Anti-Spam Options - Hostname or Useragent Registration Ban

THIS ADD-ON IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE AND IS NOT SUPPORTED

This is an add-on that is designed with vBulletin 4.1.5. It may not work on earlier versions of vBulletin. It is known to be working on vB versions 3.8.7, 4.0.7 and 4.1.5 through 4.2.0. I don't know if it is compatable with all versions of vB or not.

On my site, I receive quite a few PMs asking me how I prevent spam from being posted there. While I can't release everything I use because some of it is server based (external from vBulletin), I can release one of the lines of defense that I use.

This mod allows you to ban Hostnames and Useragents from registering on your site.

If a hostname or useragent contains any of the words you specify and they are trying to register, they are presented with an error telling them they are forbidden from registering on your site. And no registration screen ever appears.

In the event the hostname is blank, a WHOIS can be performed to establish the identity of the system being used to register.

The 'External Content' pulled by this mod is only the WHOIS information when that is enabled.

WARNING: This mod has the potential of banning humans from registering. Choose what words you use carefully.

Personally, I am not very concerned about banning an occasional human from registering. So, from time to time my system may ban a human that uses an anonymous proxy.

NOTE: This mod has a 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' clause. Please don't post telling people what words to ban. We don't need spammers getting around this mod by reading posts telling them what is being filtered.

REQUIREMENTS: In order for the WHOIS function used in this mod to work properly, your server must have OPENSSL installed.


* INSTALLATION *
---------------------
1) Upload the contents of the 'upload' folder to your forum's root.
(If your forum's location is http://www.example.com/forums/, the root is /forums/)

2) Import the product XML file (product-hostusercheck.xml) into the Product Manager in AdminCP.

3) Take some time to set the options in ACP->Settings->Options->Prevent Hostname or Useragent from Registering.

4) Be sure to turn on the mod when setting options in ACP->Settings->Options->Prevent Hostname or Useragent from Registering.



* History (Changelog) *
-----------------------------
1.0.3 (December 12, 2013)
- Fix hostname not being checked under certain circumstances.

1.0.2 (March 1, 2012)
- Fix error on registration page when Useragent or Hostname to ban is blank.

1.0.1 (February 24, 2012)
- Wrong hook being used for one of the plugins.

1.0.0 (January 22, 2012)
- Public Release

[nhawk]

Originally Posted by Bruce1984

Nice mod, thank you for releasing and your continuous work on it.

I have not downloaded/tested it yet, but I've got one little question; is it possible to like edit the message that will be shown once a username/hostagent has been blocked?

Basically, like you mentioned, it wouldn't be too bad if an occasional human would be prevented from registering. But if it would happen often, for example if you choose to prevent people using proxies when registering (but fine when browsing), the message could show something along the lines of "If you are trying to register and feel you are wrongfully being blocked, feel free to message support[at]host[dot]com"?

In the above case, you're not immediately allowing people to register anyway and can verify a 'legitimate' user by the correspondence with him/her. At least, that's what I'm thinking .

The message that is displayed is a vB phrase and can be edited to say whatever you want.

[Bruce1984]

Awesome! Also, thanks for your quick reply .

[Barcham]

Lately I've been getting a ton of registration attempts lately, all with either iPod or iPhone user agents and the majority of them coming from the same host - vpn999. I have a couple of mods installed, Spam Hammer and Proxy Alert, which seemed to be blocking most of them - neither program sends me an alert email or PM when blocking a registration, sot their effectiveness was not really known - but a few were still getting through. This really wasn't much of a problem because they never confirmed the verification email and as a result had no access to my board. But it was still a pain.

So I was over on Ozzy's site and came across a thread about stopping spammers and decided to give this mod a shot. Wow!! In the little over a day since it's been installed, It's stopped 15 bots from registering and notified me of each one with a nice, clear PM. So now while they're still lurking around, trying to modify their user profile that was never created, I sit back and laugh at them.

I noticed that no one has posted in this thread for over a year and a half so I figured I'd give it a bump. It's a great mod and really helpful to stop spammers. If you decide to install it, visit Ozzy's site to download the list of hostnames and user agents which is what really makes this mod work so effectively.

Here's the original link that led me here. There are a few other very useful mods listed there also! http://ozzmodz.com/showthread.php/50...g-Spam-Is-Over

Huge thanks again to Ozzy47 and Max Taxable for their work to keep spammers at bay!!!

[Max Taxable]

Originally Posted by Barcham

Lately I've been getting a ton of registration attempts lately, all with either iPod or iPhone user agents and the majority of them coming from the same host - vpn999. I have a couple of mods installed, Spam Hammer and Proxy Alert, which seemed to be blocking most of them - neither program sends me an alert email or PM when blocking a registration, sot their effectiveness was not really known - but a few were still getting through. This really wasn't much of a problem because they never confirmed the verification email and as a result had no access to my board. But it was still a pain.

So I was over on Ozzy's site and came across a thread about stopping spammers and decided to give this mod a shot. Wow!! In the little over a day since it's been installed, It's stopped 15 bots from registering and notified me of each one with a nice, clear PM. So now while they're still lurking around, trying to modify their user profile that was never created, I sit back and laugh at them.

I noticed that no one has posted in this thread for over a year and a half so I figured I'd give it a bump. It's a great mod and really helpful to stop spammers. If you decide to install it, visit Ozzy's site to download the list of hostnames and user agents which is what really makes this mod work so effectively.

Here's the original link that led me here. There are a few other very useful mods listed there also! http://ozzmodz.com/showthread.php/50...g-Spam-Is-Over

Huge thanks again to Ozzy47 and Max Taxable for their work to keep spammers at bay!!!

This is one of the really great and under-appreciated tools in the anti-spam toolbox. Glad you're using it as part of your moat and it's helping.

[ozzy47]

Yeah this mod,I am surprised it has not drawn more attention, I use it, and recommend it.

[Barcham]

It works great. Blocked 25 so far and just keeps on going. Sure, some if not all of those may have been blocked by Spam Hammer or Proxy alert but I had at least 2 per day getting through and being able to register. Since I installed this mod, not one bot has made it in.

I did find it surprising, however, that every user agent blocked so far has been either an iPhone or iPod.

[ozzy47]

Yeah that is a new thing they try to do in order to get through. With this mod, and the rest from the post on my site, using the lists I included, you should be good to go.

[Max Taxable]

Originally Posted by Barcham

It works great. Blocked 25 so far and just keeps on going. Sure, some if not all of those may have been blocked by Spam Hammer or Proxy alert but I had at least 2 per day getting through and being able to register. Since I installed this mod, not one bot has made it in.

I did find it surprising, however, that every user agent blocked so far has been either an iPhone or iPod.

The spam programs can spoof the user agent string. I have seen it happen on my board - failing to get in with IE 6 suddenly I see i-phone from exact IP and provider, not even 10 seconds later.

That's why this is a excellent bullet to have in the anti-spam gun. Still another layer.

[Barcham]

Originally Posted by ozzy47

Yeah that is a new thing they try to do in order to get through. With this mod, and the rest from the post on my site, using the lists I included, you should be good to go.

I did download the lists and added them to the mod along with the 'vpn999' that I noticed all the bots were connecting through. All but 5 of the banned bots so far have come from this 'vpn999' host.

Is it wrong of me to get some perverse pleasure seeing these bots spin around in circles? I wonder if they will ever just give up? LOL

[AK47-]

This prevent TOR users?