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

[DAMINK]

Originally Posted by Digital Jedi

I have a very short registration form. No CAPTCHA (since, really, who is this stopping now other than delaying human registrants)

My thoughts exactly.
I dont use any captcha or special questions.
I rely on other methods entirely. This mod being one of those methods.
I think the reg form should be as simple as possible.
I hate filling them out when i register anywhere so figure less is more.
I have not had a single bot get through in months.
Spam free forum and i owe it in part to quality mods like this.

[kh99]

Thanks for the feedback and suggestions, everyone.

[Digital Jedi]

Originally Posted by DAMINK

My thoughts exactly.
I dont use any captcha or special questions.
I rely on other methods entirely. This mod being one of those methods.
I think the reg form should be as simple as possible.
I hate filling them out when i register anywhere so figure less is more.
I have not had a single bot get through in months.
Spam free forum and i owe it in part to quality mods like this.

I think the special questions work when they're images, and when you use the same one over and over again, with different answers from different or even the same images. I have quite a few questions like "how many round objects are in this picture?" Then I use a number of different pictures with different objects. Then I'll use the same picture for different question types. I read that XRumer and the like are comparing Human Verification Questions with global sites and comparing answers to similar questions (like what's 2+2? Terribly ineffective question, but I see it all the time) and easily getting through them. By generalizing a lot of my questions to different pictures, I hope to cut eliminate any effective comparisons.

[sadiq6210]

Originally Posted by sadiq6210

Is it working with this mod?
I mean can I use it both in same time?
Anti-Spam Options - KeyCAPTCHA - Interactive CAPTCHA with Social Features

Originally Posted by kh99

I can't say for sure, but I looked at it and I don't see any reason that it wouldn't work. It doesn't use the same hooks or anything like that.

Installed and it is working perfect with "KeyCAPTCHA"
I put 30 seconds. I will give you my feedback after few days

Thanks Kevin for the new idea

[sadiq6210]

I installed it from 2 hours only and I received 106 emails in my inbox

Can I make the mod to send email if the time is more than 10 seconds and less than 30 seconds? because most of the emails I received was 1 second only !

[kh99]

Originally Posted by sadiq6210

I installed it from 2 hours only and I received 106 emails in my inbox

Can I make the mod to send email if the time is more than 10 seconds and less than 30 seconds? because most of the emails I received was 1 second only !

I think that's a good idea - so you only have to get emails when it's possible that it stopped a human? I'm also going to implement some kind of way to discourage or prevent actual humans from submitting the form until enough time has elapsed, which will hopefully eliminate that concern.

[sadiq6210]

Originally Posted by kh99

I think that's a good idea - so you only have to get emails when it's possible that it stopped a human?

Yes exactly
+
In last 24 hours there is 1 spam account registered in my forum

[djbaxter]

Originally Posted by sadiq6210

In last 24 hours there is 1 spam account registered in my forum

This only stops rapid registrations, i.e., spambots. It won't stop all spammers.

You'll also have to find the optimal duration for your site. I viewed all the emails for 4 sites over the weekend and settled on 25 seconds as optimal for me.

[Lionel]

I've installed my new product in conjunction with yours. Not one single bot since yesterday. :-) Down from 150 daily. They can't even go thru registration so no email is sent

[CLaNZeR]

This is working great on 4.2 level patch 3

Stopped loads today since I installed it.

Still have to manually add the IP addresses to ban list, so that would be a great addition to this mod.

Good work.

Cheers

Sean.