Anti-Spam Options - vbStopForumSpam

vbStopForumSpam

Mod of the month winner October 2009.... That cant be bad :up:

Apologies in advance, this is a copy of the 3.6/3.7/3.8 mod that has been verified to work in 4.0 (its so that I dont get a billion PMs asking if it works in 4.0)

This provides access to a RBL type system for forum admins, listing known spam IP / email / usernames. The RBL database is provided by www.stopforumspam.com. You do NOT need an API key from the website in order to access the database. only to submit data if you should wish to do so.

At the point of user registration, the mod checks if the IP number / provided username / email addresses appear on a block list and can block the registration.

Whilst this isnt the most perfect way to stop all forum spam, its another step that spammers have to overcome.

What it does

It checks with a remote database of known forum spammers. Their IP number, email address and forum username are tested and based on your configuration, you can reject / log / accept user registrations based on what you get back.

This version doesnt have
- whitelisting or the ability to submit users to the database but it will within the next week.
- automatic user deletion / post / PM purging. There are good tools out there already, this does something else.

Instructions are included in the installation.txt file - PLEASE read it first and dont forget to actually upload the files in the upload folder, otherwise it WILL kill your registration progress and you wont see the log file options in admincp.

Changes to vB
- 3 new database tables
- 2 database table alternations
- No new templates.
- 2 Hook (register_addmember_process & register_addmember_complete)

Ive tested it but had feedback that it works with versions as old as 3.6.2... Support should go back to older versions, as long as they have hook support for register_addmember_process / register_addmember_complete

For code to submit spammers to the database, check this post for code changes
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....&postcount=288

Reported to work
- 3.6.1, 3.6.2, 3.6.9, 3.6.10, 3.7.0, 3.7.1, 3.7.2, 3.7.3, 3.74, 3.80, 3.81, 3.82, 3.83, 3.8.4, 4.0beta3, 4.0 Gold, 4.2pl1,2

Installers should remember to refresh their ACP navigation window when they first install it so they can see the new log file menu item.

REQUIRES MySQL 4.1.1+

There is a small mod, coded by Wired1 that will allow you to submit spammer details to the database from the admin control panel, here https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....&postcount=289 This relies 100% on javascript being enabled and makes no tests that it is enabled.

You need to have an API key from www.stopforumspam.com in order to submit data, its free and easy to get... You DONT need an API key in order to use this mod however, only to submit spammer data.

Issues are
- The usergroup permissions / view details etc DONT work. I jumped the gun and put the permissions controls in there before I put the code in. Please delete the includes/xml/bitfield_vbstopforumspam.xml file and rebuild your postbit

Installation
- Follow the instructions in the zip file, that includes the file upload the correct folders.

Please click Installed

The original thread is at https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=176481 where there is a wealth of knowledge about the mod, please ask questions in there.

[interfx]

This is a gra tool, really works great on my VB3.8 install. Before I install the 4.x version, is there aw ay to scan my current members for spammers from the same program? I know I have missed some, but not sure how to clean up my members list (over 5000+ members)

[meissenation]

Originally Posted by interfx

This is a gra tool, really works great on my VB3.8 install. Before I install the 4.x version, is there aw ay to scan my current members for spammers from the same program? I know I have missed some, but not sure how to clean up my members list (over 5000+ members)

That would be awesome.

[Eq4bits]

A breeze to install. Thanks for making it compatible with vB4.0.1!

[Eric Anderson]

Thanks great Mod caught 54 in first 12 hours. I agree about everyone getting api key so we can make system better.

[aaronrand]

Just what I needed. Easy to install, and works great. Thanks a lot.

[Trek]

Installed this just over a week ago, over 400 blocks have happened since then. No complaints of people not being able to register and normal registrations appear to be happening just fine.

Thanks for this, it's been very helpful!

[Battle_Ring]

worked fine before upgrading to 4.0 now getting tons of spammers

[Leo Brazil]

Originally Posted by Battle_Ring

worked fine before upgrading to 4.0 now getting tons of spammers

Have you checked if your new spammers are on http://www.stopforumspam.com list ?

The base of this mod is check their list and spammer will only be blocked if listed there.
That's the reason they ask to feed their list with new spammers by forums admins.

[redhawk89]

I've had this for a few weeks now, it appears to work well with 4.0.1.

Not a single spambot since it was installed.

[meissenation]

Just had someone register on my site last night with an IP address that matched but they were able to register because of the [REMOTEERR]. I have numerous [REMOTEERR] errors in the log that started 2010-02-03 17:06:48 and magically resolved itself 2010-02-04 03:29:55. Really strange... nothing changed on my end between those two times...