Those spam-bots

**Fred27** · 28th November 2006, 05:00 PM

Is there anyway for you guys to implement a random security code check whenever a new user register at the forums? That would block out alot of the bots. They are getting annoying.

**Neil Gendzwill** · 29th November 2006, 02:10 AM

I'm dancing as fast as I can, here. I thought we did have a code check on sign-up.

**Fred27** · 29th November 2006, 04:20 AM

Really? Cant remember if there was one when I registered..If there is then the bots seems to have cracked it.

**Neil Gendzwill** · 29th November 2006, 04:45 AM

At any rate, I don't have access to that part of the forum configuration. Maybe Hamish or Alex will see this and check into it.

**Fred27** · 29th November 2006, 05:40 AM

Originally Posted by Neil Gendzwill

At any rate, I don't have access to that part of the forum configuration. Maybe Hamish or Alex will see this and check into it.

Aye. I dont mean to nag or anything, I've been a moderator meself and other similar position so I know its a pain in the ass to clear the bots out.

**The great I AM** · 29th November 2006, 07:01 AM

I'm sure you guys in charge are far more knowledgable in these sorts of issues, but just a suggestion. On the UCL board we have an invisible field that only spam bots will see and fill in (cuase human users won't know its there), and if its filled in then that user doesn't get registered and enters a little list which our mods use to delete the users and ban IP and email addresses. Just an idea.

**Dervish** · 29th November 2006, 09:50 AM

This is a great forum, but how many *real* people interested in Kendo discussion register every week?

Maybe we should make everyone write a *short* essay before getting manually accepted by admin -- if the admin is up to that extra work.

**Neil Gendzwill** · 29th November 2006, 11:12 AM

Alex has enabled image verification now. Should help.

**h2o** · 29th November 2006, 03:25 PM

Originally Posted by Dervish

Maybe we should make everyone write a *short* essay before getting manually accepted by admin -- if the admin is up to that extra work.

No thanks. First of all administration has better things to do, and I think this will scare away anyone who happen to not have english as first language. Or at least they will have a clear disadvantage.

Image verification is usually the easiest method and works quite well.

**Fred27** · 29th November 2006, 04:01 PM

Originally Posted by h2o

No thanks. First of all administration has better things to do, and I think this will scare away anyone who happen to not have english as first language. Or at least they will have a clear disadvantage.

Image verification is usually the easiest method and works quite well.

Agreed. The worst thing that can happen when having an Image Verification is that the bots are Semi-automated: Fully capable of posting spam but still requiring partial human control to get passed the code-entry.

**Awooga Guy** · 29th November 2006, 06:34 PM

Originally Posted by Neil Gendzwill

Alex has enabled image verification now. Should help.

Hooray!

That is all.

**Neil Gendzwill** · 29th November 2006, 10:55 PM

Here's the bizarre thing: the image verification mechanism is actually broken right now, no image displays so new users don't know what to type. Hamish and Alex are working on it. Yet somehow, several bots registered last night. There must be some flaw in vBulletin that they are exploiting.

**Fred27** · 29th November 2006, 11:38 PM

Originally Posted by Neil Gendzwill

There must be some flaw in vBulletin that they are exploiting.

Most likely. This forum template is quite popular so its a win/win-deal to crack it. Maybe there are security updates available from the creators of the Forum template?

**Neil Gendzwill** · 29th November 2006, 11:44 PM

Another thought is that they registered before image verification was enabled, and then posted afterwards. I don't have access to the registration time info.