SPAM, SPAM Bots, SPAM Prevention, and more SPAM!

[GregBrannon]

I'm not an expert in the forum software or Spam control in general, but why is the same username permitted to start useless post after useless post? Can't the username, the username's URL/IP Address/Domain/Originating country (whatever it takes) be blocked for all eternity?

Thanks for letting me vent. Back to work.

Greg.

[KevinWorkman]

I absolutely agree. In fact, the forum (and others like it) use a service called StopForumSpam. When a moderator deletes a spammer, their info gets forwarded to that service. In theory that should mean that spammy usernames and IP addresses are automatically blocked, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Some people have theorized that StopForumSpam has been compromised (either intentionally or unintentionally). The java-forums website is particularly bad, and I've seen evidence that both forums have been hacked. All of this could be contributing to an increase in spammy activity. But I'm not an admin so I can't be sure.

[copeg]

Forums got hammered over the past 12hrs. Only thing we can do is to let the moderators deal with it, report posts, and request that admin place more restrictions on registration and posts.

The java-forums website is particularly bad

Indeed. The lack of Admin/owner presence over there does not help the cause - for the time being I pretty much gave up my mod. duties over there because of it. Glad that the owner/admin on these forums is currently listening and acting

[PhHein]

So still no news/updates from the java-forum owner?

[KevinWorkman]

So still no news/updates from the java-forum owner?

Not that I've seen. DarrylBurke even quit moderating because of all of the spam and lack of communication. Starting to see similar signs (hacked accounts, disabled buttons, influx of spam) on these forums, which is sorta disconcerting. Not sure what's going on.

[Admin]

I have just added some more anti-spam filters and also image verification at the time of registration. Let's see.

[KevinWorkman]

I have just added some more anti-spam filters and also image verification at the time of registration. Let's see.

Very cool. Any idea what's going on with the broken "reply with quote" and "edit post" features? Or the weird phantom admin account? Both of those things showed up before java-forums got inundated with massive amounts of spam, so it's a weird omen.

[PhHein]

Not that I've seen. DarrylBurke even quit moderating because of all of the spam and lack of communication. Starting to see similar signs (hacked accounts, disabled buttons, influx of spam) on these forums, which is sorta disconcerting. Not sure what's going on.

Yep, I've heard about Darryl's resignment.

[GoodbyeWorld]

I do have an idea. What about asking them to do math

what does

2 + 2 =

and make them fill in the answer.

Another idea would be to get a thing that checks the profile. If the person sets, and saves, (so we don't flag someone who, for whatever reason, started their biography with "Man") to immediately ban the account and put the user in a spam database. Also, if the location and occupation are the same thing in the profile field, then ban the user as that's another sign that they're a spammer.

However, the math verification will pretty much foil the bots.

--- Update ---

I'm not an expert in the forum software or Spam control in general, but why is the same username permitted to start useless post after useless post? Can't the username, the username's URL/IP Address/Domain/Originating country (whatever it takes) be blocked for all eternity?

Thanks for letting me vent. Back to work.

Greg.

Useless post after useless post is usually a sign of trolling, not spamming. At least, spammers usually don't get far if they post. Someone will flag them and they're gone.


What they're doing, is creating spammy profiles. Most of them don't even seem to have spammy links, but are like



Biography: Man
Location: Iran
Interests: SpammyUsernameOrVariationThereof
Occupation: Iran


Loads lately have been adding spammy links as a signature, which stays in the profile. Their biggest attack here isn't really spamming the threads, but creating spammy profiles.


Another trick is to put

Biography: simple


or something like that.


I've got a ton of them caught:

Hoxyatmotly
Epiltbarinarp
nopspapix
Bontimadraido
StiteNaneib
amiesqdarky278 ? famiesqdarky278 (can't recall which one it was)
Etesterhype
Enarykabrerve
Tristiliply
WaydayAcale
Dodoprookdill
abiftismmub
admaspetrovy1518
erydrakly
normmoumb
romburfaffogy
scagionabbany
elubbofoleafe
NoubonsonousA
Intinenodes
Wheeliarefe
GIVENCHY[¥¸¥Ð¥ó¥·©`] ÐÂ×÷
WeeceCindCody
Sekcheede
Icedapperse
Arefreroves
ZicignideHeek
DenTymnNome
maximusjuniory3186
Essecaunc
feavaPrakkeda
NireDinee
waspadadrag
ajehztivanov6864
pynctaMsacavy
mlesqtexaxd3230
milsqyandext4634
fraurfSaigo
weancarcash
TritoLicroppy
RetForopporie
imarybotrob
salpViariaraf
ViaphislisK
Switytabpap
Tagetrierty
dizzycuasday9077
Gefesqueess
carpinteyrozgr
abradajunior5830
AcendyIncandy
olgautpa337
BlealmKarve
Blalastyday
wravacheern
aftexpera
IneneDoopiedo
onendephots
Loopsvoma
goomboduddy
illulkOvels
RawTwellesGen
UsasseJisar
Pielladib
toibiaLar
Poexgroneebra
SarbareTerway
HatItassy
talatarktut
GeweqUakesabs
Amoumpilm
USAWAYPEJAP
jectedmex
gettarkelsogs
Codospoboxy
fuhSlesse
anneteswifty5785
tOgysnosoks
broarihiz
DrymnBones
FongeHove
SeelaCyclenna
ADDEMADOMENAL
Lymnirrassy
lorsEdisini
Moingisee
velesycahvs5598
Venciewageant