Anti-Spam Options - [GlowHost] Spam-O-Matic for vB 3.8 (StopForumSpam, Akismet, Auto-Moderation and more)

We have released a mod for your vBulletin 3.8 that should stop almost all forum spam on your vBulletin boards. It is basically an (anti)Social Networking RBL to keep your forums clean!

This version is BETA and was developed specifically for vBulletin 4. However we believe this should work on vBulletin 3.8 so we have put it here for you in case you want to try a more robust Spam solution than what is currently available.

BETA is not a good word, this is more of an "Unsupported Backport" for earlier versions of vB.

The "REAL" Spam-O-Matic system was developed for vB4. This version is for you guys and gals that need to spend less time managing the spamers on your board(s). We hope it helps! The important features should work.

The original mod for vB 4 is located here:
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=248042

IF YOU RUN vB4, MAKE SURE YOU ARE IN THE RIGHT THREAD!
Look at the URL above,
(sorry for caps)

This version is for vBulletin 4.x though has been reported to work on 3.6+
We only offer support on vBulletin 4.x as the 4.x version will have features not possible in the 3.x series.

This module has the ability to submit new spammer details to the StopForumSpam or Akismet databases automatically, all without any new templates or manual template modifications! :up:

Just install the product in the product manager, upload a few files, configure the system and you are done. (Estimated time: 5-10 minutes)

How it works:
New registrations are checked against the known spammer database at StopForumSpam.com. If the email, IP, or username exists in their database, the user (or bot as the case may be) is denied registration on your forums. If they make it past the SFS check, they are checked against several Automatic Moderation rules, and are also checked against the Akismet service for known comment spam.

A) StopForumSpam:
The StopForumSpam Module lets you:

• Check a registrant's IP address.
• Check a registrant's email address.
• Check a registrants Username.
• Disable or enable any of the above checks.
• Block and log, or, allow and log known spammers.
• All registration attempts are logged for your viewing pleasure.
• Several other performance tuning options

If they are not found in the StopForumSpam database or are allowed registration by your rules, their registration details are passed to the built-in vBulletin registration system. (Human verification, etc)

It is completely invisible to humans who are registering that this process is taking place. Bots are stopped dead in their tracks.

If a spammer is able to sneak past the first line of defense, and manages to post, then there are secondary and tertiary protections.

B) Auto-Moderation:
Auto Moderation lets you:

• Define how many URLs a new member can post before being sent to moderation.
• Define keywords that will send a post to Auto-moderation (viagra, porn, meds, etc)
• Define minimum post count to avoid Auto-moderation.
• Excludes admin and moderators from Auto-moderation.
• Completely disable Auto-moderation if you don't want it.

B) Akismet Service
Spammers that make it past the StopForumSpam and Auto-Moderation will be checked against the Akismet service. If they manage to make a post, and then are found on Akismet, they can be auto-moderated.

The Akismet settings let you:

• Set the number of posts that Akismet will check from each user. After this number is exceeded, Akismet checking will be disabled for that user.
• Auto-Submit spammers that post on your boards back to the Akismet service so that other forums and blogs do not do not receive the same spam.
• Completely disable the Akismet service.

Punitive Actions:
If you find a spammer has made it past your 3 lines of defense, and has managed to post on your forum, then you can help the community...

The spammer's details can be sent to the Stop Forum Spam and Akismet databases automatically, preventing them from registering or posting on other forums. When other forums do the same, the protection is reciprocated.

Simply moderate a post and choose the option to "Delete Posts As Spam..." an then choose the option to "Ban User." Banning the user sends their details to either Akismet, StopForumSpam, (or both) depending on how you set it up.

The next version will add a "Spam-O-Matic" option to the Postbit Moderation Tools menu to better streamline the process and make it two-click process instead of the long and cumbersome way that vBulletin Ban options are presented now. This new menu option will be available only for vBulletin 4.x series.

API Keys:
API Keys are NOT required for this system to stop spammers on your forums.

A StopForumSpam API key is required if you want to contribute to the StopForumSpam blacklists by adding your spammers to their database. By submitting spammers you help keep other forums and blogs clean.

An Akismet API key is required if you want to enable any Akismet auto-moderation features in this module.

You can obtain a Stop Forum Spam API key which is free from stopforumspam.com.

Get your StopForumSpam API Key Here

You can obtain an Akismet API key from Akismet.com.
Akismet offers free and paid API keys so choose your version based on your situation.

Get your Akismet API Key Here

Why it is better than the other anti-spam solutions on vBulletin.org:

• Works with all of vBulletin 4 functions including Facebook automatic registration.
• Report spammers that you find to the Stop Forum Spam Database.
• Report spammers that you find to the Akismet Database.
• Built-in Auto-moderation.
• Auto-moderation rules based on post count.
• Auto-moderation rules based keywords.
• Auto-moderation rules based Akismet results.
• Enable or disable any actions that you do not want.
• Customizable "Registration Rejected" message.
• Consolidates 3 popular methods of spam prevention into one product.
• No Manual Template Modifications!
• Supported!

======================
Compatibility:

vBulletin 4.0.x - but for 4.x you should GO HERE instead.

vBulletin 3x versions that have been reported to work:

*vBulletin 3.8.4 Patch Level 2
*vBulletin 3.8.5
*vBulletin 3.8.6 Patch Level 1
*vBulletin 3.8.7
*vBulletin 3.8.7 Patch Level 1
*vBulletin 3.8.7 Patch Level 2 (with this mod)



(Add your version here by sending us a PM or post in the thread!)

Should you decide to install this on an vB3, we are interested in your feedback. Let us know if it works or fails miserably.

