New User Requirements - Spam Prevention

[Rip]

While it is a pain in the rear, I am sure you will appreciate how little spam makes it on the board and that what does is disintegrated quickly and with extreme prejudice.

Rip

[ImLawBoy]

I am a particularly clueless spammer.

[coopasonic]

I am amused.

[Isgrimnur]

As am I, but I actually went ahead and hit the report button, too.

[KKBlue]

Fishpants, I changed the CAPTCHA for a forum board over the weekend. Now "people" have to answer a question instead of solving the 3D image. I'm writing because it's like a wonderful vacation! Going on 3 days without ANY spammers registering. Give the option a look at if you have the time or wanted to try it out. Should be available for you in the Administrative Control Panel, under General, down to Board Configurations, and click Spambot Countermeasures.

Something that took me some time to figure out is, make sure the question IS in the default language. I learned that English comes two ways, British and US. Keep an eye out for which one is asterisk-ed and match that when forming/configuring your question. The suggested manner to use (which is what I did) for a question is, the first 3 and last 3 letters. In other words, come up with a question that cannot be searched easily on Google. The sweet thing is you can put in a few variations of the answer too! ALSO there is a button to turn on specifics like spacing and capitalization. I've put in a few answers in case the person who really and honestly register for the forum uses spaces and caps.

Example, Q: What are the first 3 and last three letters of the word OctopusOverloards? A: Octrds (like I mentioned, you could add octrds and oct rds for possible answers too.

EDIT to add a minute later:
AND of course, I went over to register on OO to see if you all already had this in place... my OH my, you have a nice defense set up!
Guess you can say, "Oh, how cute... the computer guy's little wife is trying to help us out. Awww, isn't she so cute... let's give her a mouse pad and she if she uses it?"
Sorry guys, should of known better but had to put it out there.

[silverjon]

I don't know what defenses are in place for registration here now, but if you notice how regularly the "our newest member" updates with yet another random string of characters, lots of not-a-person accounts are getting through. Relatively few of them are posting though. We have yet to hear from zoopyteepejoT.

[Blackhawk]

And when real new people do register, we line up and execute them on the assumption that they're spambots.

[KKBlue]

...We have yet to hear from zoopyteepejoT.

Ha! great name! It gets old fast with all the spam. I still hear Monty Python every time I type the word spam, cracks me up... but believe me, that is the only thing enjoyable about all the bogus registerers. What the OO admins have set up now is pretty impressive. I'm actually surprised that spammers get through.

And when real new people do register, we line up and execute them on the assumption that they're spambots.

I do enjoy the jolly ol' fun had with the spambots who are able to post. I've only witnessed one execution though, very interesting to watch however. Glad I wore my bullet proof vest when my number was called few bruises but nothing a little make-up wouldn't hide.

[LordMortis]

Wow. We are being monitored. Registered users:

chooclodype
roorwaywodolo
PaulDAUBTETTY

Have all been around for a while and are browsing and I have no idea who any of them are as they've registered and never said a thing.

I'm ascared.

And they were just joined by

RofRourb

[Hamsterball_Z]

And they were just joined by

RofRourb

Ruh roh

[Blackhawk]

And when real new people do register, we line up and execute them on the assumption that they're spambots.

I do enjoy the jolly ol' fun had with the spambots who are able to post. I've only witnessed one execution though, very interesting to watch however. Glad I wore my bullet proof vest when my number was called few bruises but nothing a little make-up wouldn't hide.

I am still concerned that genuine new posters will end up getting mobbed by responding to an old thread they found via Google. It isn't like we have an excess of new members.

[KKBlue]

I am still concerned that genuine new posters will end up getting mobbed by responding to an old thread they found via Google. It isn't like we have an excess of new members.

Naw, the OO's seem to do a little research first before pouncing. Sure they poke with a stick to see if it moves or reacts. Nothing more than the typical animal can handle. At least in my experance. Lots of lurkers on the board. Bet ya not everyone is registered who visits the forum too. You've had some older members resurface and it's always nice to have an original member pop in to make a comment. Think the forum has great life, happy to be a part of the group (as many others are too).

It's day 5 and still not a one spammer since the change to the registering requirement.

[FishPants]

I implemented "Spam Hammer" as the bots had a human queue set up to answer random questions, including stuff like "identify what this picture is". I was getting annoyed with them (I've also blocked IP subnets from China and a number of other high risk areas around the world) -- spam hammer seems to really work though. They have to post a certain number of times to include hyperlinks, have a signature and so on (and their initial posts are scanned for spammy phrases, and blocked if they have links/spam in them).

You'd be amazed at the number of bots that keep hammering against the wall, but the few that actually get through are far and few between. Once in awhile I clean up the user DB and delete 0 post accounts that registered and haven't been back, which reminds me that's probably overdue.

[silverjon]

You'd be amazed at the number of bots that keep hammering against the wall, but the few that actually get through are far and few between. Once in awhile I clean up the user DB and delete 0 post accounts that registered and haven't been back, which reminds me that's probably overdue.

That's cool. Although I am relatively certain that zoopyteepejoT and chooclodype aren't human lurkers, though they are online here quite regularly.

[LawBeefaroni]

You'd be amazed at the number of bots that keep hammering against the wall, but the few that actually get through are far and few between. Once in awhile I clean up the user DB and delete 0 post accounts that registered and haven't been back, which reminds me that's probably overdue.

That's cool. Although I am relatively certain that zoopyteepejoT and chooclodype aren't human lurkers, though they are online here quite regularly.

They're NSA assets.

[KKBlue]

I implemented "Spam Hammer"...

I remember you telling me about this too. I got excited. It felt like I realized the world was actually round and had to share. The Spam Hammer seems pretty impressive. Just like water, the spammers can only be kept out for so long.

[Kraken]

Example, Q: What are the first 3 and last three letters of the word OctopusOverloards? A: Octrds

So close to "Octards." Close enough that I now have a new name for forum members.

[hentzau]

Example, Q: What are the first 3 and last three letters of the word OctopusOverloards? A: Octrds

So close to "Octards." Close enough that I now have a new name for forum members.

Awesome.

[KKBlue]

That is funny Kraken. Think I'll use the Q&A as a sig, ha.

[LordMortis]

You'd be amazed at the number of bots that keep hammering against the wall, but the few that actually get through are far and few between. Once in awhile I clean up the user DB and delete 0 post accounts that registered and haven't been back, which reminds me that's probably overdue.

That's cool. Although I am relatively certain that zoopyteepejoT and chooclodype aren't human lurkers, though they are online here quite regularly.

They're NSA assets.

Now that I've noticed them I can't unnotice them.

And what really strange is that chooclodype registered in Dec 2012 but Google says it's been watching a lot longer:

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&nfpr=1&q=+ ... 08&bih=691

And watches only us.

[silverjon]

I think that has to do with what Octards were online when Googlebot snapped the picture, while the date shows when the thread was actually created.

[silverjon]

A whole bunch of users just turned up with account names based on Louis[char] and Vuitton[char].

I wonder what they are selling.

[coopasonic]

Building good will for Coach?