Administrative and Maintenance Tools - vbStopForumSpam - known spammer lookup for new registrations

vbStopForumSpam

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.

VB4 here https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthrea...hreadid=230921
Its the same code, it works in 3.54 to 4.0


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. You do not need to download the product-vbstopforumspam-3.54.xml file unless you are using a vBulletin version older than 3.6.0

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

Known to work - tested by me
- vBulletin 3.6.8 on Apache 2.2 / PHP 5.1.2 on Linux using cUrl
- vBulletin 3.7 Gold on Apache 2.0 / PHP 4.4.3 on Windows without cUrl (template changes wont work on 3.7 - thats in the next version with auto template changes)

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

Reported in the thread 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

If you have 3.54, then you can use the product-vbstopforumspam-3.54.xml file attached instead of the one in the ZIP file, which will allow older vBulletin versions to access this mods' features. I personally havent tested this version, its a user contribution, thanks to Darrell Mobley, that changes the way the XML works when imported into older versions.

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+

Future versions
- Automatic integration into vBulletin to add users to the stopForumSpam.com database from a form
- Whitelisting of username / IP / email addresses
- AJAX integration to allow for lookups from within the users profile
- Decreased remote query count from three per user to one per user.

Versions / Changes

0.1 Initial Release

0.2 pedigrees special brew birthday release.
- Small security update. If you have 0.1 installed, download 0.2 and replace your existing functions_vbsfs.php with the one in the archive. It just tests to see if its running inside the VB framework before anything else. This is what happens when you code at 2am after drinking wine

0.3
- stopped it processing valid registrations twice
- moved all non-function code into the plugin. Not a big one as 0.2 basically did that
- fixed a typo in the log pruner that stopped it working (404)
- removed unused fields from the database for people with mysql that doesnt support varchar > 255 (ie mySQL4). If you have 0.2 installed and dont need to prune your logs just yet, you dont really need to install this version but can instead wait for 1.0 unless of a massive security update.

0.4
- logs registrations that arent/wouldnt be blocked
- fixed XML errors when username has a space it in
- tightened up the cache so that it doesnt test a username against an email name to give a bypass result (for when a username is an email address that isnt banned where the email address is)
- fixed some basic logic errors in the PHP

0.6
- Should work on PHP 4.4 now - rewrote the XML with PHP4 in mind (tested on Apache2.0/PHP 4.4.3)
- Fixed a caching system where data wasnt being updated correctly which could cause a remote query when one wasnt needed
- Possible false negative situation when a spammer was blocked due to SFS.com being down who then visited again when it was up but within the cache expiry time
- Remote query failure when the result page isnt XML should work a bit better now. It does a very basic test for valid XML results.
- Fixed log purging (again) and it should actually work properly now.
- No longer requires PHP5
- The log viewer now links to a user profile when registration is allowed.

v0.61 - Removed a template change that was invalid vBulletin code. The package you download will still say its 0.60 however

NB : When upgrading from any version to 0.6, you must remove and then add the plugin due to changes in one of the database tables

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 upload the correct folders
- ONLY download the 3.54 xml file if youre using a vbulletin version prior to 3.6.0. use this file to install the mod instead of the xml file in the zip file.

Please click Installed

[imported_silkroad]

Originally Posted by pedigree

Do us both a favor, stop using the database and uninstall the mod because I certainly have better things to do that listen to you rant in whatever thread you decide to post in and I certainly dont have time to drop whatever Im doing to help fix your problem.

Excuse me???

I did not ask you to fix anything.

I am telling you that your software blocks perfectly good users. This makes you upset? Facts hurt your feelings?

You should accept the fact that all rule-based filters that are created by an untrusted community are inaccurate.

Or, I guess the only posts that are acceptable are "We Love You So Much Posts"?

You cannot accept a bit of facts without flying off the handle?

[imported_silkroad]

Originally Posted by thbertram

Pedigree, you can't win against these so-called "experts." Just because someone works at Sun doesn't make him some sort of god. The Sun IP address is being used for nefarious purposes and your plugin did EXACTLY WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO. This isn't a question of a different view, as Silkroad states... The facts speak for themselves.

Wrong.

Blocking professional, legitimate users is called a FALSE POSITIVE.

The software is not perfect and stop trying to make it out to be.

Anyone can place an entry in the dB and that does not make it perfect. Also, anyone can spoof your IP and spam 1000 people then your IP will be in the spammer database as well.

The fact is that the StopForumSpam DB blocks many perfectly legit professionals. We have seen this a number of times.

