CAPTCHA / Spam problems

[JasonWilliams]

I created this hack to stop bots, and for my site it has stopped totally - it's something simple but seems to be fairly effective - http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=132482

[cujo]

What about renaming register.php to something else, then make another page (linked on the navbar beside FAQ) with the link to the new register script. ie. reg.php.

And then mod the register script to only be accessible if the reffering URL is the page before?

[jaghadiuno]

they are probably trying to compromise vbulletin


Personally, I think someone is trying to compromise vbulletin and make it less popular. I have had the same problem for some months now and have tried everything to no avail. And I can tell you, it is very frustrating. The only logical explanation for this senseless act is that someone out there wants vbulletin to be associated with spammers and thereby tanish it's image as the best forum software available.

I came to this conclusion after weeks of observing their patterns and methods........But I may be wrong, this is only my impression.

[Smoothie]

Just add them (Truetype .ttf) fonts to the images/regimage/fonts folder.

Thanks, I just had some fun adding a whole bunch of new fonts. Some really cool ones too.

[Smoothie]

I think vBulletin should enable the same method as logging in. You get x number of attempts, after that you're locked out. Also, I believe the random question in addition to the image verification should be employed.

[scotsmist]

I believe that the newest version of the <censored> spamming software may be able to get past the Simple Font option. I doubt it can get past it when "Random Shapes" is enabled though that makes it rather hard on humans as well.

I've not seen it get past the GD TTF or IM captchas though. When you complain about bots, you need to include information with your complaint:

(1) What do you have image reg set to? (a) Simple Font (b) True Type Font (c) Image Magick

(2) Which of the five image reg options do you have enabled?

(3) Have you uploaded your own TTF fonts to replace the default vBulletin fonts? Have you uploaded your own background images to replace the default vBulletin backgrounds? I designed the system so that you could make it unique as that is they key to defeating these spammers. The spammer is only going to focus on the default vBulletin capctah. Replace the fonts and backgrounds and you should be ok.

The files are located in images/regimage/fonts and images/regimage/backgrounds

That's a good tip Freddie thanks for the background information.

[flynnibus]

Yeah they do but the only vBulletin images that you see there are from 2.x, 3.x and the 3.5.x GD captcha. The 3.6 GD TTf and ImageMagick captchas are way beyond those and this program can not currently handle them. I challenge anyone to give me proof that it can bypass it given:

1 - You didn't forget to upload the fonts from the package
2 - You didn't forget to upload the backgrounds from the package
3 - You didn't forget to set the option to GD TTf or Imagemagick
4 - You have enabled the Random Font, Random Size and Random Slant options.

You don't need the random shapes option. That makes it too difficult for anyone and is really only designed to be used with the GD simple font.

Freddie.. you should add these additional steps around customizing the captchas to Steve's sticky on spam help at http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showt...highlight=spam

[andiez]

It's a matter of despair to me that we get the same questions followed by the same answers over and over again related to spam bots and how to stop them The fact is that spambots are computer programs and can only do what they're programmed to do. If anyone relies on the default measures provided by any board that thousands of other forums are using, sooner or later the spam bots will be programmed to bypass them. The way to defeat them is to add something to the registration process which is unique to your forum. It's not worth it to the spambot developers to reprogram their software just for one or two specific forums.

All of a sudden, I began to be plagued by spambots. I came to this board, read the posts, changed to true type random fonts, added the extra reg expression question and uploaded custom fonts. Et voila, no more spambots!

[JGNYC]

This really needs to be fixed.

[conqsoft]

It *is* fixed.... If you use the tools that are built into vB 3.6.4...

[Steve Machol]

This really needs to be fixed.

I never get spambots:

How to Reduce Spam and Registration Bots

[G-man]

Steve,
Happy Boxing Day. I have 3.6.0 and have done everything listed above but the TTFs do not seem to be kicking in. I am using GD with GD TTF on but the display is showing the standard fonts from before. I even deleted the fonts from the directory and it still was showing the default Arial type font.

Please advise...

[Steve Machol]

Please upgrade to 3.6.4. Then if you still have a problem start your own thread with all the relevant details.

[SSSlippy]

I have every option except moderate new members turned on. I have not had one spam bot ever. My forum has been up for about a year now. I get a ton of hits due my projects name being close to a big time game.

[thomasv]

&quot;Its Faaascinating Captain&quot;

You can actually watch a fricken screen cast of botmaster at work:

http://www.botmaster.net/movies/XFull.htm
(if that stops working I've downloaded it)

Just thought I'd share, I found it fascinating and horrifying. It shows 600 successful spams being left in just 15 mins.

I'm not intending to inflame the situation between users and devs here so I'll add that I support what steve and the other devs have said about the most prudent settings being resilient at the moment.

If you watch the video to the end you'll see that the success rate is about 55%. If you follow the settings as steve describes I believe you'll be in the other 45%.

One other thing to note:
At the beginning of the video you see the spammer setting up the system and you see that the botmaster program has the following 4 buttons:

Register e-mail at mail.ru
Register e-mail at cashette.com
Register e-mail at gawab.com
Register e-mail at web.de

The message is clear: BAN THOSE EMAIL DOMAINS (I hope everyone reading this already has)
Its just kind of interesting to finally find out why it was always those domains they used. Answer: The ruddy spam program registers it for them at those addresses!