New anti-spam measures

[Cpuswe]

[gshv]

I modified forum registration script to use spamassassin-like rules to identify spambot registrations and automatically block their IP addresses. We don't have spam registrations (almost), so it's more like a preventive measure.

Gennadiy

[gshv]

I implemented another preventive measure, that may reduce the number of spam posts a bit. In addition to our internal IP block list, the forum now uses a list of banned IP addresses provided by stopforumspam.com. That was done only for posts. In the near future I will modify new user registration code to check the IP block list, and will add e-mail address block list (also from stopforumspam.com).

Contact me if your IP address is blocked. E-mail addresses are here - http://www.cpu-world.com/contact_us.html .

Gennadiy

[admin]

Another anti-spam feature was added to the forum. Registration page now rejects registration if user's e-mail address is in stopforumspam database. This should reduce the number of spam messages, posted by those annoying spammers, that advertise mostly Chinese online stores, carrying fake products. Every second spam message, posted and subsequently deleted last month, was posted by a person with e-mail address, which is already in the database. So, potentially this feature can cut our spam in half.

Gennadiy

[CPUShack]

that would be a big help

[gshv]

Two additional anti-spam changes, that will be implemented today or tomorrow:

• The forum software will suspend all new users (users with post count 0 - 5), who posts several messages with links in short period of time.
  
• New users (post count 0 - 5) will be limited to 3 links per post. Maybe we should make it less than 3.
  

If you see any new strange accounts created with names like test<something>, and messages appearing and disappearing in the offtopic forum, don't worry. That would be me testing new anti-spam features.

Gennadiy

[CPUShack]

Is there a way to prevent a spammer from posting 5 messages WITHOUT links, and then they go and edit them to add the links in?

[gshv]

It's possible to suspend their account if they post 5 messages in very short period of time. Or, we can prevent them from adding links later.

Gennadiy

[gshv]

[gshv]

[Neon_WA]

not lately.. but there was a run of them.. posting comments on threads and then coming back a few weeks later adding in links

I don't doubt some of them are still hiding away in older threads that have fallen onto 2nd page of each section

Typically the person would post every couple of days.. then come back and change posts

[CPUShack]

you may want to make links include email address too

(see the 3 threads I just moved to Trash)

[gshv]