how to stop message board spammers? - GoFuckYourself.com

BlackCrayon · 06-14-2009, 11:13 AM

my girlfriend recently started up a forum on phpbb3 and she is getting swamped by a shitload of spambots signing up to her board. she has it set to verify before they can post but just going through the spam signups is taking up too much time. is there any way to stop these guys from signing up at all?

SilentKnight · 06-14-2009, 11:15 AM

Robbie · 06-14-2009, 11:15 AM

You need to put a captcha in place on the register page. You'll have to experiment to find a decent one that will keep out the bots and still allow regular human beings to recognize the characters.

Of course bots can read almost all captcha BUT the ones that are that advanced aren't normally going after phbb boards cause it isn't worth the time and effort I guess. I have 4 such boards and I was able to stop that shit dead cold using this method.

sortie · 06-14-2009, 11:16 AM

Block IP address.

Jack Sparrow · 06-14-2009, 11:16 AM

Captcha?

minddust · 06-14-2009, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrfrisky

Captcha?

Klen · 06-14-2009, 11:23 AM

I have same problem on phpbb3 so i switched to another board.Toobad there is not one mod for phpbb2 made for phpb3 too,it's a captcha mod where during registration you need to pick cats pictures between car and cat pictures.No bot can pass such captcha plus is look good.But that mod doesnt exits for phpbb3 unfortunately.So go with phpbb2 or other forum.

BlackCrayon · 06-14-2009, 11:23 AM

there is captcha and the users even have to verify themselves by clicking a link in their email but they still get through.

Barefootsies · 06-14-2009, 11:30 AM

Yep. You block the IP range from their countries or something to that effect.

There was a post on GFY some months back that told you how to do it. I was having the same exact problem. I blocked their e-mail extensions. I blocked IP's but there was something recommended on GFY that finally did the trick.

Since then I have never had an issue. I mean never.

HorseShit · 06-14-2009, 11:43 AM

All boards eventually get owned by WoW

sortie · 06-14-2009, 11:48 AM

htaccess :

AuthUserFile /dev/null
AuthGroupFile /dev/null

order allow,deny
deny from 74.92.6.44
deny from 216.95.187.77
deny from 69.95.191.147
deny from 67.25.238.10
deny from 209.37.213.66
deny from 216.655.178.220
deny from 207.44 <===== blocks all IPs starting with 207.44
allow from all

moeloubani · 06-14-2009, 01:11 PM

on one of my forums i added a question for people to answer, like whats 6 + 1 or something like that then if they get it right they can register if not they cant. before that went up i had an smf board on the domain that got just hammered with spam and when i switched to phpbb3 in like 2 days there was 60+ spam members that had signed up before i put that into play. after i put it in though (the question) i don't think a single spam bot has signed up, at least hasn't made a single post

$5 submissions · 06-14-2009, 02:31 PM

It depends on the "spam"--is it mostly from people posting untitled links? Or are they spamming for backlinks? If the latter, making the forum NO FOLLOW will take care of the bulk of the problem. If it's for direct traffic spam, putting up a captcha system might minimize it.

Sethseekstruth · 06-14-2009, 02:46 PM

sig spot here because i am so meta

BlackCrayon · 06-14-2009, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by $5 submissions

It depends on the "spam"--is it mostly from people posting untitled links? Or are they spamming for backlinks? If the latter, making the forum NO FOLLOW will take care of the bulk of the problem. If it's for direct traffic spam, putting up a captcha system might minimize it.

their memeberships are never approved so they never post but its just a pain in the ass to go through so many new members that are fake. they get by the captcha. i like the question idea. is there a mod or way to add this to phpbb?

seeandsee · 06-14-2009, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by minddust

Robbie · 06-14-2009, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackCrayon

their memeberships are never approved so they never post but its just a pain in the ass to go through so many new members that are fake. they get by the captcha. i like the question idea. is there a mod or way to add this to phpbb?

Dude if you use the right captcha they won't get past it. One of my boards is a pro wrestling board and it's pretty big and read by wrestlers and fans around the world. Captcha stopped all bots and spammers. Been doing so since April of 2004

I believe we tweaked the captcha one in that entire time. People just aren't gonna take the time to go after small phpbb boards once you put up a small defense.

