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:
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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

[kh99]

Originally Posted by Max Taxable

He would also have to know the settings max and min, for every site with this mod he might encounter. And since he can't possibly, he's more or less urinating in the wind. Might get some improvement, might not. It would be a guessing game.

I'd be willing to bet that there's a window of time that's common to almost everyone using this or similar mod. A suggested window has even been posted here. It's got to be about the same for everyone because it has to be comfortable for a user. You *could* set the min to 2 minutes and use the timer to keep people from submitting too fast, but that would be very annoying.

Originally Posted by apleschu

Which brings be back to gathering information: Kevin, would you be willing to let me take a stab at the code? And just to be clear: I do NOT want to take over or step on anybodies toes. I just offer some time to implement a feature *I* would like to see and then hand the software back to its owner and inventor.

Yeah, go ahead. I'll apologize ahead of time because this was kind of hacked together. It was originally put together in about 2 hours and was very simple, then I made a half-assed attempt to rework it. But hopefully it's not too bad that you can't follow it.

[Max Taxable]

Originally Posted by kh99

I'd be willing to bet that there's a window of time that's common to almost everyone using this or similar mod. A suggested window has even been posted here. It's got to be about the same for everyone because it has to be comfortable for a user. You *could* set the min to 2 minutes and use the timer to keep people from submitting too fast, but that would be very annoying.

Never can tell what the settings are. Making it luck at best, to program around this. Hit or miss.

And where you hit? They change the settings.

It's not as simple or trivial as has been said.

[kh99]

Max, we've discussed this before and as I said then, we'll just have to disagree. I don't want this thread to go on all night going back and forth when no new info is being added.

But I do give you full credit for recognizing the value of this approach, and reviving Calorie's old mod. This has hundreds of installs, and the other mod (that shall not be named) had hundreds, and I'm guessing a lot of people either didn't hit install or implemeted their own, so I'd say there must be at least a couple thousand installs, and it's all because you paid someone to update it.

[Max Taxable]

Well not to belabor the point Kevin, but minutes is the setting for max time, in your mod. Default is 1 minute.

Maximum Elapsed Time
Maximum allowable time, in minutes (1 to 60), between registration page request and submission. If the time is more than this, the registration code will redirect to the registration page with all fields reset. To disable this feature, set to 0 or leave blank. (Click Help icon at right for more information)

I have it set at 2 minutes. I imagine most will be at one, but would change if they start getting registrations through.

So, a XRumer programmer would have to figure out what minimum time, and what max time, to plan for, for 10K sites.

Hit and miss.

Originally Posted by kh99

But I do give you full credit for recognizing the value of this approach, and reviving Calorie's old mod.

And as you might know, there is a all new approach, coming. Works so well I am able to allow guest posting on my board, and still get no spam through.

[kh99]

Originally Posted by Max Taxable

Well not to belabor the point Kevin, but minutes is the setting for max time, in your mod. Default is 1 minute.

Well, I just meant 2 minutes, like 120 seconds. I'd guess that 45 seconds would be a good target. Or you could start at 30 and if it fails, increase it next attempt. You could ban the ip, but as we know finding another ip address for the next attempt isn't a problem.

[Max Taxable]

Originally Posted by kh99

Well, I just meant 2 minutes, like 120 seconds. I'd guess that 45 seconds would be a good target. Or you could start at 30 and if it fails, increase it next attempt. You could ban the ip, but as we know finding another ip address for the next atempt isn't a problem.

In your mod we can't set seconds, for max time. Must be minutes.

Minimum time is where we can enter seconds.

[Max Taxable]

Plus I never got to thank you for picking up the fumbled ball so to speak, and taking the time to code this yourself with all original code. It's one of the best products on vBorg.

Thanks!

[kh99]

Originally Posted by Max Taxable

In your mod we can't set seconds, for max time. Must be minutes.

Minimum time is where we can enter seconds.

Right, but I was talking about the minimum time. As an extreme example of the point I was making, maybe your registration form takes an average of 45 seconds for humans to fill out. Well, to defeat hypothetical spambots that know how to delay, you could say I'll make my minimum 120 seconds and humans will have to wait for the timer to run out. But that would be annoying.

Anyway, let's just enjoy the fact that bots don't seem to be getting through.

[apleschu]

I'll take this offline, PM sent.

[ozzy47]

I have logged many, many bot registration attempts, they go anywhere from, 0.623 seconds to 100001 seconds, but most of them hit under 10 seconds.