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

What is it?
----------------------------
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:
----------------------------
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

[burntire]

Originally Posted by Max Taxable

I use 25 seconds as the Minimum Elapsed Time, 2 seconds for Maximum Elapsed Time, for "Action" I use Stealth, no redirect and no error message, and Force Wait for Minimum Time = Yes.

BUT... I also use this in conjunction with the other anti-spam mods Ozzy and I recommend, here:

The Era of Big Spam is Over

Thanks Max

[lordtopcat]

This isn't working on my forum.

To test, I set the minimum time to 60 and tested it out. It still allowed me to register?

I have BoP's rename register.php mod installed, does this conflict?

Cheers

[Max Taxable]

Originally Posted by lordtopcat

To test, I set the minimum time to 60 and tested it out. It still allowed me to register?

That's way too long. Set at 25.

[Digital Jedi]

Originally Posted by lordtopcat

This isn't working on my forum.

To test, I set the minimum time to 60 and tested it out. It still allowed me to register?

I have BoP's rename register.php mod installed, does this conflict?

Cheers

The best way to test this is not to try it yourself. Set the registration value to something like suggested, 25 seconds, make sure your email notification is setup, and wait to see the results.

[lordtopcat]

Originally Posted by Max Taxable

That's way too long. Set at 25.

To quote the author of this modification:

Originally Posted by kh99

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.

So that's exactly what I did. I also tested it myself at 25 seconds and still allowed me to register.

[kh99]

Originally Posted by lordtopcat

To quote the author of this modification:



So that's exactly what I did. I also tested it myself at 25 seconds and still allowed me to register.

Well, maybe I should have been more clear. If you set it to 60 to test, then you would have to register in less than 60 seconds to get rejected. (ET: ...and you'd set it back to something lower once you've run your test). But assuming you did that, then I'm not sure what's wrong. I've had a few people talk about having the same issue and I don't think any of them ever came back to say what the issue was (or maybe they never fixed it).

If you have any other registration mods, you might try disabling them temporarily to see if that works. Oh, and I've been told that it doesn't work using the mobile interface, and since I've never worked with that I don't know how to fix that.

[Digital Jedi]

Originally Posted by lordtopcat

To quote the author of this modification:



So that's exactly what I did. I also tested it myself at 25 seconds and still allowed me to register.

You're telling me you were able to register in under 25 seconds?

In any event, the best way to test is to still wait to see what shows up in your logs. As a human, you should be able to register. That's the whole point. The bots who register in seconds are the one's who should be blocked. And you won't really see that until you have logs to look at.

[Max Taxable]

Originally Posted by lordtopcat

I also tested it myself at 25 seconds and still allowed me to register.

We're assuming you have it enabled. Hate to ask, but Mods being "off" does happen.

You were able to register AND a account was created?

[lordtopcat]

Originally Posted by Max Taxable

We're assuming you have it enabled. Hate to ask, but Mods being "off" does happen.

You were able to register AND a account was created?

Yes and yes.

Originally Posted by Digital Jedi

You're telling me you were able to register in under 25 seconds?

In any event, the best way to test is to still wait to see what shows up in your logs. As a human, you should be able to register. That's the whole point. The bots who register in seconds are the one's who should be blocked. And you won't really see that until you have logs to look at.

I am, yes. I timed myself from the moment I landed on the registration page. 19 seconds in total and account was created and I was able to log in.

[Max Taxable]

Topcat I suspect you might have a hook conflict going on with this. Do you mind posting a list of all your plugins and Mods installed?