Now if you were the Microsoft Forum or some other big target...you can bet they would fly right past captcha But my experience says "no" they won't for your small forum.

halfpint · 06-14-2009, 03:23 PM

Another way to piss off spammers posting on forums is to use the Censored Words in the admins panel and change words like "Viagra" to " "spam" or what ever you like. You basicaly change the words that they use to advertise to someting stupid

Klen · 06-14-2009, 03:33 PM

Damn i just found 3000 registred bots on one my forum and prune was causing load up to 40 so i had to stop and delete entire forum instead.Punbb is much better anyway then phpbb3.

IllTestYourGirls · 06-14-2009, 03:45 PM

Not to thread jack or anything,

But I am looking to buy stickies on surfer forums. If you are selling or thinking of selling send me details to paymealot at gmail.

Good luck getting rid of the spammers.

Klen · 06-21-2009, 05:28 AM

I just found this solution:
http://bbantispam.com/atc/
and it seems it works.

voa · 06-21-2009, 05:49 AM

This guys are unstopable and they are annoying

DK · 06-21-2009, 06:41 AM

This is a job for Boxxy!

kaktuz · 06-21-2009, 07:42 AM

try this one, it works very good:

http://www.stopforumspam.com/

TheDoc · 06-21-2009, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robbie

Dude if you use the right captcha they won't get past it. One of my boards is a pro wrestling board and it's pretty big and read by wrestlers and fans around the world. Captcha stopped all bots and spammers. Been doing so since April of 2004

I believe we tweaked the captcha one in that entire time. People just aren't gonna take the time to go after small phpbb boards once you put up a small defense.

Now if you were the Microsoft Forum or some other big target...you can bet they would fly right past captcha But my experience says "no" they won't for your small forum.

Even the most advanced captcha images have been cracked. They can crack math, select the proper words from paragraphs, everything.

People don't go after your sites directly, a bot/spider finds it and just keeps going. The owner of the bot doesn't care or even know if your forum gets the spam. At that, they are almost all sharing the same code, so once you beat them, you beat 99% of them.

But real captcha crackers, they don't play games on forums, forums have no value to them. But member areas... No captcha protection in the world is strong enough to stop them.

06-14-2009, 11:13 AM	#1
BlackCrayon Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Ottawa Posts: 19,631	how to stop message board spammers? my girlfriend recently started up a forum on phpbb3 and she is getting swamped by a shitload of spambots signing up to her board. she has it set to verify before they can post but just going through the spam signups is taking up too much time. is there any way to stop these guys from signing up at all? __________________ you don't know you're wearing a leash if you sit by the peg all day..

06-14-2009, 11:15 AM	#3
Robbie Leaner, Meaner, Faster Industry Role: Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Vegas Posts: 20,959	You need to put a captcha in place on the register page. You'll have to experiment to find a decent one that will keep out the bots and still allow regular human beings to recognize the characters. Of course bots can read almost all captcha BUT the ones that are that advanced aren't normally going after phbb boards cause it isn't worth the time and effort I guess. I have 4 such boards and I was able to stop that shit dead cold using this method. __________________ -Robbie ClaudiaMarie.Com

06-14-2009, 11:16 AM	#4
sortie Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 7,771	Block IP address. __________________

06-14-2009, 11:23 AM	#8
BlackCrayon Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Ottawa Posts: 19,631	there is captcha and the users even have to verify themselves by clicking a link in their email but they still get through. __________________ you don't know you're wearing a leash if you sit by the peg all day..

06-14-2009, 11:30 AM	#9
Barefootsies Choice is an Illusion Industry Role: Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Land of Obama Posts: 42,635	Yep. You block the IP range from their countries or something to that effect. There was a post on GFY some months back that told you how to do it. I was having the same exact problem. I blocked their e-mail extensions. I blocked IP's but there was something recommended on GFY that finally did the trick. Since then I have never had an issue. I mean never. __________________ Should You Email Your Members? Link1 \| Link2 \| Link3 Enough Said. "Would you rather live like a king for a year or like a prince forever?"