[websissy]

For God's sake, Pedigree. PLEASE block imported_silkroad or send him to coventry and lets move on. I installed VSFS a week ago. It has correctly blocked hundreds of bot registration attempts and so far I've not seen a single false positive. IMHO, the only thing this guy has proved is he's a flamer and spammer of a different sort.

For some reason, he has an axe to grind. Let's ignore him and move on. While I'll grant your code may not be perfect, it's WAY the hell ahead of whatever is in second place and you're doing what you can to fix it. It's obvious you're not going to perfect it by arguing with imported_silkroad. That's for dang sure.

After all, as he's said several time he's spoken directly to the Lord GOD Almighty who we all now know works at Sun! Arguing with him makes as much sense as arguing with Pat Robertson over whether or not the Haiti quake was Divine Retribution...

To HELL with Robertson and imported_silkroad too. Let's spit in their eye and go dig some innocent victims out of the rubble instead. The God I worship would approve of that!

My 2 cents worth: Ignore the comments from the peanut gallery!

Oh, I see... Of COURSE you can't block him. This is the vb.org site and they don't let you do that. Duuuhh! It's early here and I'm still working on my first cup of coffee. Sorry. As an alternative, I've decided to ignore future posts from this guy and move on.

[websissy]

Originally Posted by tomarsyd

Installed. Good to see a coder like you Pedigree actively involved in this thread and product. As a new forum owner, I'm hoping this thing helps a LOT! :-)

-Tom

It WILL help a LOT. Trust me. It will!

[Saviour]

pedigree...

I absolutely LOVE this mod! I've had it installed for quite some time now...and it does exactly what it's supposed to do. Thank you very much!

As for those other negative posts...I would have done exactly what you have done...ignore them. It's just someone looking to get a rise out of you. No need to feed the trolls...know what I mean?

By the way...funny how your mod is to blame for blocking legitimate "professionals". I was under the impression it's not your database...but StopForumSpam's database. Shouldn't this guy be complaining to them? Duh!

There's one no matter where ya go...if not, they come looking for ya!

Great work, pedigree...keep on keepin' on!

[websissy]

Originally Posted by pedigree

You really have no clue, please go away...

Youre now on my ignore list, congrats, youre the first.

Anyone else here disagree with me?

Hurray! Good for you, Pedigree. Me too.

[imported_silkroad]

Locking out one potential legitimate forum user (a false positive) from a company like Sun Microsystems (or any good company) is not worth the benefit of the few spam posts that occasionally make it past a captcha or random question anti-spam measure.

Our forums (obviously it seems) value members and users more than those here demonizing our concerns, which we voiced here as an FYI only. Weaknesses in user generated rule-based lists are well established. Here is a statement from the user who was locked out by this software and the DB:

Re: StopForumSpam DB and Sun
Hahaha. Thanks for the info.

Few more in formations:

The server which I'm using a shared SunRay server. It's used for internal needs I think.

And most of my frustration was from the fact that I had no clue why my registration was invalid. I got an info that I'm a spammer and nothing else. Was that because of my login / email / IP address? I can't recall the exact error message, but I can't remember anything like this. I could overlooked something, but I don't think that the case.

Thanks for help that time. I'm not a happy camper.

Pedigree and others can demonize me (and others) for telling the truth, if it makes them feel good. However, as for us, we value our users much more than folks here, anti-spam at any cost zealots, seem to.

As I said, we have disabled IP checking in this mod and may disable the entire mod if we see more false positive complaints from our user base. We don't need a mod that locks out legitimate users via a polluted database generated.

My apologies if the developer's feelings are so fragile that he cannot deal with the fact that this mod and the DB is guilty of false positives and locking out valid forum members.

The truth is obvious and there is no reason for emotional argument and debates on this topic.

I will never understand why technical people become so in love with a technology that they will demonize anyone who does not stand up and shout "how much they love it".

This mod is useful, but it is far from a perfect system.

[cad2go]

Originally Posted by imported_silkroad

Locking out one potential legitimate forum user (a false positive) from a company like Sun Microsystems (or any good company) is not worth the benefit of the few spam posts that occasionally make it past a captcha or random question anti-spam measure.

Oh yes it is! Seriously if sun are going to use spammy ips then it shouldn't surprise them when they get blocked from sites online. I doubt the ip is only in one database either.

Why are you even looking at this mod if you only occasionally get spammers anyway?

[AndrewRich]

INSTALLED on mousepad.mouseplanet.com along with the "Submit" plugin.

Thanks!

[pedigree]

Oh I wish I had read your forum before going to Disneyland in LA.