Administrative and Maintenance Tools - Stop the Registration Bots

Stop the Registration Bots for vBulletin 4.2.0 PL3 and up.

This mod will check the the time it takes for a vBulletin registration form to be submitted. If the form is submitted faster then humanly possible, the registration will be denied and the admin contact can be emailed about the event.

First we will add a custom hidden field with a hash. Second we will insert a randomly named hidden field with a random value. This should make it a bit difficult to program a bot since the field names on all sites will be different as well as the values.

Time stamps to check the time spent on registration submission are stored in a DB table and private.

Installation is very easy.
Template edits.
Files to upload.
Product xml file to import.

Backup your database before any install or upgrade.

To upgrade from 2.x to 4.0.2, remove the existing Stop the Registration Bots product in the ACP and then follow the installation file instructions.


History

4.0.2
Added 10 minute delete interval
Fixed bug in part 3
updated table query
removed old hook code from product.

4.0.1
modify phrase vars
modified install instructions for 4.2.0 pl3 templates.

4.0.0
modified to work with vB 4.x.

2.0.2
Edited file includes/stb_reg_process.php
Added IP and Proxy IP to email notification.

2.0.1
Added tabindex="1" to input box template edit.
Fixed onsubmit code in input box template edit.

2.0.0
Conversion from vB 3.x version to vB 4.x
Reduced template edits to one.
Edited all arrays to include single quotes.
Removed ACP Setting StopBotReg_rulespage_hash
Removed Rules page instructions. All one page now.
Removed file includes/stb_reg_signup.php
Removed hook register_signup
Edited includes/cron/strb_cron_job.php Removed Rules page query.
Removed `rf_name` and `rf_value` fields from DB table.
Moved register_form_start hook code to register_form_complete hook
New Phrases
stop_reg_bot_please_wait
stop_reg_bot_seconds_more
stop_reg_bot_seconds_remaining
Removed phrase stop_reg_bot_enter_prereg_name
Removed phrase setting_StopBotReg_rulespage_hash_title
Removed phrase setting_StopBotReg_rulespage_hash_desc

[noppid]

Originally Posted by hugh_

I get this error when I try to install this:

Database error in vBulletin 4.2.0:

Invalid SQL:

CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS stopbotsregistry (
`hash` varchar(100) NOT NULL default '',
`regtime` int(10) unsigned NOT NULL default '0',
`rf_name` varchar(10) NOT NULL default '',
`rf_value` varchar(10) NOT NULL default '',
`uf_name` varchar(10) NOT NULL default '',
`uf_value` varchar(10) NOT NULL default '',
PRIMARY KEY (`hash`),
KEY `regtime` (`regtime`)
)

try removing the TYPE=MyISAM; from the file and installing it.

[noppid]

Originally Posted by mrsbuzzy

Before I upgraded my forums and then this hack to the most recent vB (not the version 5) this hack worked beautifully. But, since the upgrade to the vB and to this hack I am getting TONS of new bot registrations. Literally 30+ a day are making it through this hack. I have checked and double checked the settings. I have the time for registration set to 65 seconds.

Anyone else having this problem?

Us too. It's not working like on our vb 3.x forum. On vB4 the spam is just out of control. I think they are pausing and coming back later. I am thinking the cron job to delete valid ids we create needs to run much more often. Or better yet give them an expiration time of only enough to register.

[noppid]

Originally Posted by noppid

Us too. It's not working like on our vb 3.x forum. On vB4 the spam is just out of control. I think they are pausing and coming back later. I am thinking the cron job to delete valid ids we create needs to run much more often. Or better yet give them an expiration time of only enough to register.

OK, I have to admit to installing a bug. The fix will be posted shortly.

[noppid]

The new updates and fixes are posted. Thank you.

[noppid]

Originally Posted by DAMINK

Any chance of adding and option to push the user who registered too quickly to a specific URL or our choice?
That would be GOLD for me.

There are a few places where we just kinda let registration die when it goes wrong, but those places could in theory go somewhere.

[Treeleaf]

I've just installed it and I'm having the issue of new registrants never getting past the birthdate question. When you hit proceed, you get the message:

"vBulletin Message
You have left a required field blank."

We are running 4.2P2

Thanks.

[noppid]

If this is a new install, read the edits section of the install carefully and check those. You can find out if the hidden fields are being sent properly via view source in your browser.

Make sure all the uploaded files were over written.

Uninstall the product file and reinstall it.

Post a url to your reg page.

[Gorgasm]

Originally Posted by noppid

try removing the TYPE=MyISAM; from the file and installing it.

It worked! Thanks man, really apreciatte it! :up:

[tacklebox joe]

tagged this mod....noob question: does it work with vb 4.2.0 PL3?

[Syxguns]

Originally Posted by tacklebox joe

tagged this mod....noob question: does it work with vb 4.2.0 PL3?

Stop the Registration Bots for vBulletin 4.2.0 PL3 and up.

First line at the top of the description.