The Great Tree

Tomala · Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 1:15 pm Post subject: Just to let you all know...

I found a spammer on your forum that hasn't said anything yet.

"D_Turner" is one of the spambots that is hitting other forums. I just did a websearch not too long ago on this name, and it came up at a lot of sites...

Check the ones marked forum.

http://www.altavista.com/web/results?itag=ody&kgs=1&kls=0&q=D_Turner&stq=10

I only found one real D_Turner in the search, but the other ones that have USA as their location plus they had drug ads in their profile.

Oh, and welcome to the my board has been found by spammers club!!!!

Cycreim · Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 2:38 pm Post subject:

Thanks Tomala. No matter what we do, they always find another way around. Smile

There's a few suspicious accounts there on the list right now, all of the ones with "USA" listed as their location.

Have you guys heard of KittenAuth? The example they have up right now is kind of buggy, but the general idea is that you have to pick out the pictures of kittens from among a 9x9 grid of other cute animals.

Actually, can we fandangle our own auth systems? Maybe we could show a D'ni numeral and ask for its decimal equivalent?
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KI: 34353

brian · Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 3:02 pm Post subject:

Thanks, Tomala! We'll take care of it.

As far as spammer detection:

We've had this discussion for like, ever.

It's really hard to come up with a way to prevent spammers on this board that isn't really intrusive to everyone. We've put in all the bot-prevention controls available, so all spammers that get through now are humans. We could prevent unwanted people by having some kind of quiz, but ... think about it for a bit and you'll find like 30 problems with that idea (I was going to start this discussion again but I don't feel like it Smile

)

So, for now, we're doing our best to police new accounts. It's not as bad as it used to be, but it's still not a fun job.

Edit: I actually kinda like the D'ni numeral idea. Let me work on it (when my coputer gets back). I might be able to replace the CAPTCHA with it.

Tomala, what do the slackers do to prevent spammers?
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#Brian Fioca
#KI: 11882331
#KI: 1504111 [disconnected]

Tomala · Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 3:42 pm Post subject:

The following methods I use are this, the bot names we get are very weird, they like to use the same name over and over again, if we take a part of the name that they use... And put a star in it... It blocks that name from being used, have to be careful though...Make sure it's a name that no one in their right mind will ever use.

We also have a set numbers and letters set for anyone who joins the board. So far they have been coming in even less. I know they will be back... But these methods are still very effective.

Also don't bother hunting for an IP address... These bots are spoofing IP addresses. Some of them are even using blogspot and gmail (Plus advertising that most everyone has already seen).

Here are two master lists someone put together of common email addresses the bots use.

http://www.ouremall.net/0-troubled-ones-a.html

http://www.ouremall.net/0-troubled-ones-b.html

There seems to be all sorts of breeds of these spammers out now...

By the way, another effective way to tell if someone is a bot, is to type the name into a search engine and see what comes up... One day I put in a name, and there was nothing there... Next day I came back and typed the same name and there were 1,970 links generated. persistint no?

brian · Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 9:37 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the info!

Boo, spammers!
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#Brian Fioca
#KI: 11882331
#KI: 1504111 [disconnected]

Tomala · Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 10:58 pm Post subject:

There's another one... Ever consider keeping score? Razz

brian · Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 11:15 pm Post subject:

Man, it's getting really bad!
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#Brian Fioca
#KI: 11882331
#KI: 1504111 [disconnected]

Tomala · Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 11:18 pm Post subject:

Your telling me... Look at what I have been having to do since April...

Clicky

Our current count is 222... Haven't had anymore since last month... What a good break!!!

brian · Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 11:26 pm Post subject:

I like your new theme!

I did a recent modification that prevents bots that automatically add signatures from making accounts, but that hasn't stopped non-bot spammer users. They pay these guys in underdeveloped countries pennies to go around and do this, I've heard... Maybe there's a way we can obfuscate the fact that this is a phpBB site somehow... by removing the footer? I'll do that. Not sure it'll help, but it's worth a try...
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#Brian Fioca
#KI: 11882331
#KI: 1504111 [disconnected]

Tomala · Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 11:29 pm Post subject:

brian · Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 11:33 pm Post subject:

Tomala · Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 11:35 pm Post subject:

Actually here is the mysterious part... Our forum is not listed on any search engine, and we try to keep it that way... But the bots still come... How do they find us? Easy... Bots do login to forums and search them... THey do have the abillity to click on links to other forums... That is how they make their rounds so easily...

Too bad we can't send the bots back to the source...

brian · Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 11:38 pm Post subject:

Tomala · Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 12:00 am Post subject: