Miscellaneous Hacks - NoSpam! - an alternative to CAPTCHA images

This hack is for vBulletin 3.6.x. For 3.5.x, please use the one provided in this thread. If you are using 3.7.x, you must use the one in this thread.

This simple hack is meant as a replacement for the default CAPTCHA system in vBulletin. There are two main reasons one might want to do this: firstly, new technology is constantly being developed to crack CAPTCHA images and make spam accounts anyway, and secondly, the more secure the CAPTCHA, the more difficult it is for genuine users to tell what the numbers in the image are. There is also the issue of visually impaired users, and the fact that not all servers are capable of generating CAPTCHA images.

So what does this hack do instead? It asks a question. Any question you want. That's the best part: YOU make up the questions, which means that every forum is unique, which means that it is impossible for spambots to be simply programmed to bypass it at all forums with the hack installed. You can make one or many questions - if you make many, the hack will pick one at random when a guest attempts to register, search, post or send mail through the Contact Us form. Their input is compared with your specified answer, and voil?, if they get it right they're pretty much guaranteed to be human. If they get it wrong, they're given an error message.

It doesn't have to be a complicated question. Heck, you can just make it "Please type 'blah' into this box." Or you can go with inserting a simple image with HTML and ask what is shown on the image. Or you can ask them to tell you two plus two. It's up to you. In fact, this can also be used as a means of forcing people to read the rules by asking for a certain password found there, or if your forum focuses on a specialized subject, ask a question concerning the subject that all your genuine users will be able to answer, but a random troll or "CAPTCHA-sweatshop-reader" will be scratching their head over.

It's simple to install, too: just one product to import, and that's it.


VERSION HISTORY:

3.0: Added functionality to allow users to specify which pages should use NoSpam!.
2.0: Extended the NoSpam! functionality to guest posts, guest searches and guest "Contact Us" in addition to registration.
1.1: Made template edit automatic (with thanks to Cole2026), added ability to have more than one answer to each question, and made answers case insensitive. To upgrade, I recommend undoing the template edit so you won't have to worry about it anymore (replace $nospamfield in the template register with $imagereg, or if you added $nospamfield above $imagereg, just remove $nospamfield altogether), and then reimport the product through the Admin CP (making sure that Allow Overwrite is set to On).
1.0: Initial release.


INSTALLATION:

Please download NoSpam!.zip, not product-nospam.xml, for the tested version. product.nospam.xml is NoSpam! 4.0 adapted blindly to 3.6, i.e. by editing the XML file for the 3.7 version without actually testing it on a 3.6 board. Theoretically it should work, but I cannot guarantee it at this time. If you download NoSpam!.zip and unzip it, it will contain another file called product.nospam.xml, which you should use.

1. Import product-nospam.xml through the Admin CP product manager.
2. Go to your vBulletin options in the Admin CP and select NoSpam! Settings. Once there, turn the system on and input your questions and answers according to the instructions there.

The system should now be functional and running.


UNINSTALLATION:

Just uninstall the product through the Admin CP.


SUPPORT:

Full support will be given here in this thread. All suggestions are welcome.

Thank you and please click "Mark as Installed" if you like it.


If NoSpam! is not working for you or you are looking for something a little different, you might want to check out Advanced Textual Confirmation.

[chkdgate]

I love this program but I think it needs an update with a stronger filtering method. I have it to the point where I removed my Contact Us link and my questions are now movie trivia that makes you know the answer or have to research it.

[abaton]

I am using the german VB Version, but I am not able to find the template quick_register. Where can I find it please?

[da420]

Do you have the Quick Register mod installed ?

If you read the instructions the only reason that template would need to be edited is if you have the Quick Register mod installed.

[abaton]

Originally Posted by da420

Do you have the Quick Register mod installed ?

If you read the instructions the only reason that template would need to be edited is if you have the Quick Register mod installed.

No the Quick Register is not installed and ... I haven't found it until now

And it doesn't work without

[da420]

What doesn't work without ?

[abaton]

I don't have the new Question on the Register Form Perhabs, because I haven't installed the Quick Register?
I assume that I have to put some code in the Register Form, but ... I have no Idea where to put what
Sometimes I do have a lot of problems in understanding everything about coding, even when it is in German

[eJM]

I installed and tested NoSpam! for 3.6 today and think it is just the answer I need for stopping all the spam I get from the Contact Us form. My older members will prob'ly also appreciate not having to decipher an image to register too.

My question: Where can I edit the color of the "...you have answered the question wrong..." text so that it shows up better? The error shows on a dark background for the registration form and during my test, I barely noticed it. I'd like to make it a lot more noticeable.

Hope someone can help me out. Other than that, this looks like a great little product. Thanks for your nice work, antialiasis.

Jim

[RichieScott1]

well i installed this today and i seem to have double boxes in all the areas that the mod is inabled on
also on the registration page i have a box outside at the top of the page
is this just some code i can remove or has it gone wrong
hope to get some help with this
thanks

[eJM]

Richie, it sounds like you got a double installation problem. If you had a problem and tried to do another import of the XML file, but forgot to allow overwrite, you could get dual installations. Could that be a possibility?

Jim

[SVTCobraLTD]

I cannot do this step

Now go to your template manager and edit the quick_register template. FIND this code:

as I cannot find the quick_register template.

I have looked under the styles/template and cannot find it in 3.6.7. Got everything else done. But it is still not working on the site.

SVT