======================
Reported Conflicts or reproducible known issues:

None at this time for this release.

======================
Modifications:

2 table alterations

9 hooks used:

- register_addmember_process
- register_addmember_complete
- userdata_presave
- useradmin_edit_column1
- userdata_delete
- userdata_postsave
- newpost_process
- threadfpdata_presave
- postdata_presave

No new templates or template modifications!

Uploads:
4 files. (2 PHP, 2 XML)
1 Product Manager Upload
======================

=====================
Donations:

If you like this mod, sure, you can donate.
But the best donation would be to nominate us for MOTM, to tell your friends and others about this mod, and if you are in need of web hosting, order it from GlowHost.com to show your thanks.

We hope you enjoy the mod, spread the word to keep all of our forums clean. :up:

=====================
Installation:

1) Download the attached file
2) Mark As Installed
3) Extract the zip file, and view the readme file.

If you like this mod, please nominate us for Mod Of The Month

=====================


Original concept credits go to the authors of vBStopForumSpam and MonkeyStop

[Blueracer66]

Originally Posted by GlowHost.com

Thank you for helping to verify BlueRacer66.

You have a good point, I have seen a lot of bootleg versions of this floating around the web. Its possible someone stuffed adsense code in one of those unofficial versions. This mod should only be downloaded from vBulletin.org.

I agree with you. People are pretty ingenious nowadays when trying to make money.

Anyway, thank you for sharing this script with us. I hope you don't drop support for it as I have no plans to upgrade to vBulletin 4.0 (I am happy with vBulletin 3.8.7).

[BirdOPrey5]

Originally Posted by King Justice

No it's not. Don't even try that BS. I'm reporting this mod. This is BS. You're lucky I don't report you to AdSense.

I'd be curious if you and or the other guy can VIEW SOURCE of your page with the ad, and copy and paste here all the Google Adsense code present. I'd be curious to see if it's an ad from the same place.

I have again looked through this code, I am 100% sure this mod does not by itself add any type of ad to your forum. I am a little less sure however that StopForumSpam.com or AKISMET doesn't send some type of data to this mod that may contain an ad in it.

I really doubt this is the case but IF there was an ad being inserted it's from one of them, not this mod per say.

King Justice if you truly feel this mod should be reviewed you can use the "Report Post" image in the top post and report the mod, include your concerns. That will let the mods here know your concerns. Someone with more skills than I may take a look.

[GlowHost.com]

Originally Posted by Blueracer66

Anyway, thank you for sharing this script with us. I hope you don't drop support for it as I have no plans to upgrade to vBulletin 4.0 (I am happy with vBulletin 3.8.7).

You are welcome

Well, this version isn't "officially" supported anymore but I definitely won't be pulling this site offline.

Originally Posted by BirdOPrey5

I have again looked through this code, I am 100% sure this mod does not by itself add any type of ad to your forum. I am a little less sure however that StopForumSpam.com or AKISMET doesn't send some type of data to this mod that may contain an ad in it.

Thanks to you as well BirdOPrey5 for taking time to analyze the source code.

I am pretty sure Akismet doesn't do this since that is part of wordpress and I can imagine the backlash that would have. I don't see how SFS would be able to stuff this in either. We would have a ton of complaints from the SOM 4.0 thread and I haven't heard anything over there.

Those guys would be better off taking the adwords ID from the source code and reporting it to adsense so whoever is doing that will have their account shut down.

[FIM]

Great Mod

[Joey805]

What would you charge me to fix the RSS bug for this mod in VB3? I use RSS alot but cannot at all with this mod. It moderates everything.

[GlowHost.com]

Is that the only thing you want fixed? Do you want to let the public have access to it for download here or it will be only for you?

[Tigerdude]

First, thank you for this. I pray that it works because I have a f-ing spam bot that has been killing me and my staff.

I'm getting an error when I select Delete post as spam. After going through the motions and selecting "ban user" I get

Fatal error: Using $this when not in object context in /home/myaccount/public_html/my_vbulletin_root_folder/includes/functions_vbghsfs.php on line 459

Any ideas?

Thanks again.

[Joey805]

What else needs to be fixed? I dont care if the public has access to it or not honestly. I just want it to work. It's a bug which is killin me from being able to use this great mod.

[SebNL]

Hello !

Great mod, really. I installed it on vB 3.7.2 and it worked right away.

I have encountered a peculiar problem though.

Since I activated memcache, the plugin doesn't work anymore.

To activate memcache support, I simply uncommented these lines in vb's config.php :

// It is also necessary to specify the hostname or IP address and the p$

$config['Datastore']['class'] = 'vB_Datastore_Memcached';
$i = 0;
// First Server
$i++;
$config['Misc']['memcacheserver'][$i] = '127.0.0.1';
$config['Misc']['memcacheport'][$i] = 11211;
$config['Misc']['memcachepersistent'][$i] = true;
$config['Misc']['memcacheweight'][$i] = 1;
$config['Misc']['memcachetimeout'][$i] = 1;
$config['Misc']['memcacheretry_interval'][$i] = 15;

And then, spammers again!

Looking at Spam-o-matic's control panel, I thought maybe to enter 127.0.0.1 and port 11211 as a proxy, but that didn't change anything.

Of course I understand this version is unsupported, but maybe it'll interest you. And I was intrigued by the fact that I couldn't find a trace of this problem by googling.

If anyone has a clue, all help is welcome.

[souperman]

I have a problem with this mod. I'm running 3.8.6 and when I go to edit user details and scroll to the glowhost options, I can't ban the user. I click submit and the user is not banned. I'm wondering if it reports them to SFS.com too. Any ideas?