BannerJohn

WARNING TO EVERYONE!!

Recommended Posts

Since we have again started allowing people to join the forums without approval, we have had a few really bad spammers on here. A lot of it is coming from Russia, which is well known for sending out virus and spyware. Please be very careful about clicking on ANY link in a post that looks suspicious. Especially from someone who is a newbee and the link is in his/her first post.

These scumbags usually post in the wee hours of the morning and sometimes I don't catch them for a few hours....so be careful.

  • Like 8

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest YHC

Thanks for the warning BannerJohn, having run a forum myself I know what your going through. It sucks having to deal with them.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest sciondrgn

Bad thing is.. These are bots just setup to scower the net, register themselves and make posts.. People just set them up and let them run

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Is there a Human Verification component that could be added on for registration?

Why the change - to much work for 1 person to preauthorize?

We had to verify for awhile. It was mostly ME doing the verifying with one of the other mods helping...but since I am on mostly all day and night, it ended up being mostly me. Then, the higher ups, who never varified anyone as far as I know, decided to drop it. This was about the time we started getting a lot of teh Russians.

So, until I get some more help, or totally give up sleeping, these things will happen. Just be careful,as I said.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

John, I believe there is something that could be added onto the SMF software that would check that a human is actually registering on the site (so that you or someone else doesn't have to).  There are different methods used to do this.  One method requests that a person registering answer a specific question(s) that proves there is a person sitting there.  That puts an end to the bots and would lower the spam.  Then you just have to worry about the actual people sitting there trying to register in order to spam.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

John, I believe there is something that could be added onto the SMF software that would check that a human is actually registering on the site (so that you or someone else doesn't have to).  There are different methods used to do this.  One method requests that a person registering answer a specific question(s) that proves there is a person sitting there.  That puts an end to the bots and would lower the spam.  Then you just have to worry about the actual people sitting there trying to register in order to spam.

Even with Vbulletin and all the spam blockers, I get about 2 or 3

a day that make thru on my sites and spam the hell out of them.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Some of the forums I used to moderate had a option to limit the number of post per hour for new members. To get out of the new member group a mod had to verify they were not there to spam by keeping them on a leash for a week or 2. They were limited to 2 post per hour. Anything after that had to be approved by admin before it showed.

But John has his hands full already so that would be harder to do for here.

If US Cutter would like some extra help in the background I would be glad to lend a hand when I can. I am usually checking in on the forum frequently.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest sciondrgn

Me promiz... I human and not spam bot!!! Pleaz no ban me!!!

ban.gif

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Me promiz... I human and not spam bot!!! Pleaz no ban me!!!

This user looks very suspicious.  ;D

he IS suspicious.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Having run a number of forums for a lot of years (although not IP Board driven)... it might be worth any "unbranding fee" they want to charge to remove the Community Forum Software by IP.Board 3.2.3 from the bottom of each page. Scripts are pretty easily written to that will scour the net looking for page signatures like this.. especially if there is a known (or unknown) vulnerability in the software. If nothing else remove the version number.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Here is a WILD guess ..... Somebody just got the 25 count post # they were after :lol: . I read recently where new members are limited in some things until they got 25 posts . Though not the intent of that rule , it does technically fullfill it . :lol:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites