How to Foil "Bot" programs

[minniemex]

I emailed my son, who does alot of programming ( has a degree in computer science) & I asked him about these people who keep posting nastys on the web site - he says that :


The simplest way to solve the problem is have the forum admins install the newest version of their forum software. They use
vBulletin and are using version 3.5.0 and the newest version is 3.6.4. The new version requires people to go through a
captcha (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captcha) (read the link) to register for the forums, thus making the most likely automated bot doing the postings in the first
place unable to do so. If there are still problems with it after that, let me know and I will see if they have any solutions for
vBulletin that deal with spam.
He also told me these programs are called "bots"

It is called a bot, and it is a cake walk, I won't give you the technical details, but a short summary is this. vBulletin, and other popular board software all work the same, so to write a program to automatically sign up is easy. So they just have a program that basically 'walks' the internet, signing up to any familiar forum software it finds and posting.
He also gave this as a reference for admins -


Also, have them look at this post.
http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?t=172234
and by them, I mean the forum owners.

It sure sounds easy enough -?

[AdGuy]

Minniemex,

Great information. Okay James...do you hear that? It's the sound of the gauntlet being thrown down! The board is growing (both with members and activity) but we need YOUR help. And while you're at it...some more smilies, increased photo/copy limits, and easy-to-set-up avatars would be nice as well.

You've got 2 days...then I'm coming down there after ya! :D

[Gale in KY]

Just one other request James..please keep this board seperate from the Playa board...I love the Playa Board..visit it daily..but this board has a very loyal following and we all love having it here, just the way it is...sans spam bots of course! I have been here for a long time..and am really happy to see our little board that could finally take off! Don't stop us now..ok?

[Ginger]

Hey guys, I don't think James gets much time to read this board. You'd be best to PM him your thoughts via the playa board.

Great info, btw.

[AdGuy]

Hey guys, I don't think James gets much time to read this board. You'd be best to PM him your thoughts via the playa board.

Great info, btw.


Good to know, Ginger. Now we can say bad things about him without fear of him reading it! :D

By the way, have a great time in 'my neck of the woods' when you visit the Mouse. Make sure to spend lots of $$$!!! :D :D

[james]

The simplest way to solve the problem is have the forum admins install the newest version of their forum software. They use
vBulletin and are using version 3.5.0 and the newest version is 3.6.4. The new version requires people to go through a
captcha (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captcha) (read the link) to register for the forums, thus making the most likely automated bot doing the postings in the first
place unable to do so. If there are still problems with it after that, let me know and I will see if they have any solutions for
vBulletin that deal with spam.
the captcha has been around in vBulletin for many versions. upgrading to 3.6.4 adds another layer of obfuscation, which I find almost impossible to read myself. Perhaps it will work.

However, captcha doesn't really work very well since it's been compromised already by a known bot. i've added a different authentication system AND upgraded to the new, nearly impossible to read authentication system that should eliminate this situation. I hope it doesn't keep real people from joining.

i'm not on this forum hardly ever since getting busy with my construction project ( coming to an end now ) and having my son born in October. the plan is to fold all this content into Playa.Info's forum, which will grow to cover Mexican playas in general, playa meaning beach, after all.

[minniemex]

Thank you - now all we can do is hope that it works! We really appreciate your doing this, as it sounds like you really have a full plate right now!! Congrats on the baby, enjoy him first, as before you know, he's grown & has children of his own.

[james]

Thank you - now all we can do is hope that it works!I noticed a couple more spammers popping up, so I checked their join dates and they were already members before the anti-spam upgrades were in place. Then I realized that the spammers all had .ru email addresses. I searched the database and found 148 .ru members with zero posts. I nuked them all.

I think we may have turned the corner on this problem.

[jx2]

I noticed a couple more spammers popping up, so I checked their join dates and they were already members before the anti-spam upgrades were in place. Then I realized that the spammers all had .ru email addresses. I searched the database and found 148 .ru members with zero posts. I nuked them all.

I think we may have turned the corner on this problem.


Too cool :D Thanks James. After searching so many places this has to be the best forum board with the most accurate and up to date information on Playa and Tulum in the WORLD. :D

[james]

gfxdream just posted spam. it was a web.de email address, so I checked those out and found 124 of them registered (before the new system was implemented) with zero posts, waiting to post spam some day. they are all nuked now.

[austxdan]

You have the Power !!! Can you feel it? Nuke away, my good man, nuke away. :cool:


Seriously, I was visiting here less and less as it was a pain to sort through the spam. Especially since I didn't need a russian bride. Thanks for the improvements, and the cleanup.


Dan

[jx2]

You have the Power !!! Can you feel it? Nuke away, my good man, nuke away. :cool:


Seriously, I was visiting here less and less as it was a pain to sort through the spam. Especially since I didn't need a russian bride. Thanks for the improvements, and the cleanup.


Dan


Or a bigger penis :p ;) :D :confused:

[minniemex]

James - really appreciate your attention to this board! Thanks:)

[firecop680]

Nice job james... I realize it is hard to beat this stuff but, it sounds like you are on the right page . Thanks again!!