Miscellaneous Hacks - EWT - Block Users From Registering Similiar Usernames

Keywords: dual, imposter, fake, user account, user registration

Description:
Stops the registration of names too similar to existing registered names. I use an indexed database table with soundex and metaphone values in it (created on install). It maintains the table when new users are added, or users are deleted.

Once it looks up a list of possible matches in the table, it runs a further check with both levenshtein() and similar_text() to find the nearest match from the returned list.

Finally, it uses similar_text() to get a percentage on the nearest match and if the percentage is higher than your admin cp setting it gives the user an error message and does not let them register the name.

Features:

• Stops the registration of names too similar to existing registered names.
• Set the percentage required to be considered a match.
• Turn on or off in admin cp.

Install

1. Import the product file in your admincp.
2. Change the percentage for a match if required.

[Tralala]

Great idea! Thanks for sharing.

Not working for me with 3.6.5 though. I installed it and tried to register with a similar username... and upon clicking I was brought to just a blank page.

[sensimilla]

It was relesed before for previous vb version. Any changes to the code ?

[eXtremeTim]

I have taken over the development of that original code. This is the new support thread and product for it.

[thedvs]

Hey ET, will this mess with any registration hacks currently installed? or is it that simple it shouldn't affect anything?

[eXtremeTim]

I dont have any problems with it messing with any of them. It shouldnt mess with any of them but I do need to see about making an addon for the ajax username checking hack.

[Tralala]

Originally Posted by eXtremeTim

I dont have any problems with it messing with any of them. It shouldnt mess with any of them but I do need to see about making an addon for the ajax username checking hack.

I'd love to see this integrated with CodeMonkey's original-and-still-the-best AJAX Live Feedback System.

[speedway]

Downloaded and installed. There is a problem with the SQL code that looks up possible matches. The table names are not using any TABLE_PREFIX.

I have added them to overcome this issue. You might want to update the code on here.

                    // lookup possible imposter matches 
                    $imposter = $db->query_read(" 
                        SELECT imposter_lookup.userid, username FROM " . TABLE_PREFIX . "imposter_lookup 
                        JOIN " . TABLE_PREFIX . "user ON " . TABLE_PREFIX . "user.userid = " . TABLE_PREFIX . "imposter_lookup.userid 
                        WHERE soundex_value = '" . $soundex . "' OR metaphone_value = '" . $metaphone . "' 
                    ");

Cheers
Bruce

[eXtremeTim]

thanks for pointing that out.

[icarian_pow]

Thanks! Had an issues on a few boards with some names. This should help a lot! Thanks