06-14-2009, 11:15 AM	#2
SilentKnight Megan Fox's fluffer Industry Role: Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: shooting pool in Elysium Posts: 24,818

06-14-2009, 11:16 AM	#5
Jack Sparrow Almost goners.. Industry Role: Join Date: May 2008 Location: Netherlands Posts: 11,420	Captcha?

06-14-2009, 11:23 AM	#7
Klen Industry Role: Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Little Vienna Posts: 32,235	I have same problem on phpbb3 so i switched to another board.Toobad there is not one mod for phpbb2 made for phpb3 too,it's a captcha mod where during registration you need to pick cats pictures between car and cat pictures.No bot can pass such captcha plus is look good.But that mod doesnt exits for phpbb3 unfortunately.So go with phpbb2 or other forum.

06-14-2009, 11:43 AM	#10
HorseShit Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 17,513	All boards eventually get owned by WoW

06-14-2009, 11:48 AM	#11
sortie Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 7,771	htaccess : AuthUserFile /dev/null AuthGroupFile /dev/null order allow,deny deny from 74.92.6.44 deny from 216.95.187.77 deny from 69.95.191.147 deny from 67.25.238.10 deny from 209.37.213.66 deny from 216.655.178.220 deny from 207.44 <===== blocks all IPs starting with 207.44 allow from all __________________

06-14-2009, 01:11 PM	#12
moeloubani Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Ontario Posts: 4,235	on one of my forums i added a question for people to answer, like whats 6 + 1 or something like that then if they get it right they can register if not they cant. before that went up i had an smf board on the domain that got just hammered with spam and when i switched to phpbb3 in like 2 days there was 60+ spam members that had signed up before i put that into play. after i put it in though (the question) i don't think a single spam bot has signed up, at least hasn't made a single post

06-14-2009, 02:31 PM	#13
$5 submissions I help you SUCCEED Industry Role: Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: The Pearl of the Orient Seas Posts: 32,195	It depends on the "spam"--is it mostly from people posting untitled links? Or are they spamming for backlinks? If the latter, making the forum NO FOLLOW will take care of the bulk of the problem. If it's for direct traffic spam, putting up a captcha system might minimize it. __________________ Need a NON-ADULT income stream? We build your YOUTUBE CHANNEL for only $20 per video! For Hire: $3/hour or $400 per month Marketing Specialist Virtual Assistants

06-14-2009, 02:46 PM	#14
Sethseekstruth Confirmed User Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Richmond, va Posts: 588	sig spot here because i am so meta __________________ https://www.niteflirt.com/pid/12631704

06-14-2009, 03:23 PM	#18
halfpint GFY's Halfpint Industry Role: Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: UK Posts: 15,223	Another way to piss off spammers posting on forums is to use the Censored Words in the admins panel and change words like "Viagra" to " "spam" or what ever you like. You basicaly change the words that they use to advertise to someting stupid __________________ Get FREE website listings on Cryptocoinshops.net

06-14-2009, 03:33 PM	#19
Klen Industry Role: Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Little Vienna Posts: 32,235	Damn i just found 3000 registred bots on one my forum and prune was causing load up to 40 so i had to stop and delete entire forum instead.Punbb is much better anyway then phpbb3.

06-14-2009, 03:45 PM	#20
IllTestYourGirls Ah My Balls Industry Role: Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Under the gold leaf ICQ 388-454-421 Posts: 14,311	Not to thread jack or anything, But I am looking to buy stickies on surfer forums. If you are selling or thinking of selling send me details to paymealot at gmail. Good luck getting rid of the spammers. __________________

06-21-2009, 05:28 AM	#21
Klen Industry Role: Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Little Vienna Posts: 32,235	I just found this solution: http://bbantispam.com/atc/ and it seems it works.

06-21-2009, 05:49 AM	#22
voa Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 16,532	This guys are unstopable and they are annoying

06-21-2009, 06:41 AM	#23
DK Confirmed User Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Escazu' Costa Rica Posts: 1,273	This is a job for Boxxy! __________________ skype: romeoblu

06-21-2009, 07:42 AM	#24
kaktuz Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Dream Land Posts: 2,422	try this one, it works very good: http://www.stopforumspam.com/ __________________ EMAIL: admin [AT] kaktuz.com Need Loads of Traffic? Lets Make Business Today!