User Getting Blocked?
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....&postcount=105

Tools to help
http://whatsmyuseragent.com/SwitchingUserAgents.asp
http://www.botsvsbrowsers.com/SimulateUserAgent.asp

FAQ
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....&postcount=137

How does it work?
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....&postcount=381

What's a bot?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spambot

How do i ban a bot?
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....&postcount=318
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....7&postcount=51

Where's output.txt located?
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....&postcount=216

Bad bot lists
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....&postcount=259
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....&postcount=224
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....&postcount=281

Tested on vb3.7.x, vB3.8.x , vB4.x.x but should work on any version.

__________________________________________________ __________________
Special thanks to:
Lior
KH99
BoP5
for helping me sort out a few issues

...and beta testers
ForceHSS (Special thanks to Force for latest testing)
ozzy47
GreyHost

If you use this please mark as INSTALLED

History
9th June 2011 Orginal xml added
12th June 2011 Added both email notification and text file logging
22nd June 2011 Version 2.0.0, Added create thread on activity

1. Added match facility you can now use something like Yandex and it will match MOZILLA/5.0 (COMPATIBLE; YANDEXBOT/3.0; +HTTP://YANDEX.COM/BOTS)
2. Added clickable link to visited thread

22nd September 2011 added user redirect url selection
08th October Beta testing started for thread creation.
20th October Beta testing started for emailing.
21st October Beta testing complete Ver 3.0.0 uploaded
29th October minor fix added to cope with empty userid on thread creation
30th October Beta testing automatic redirection to spiders/bots IP
31st October New xml uploaded with automatic redirect to IP
25th November Minor fix for blank forumid fixed
26th November 2011 Fixed version check & create thread Off by default
17th December 2014 Version 3.1.0 uploaded, Hook changed extra logging and statistics added by Ozzy47 (Chris)
18th December 2014 Version 3.1.1 uploaded, prevented spiders being counted when mod turned off.
17th December 2014 Version 3.1.2 uploaded, due to rogue code from another mod
The Bad Bots list is now included in the product
Please prune out all those that you wish to be able to see your site (i suggest you definately prune out "DA" and "Custo" :

Support will now only be given to those who have this mod marked as INSTALLED

[ForceHSS]

you right did not see that bit late hear could be the reason

[Disco_Dave]

I installed this mod yesterday and from then I have been bombarded with this spider AhrefsBot Spider I've tried adding them to this mod, but no joy.

[Max Taxable]

Originally Posted by tricksodave

I installed this mod yesterday and from then I have been bombarded with this spider AhrefsBot Spider I've tried adding them to this mod, but no joy.

It blocks that spider, how did you add it?

[TheSupportForum]

Originally Posted by tricksodave

I installed this mod yesterday and from then I have been bombarded with this spider AhrefsBot Spider I've tried adding them to this mod, but no joy.

you need to block their IP, AhrefsBot has more than 1 IP

[Max Taxable]

Originally Posted by simonhind

you need to block their IP, AhrefsBot has more than 1 IP

The whole purpose of this Mod is to block user agents, so you don't have to block IP addresses.

If the person put "AhrefsBot" in this Mod, it should be blocked no matter the IP.

[Simon Lloyd]

I think you'll find that if you check WOL when arhefsbot is online and then choose to show useragent from the dropdown ahrefsbot isn't actually in their useragent, i think i posted about this to another user a few posts or so ago.

[TheSupportForum]

why not just put

*

/

it blocks all useragents and will only require standard 1 line box
this is what i have done

[Simon Lloyd]

Originally Posted by simonhind

why not just put

*

/

it blocks all useragents and will only require standard 1 line box
this is what i have done

that will block everyone if using it in my mod!

Here's some UA's that ahrefs use
Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; AhrefsBot/1.0; +http://ahrefs.com/robot/)
Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; AhrefsBot/2.0; +http://ahrefs.com/robot/)
Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; AhrefsBot/3.0; +http://ahrefs.com/robot/)
Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; SiteBot/0.1; +http://www.sitebot.org/robot/)
Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; SiteBot/0.1; +http://www.sitebot.org/robot/),gzip(gfe)
Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; SiteBot/0.1; +http://www.sitebot.org/robot/),gzip(...(gfe),gzip(gfe)

So use SiteBot or Ahrefs as the banning UA's

[TheSupportForum]

for those who want to block blocks accesses through Facebook external hit

facebookexternalhit/1.0

[Max Taxable]

Originally Posted by Simon Lloyd

I think you'll find that if you check WOL when arhefsbot is online and then choose to show useragent from the dropdown ahrefsbot isn't actually in their useragent, i think i posted about this to another user a few posts or so ago.

I have had no problems, Ahrefsbot is in my collection, and I never see it hit my site anymore.

Pretty sure the OP is saying he sees "ahrefsbot" in his WOL after adding it to your mod.