Ban user and remove from member list

[bobbyb888]

I'm getting hundreds of member signups - all spam. Is there any way to not only ban the member and member ip address but to also remove the members from the member list? I ban the members and ip addresses but still have this list of hundreds of users to deal with in the admin.

I'm not sure that if I remove the member if it also removes the member and members ip from the ban list.

Thanks.

[Kindred]

1-
http://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/Spam_-_my_forum_is_flooded_with_spam,_what_can_I_do

2- you never want to use the ban system for spammers. It is pointless and actually a waste of resources that WILL slow down your forum.
If you absolutely feel that you MUST ban IP addresses (which is a bad idea, in general, in and of itself) then you should use .htaccess to do that.

[bobbyb888]

I set up member sign up by admin approval only. But evidently there are automated ways to bypass that as I'm seeing tons of new signups without my approval. Looks like the forum is basically unusable no matter what steps are taken. Don't know why any one would benefit from doing this except to just be malicious. I know this forum is free but maybe a paid program would have been less costly in the long run. Very frustrating!

[Kindred]

did you even bother to read the link that I posted above?   I have not had a single spammer sign up successfully in 2 years


As for bypassing admin approval -- are you running tapatalk, by any chance?

[bobbyb888]

I not only read but made most all the changes suggested from the link you posted as follows:

1. I changed the registration process to "Approved by administrator only"
2. I added two additional questions and answers for the registration.
3. I upped the security level on the letters you have to copy.
4. I removed the ban list to speed up site.
5. I would rather not continue to add mod after mod to resolve forum weaknesses as I don't know the source of the mods or if they can be trusted or if they will break the site.

P.S. Don't know what this "Taptalk" is that you are referring.

Also, if you are going to be insulting to forum members who are new to the software and trying to figure things out, then I really don't think your remarks (ie; "did you even bother to read the link I posted") are very helpful.

[Kindred]

any mod available on our customization site has been checked by the team and will be reported and removed if there are any security issues.

How was I at all insulting? it was a valid question, since -- if you applied those methods, then there would be no spammers.  Seriously...  I have not had a single successful spammer register/post in 2 years.

As for the comment on mods to resolve forum weaknesses -- since most of those mods require a third party integration, there is a reason that we don't have those in the core product. We don't include thrid party systems in the core (with the exception of paypal) because those systems often change their API (like facebook does, frequently) and releasing a new version of the forum software to update the third party connection is not actually reasonable.  Hence the mods - which can be easily updated without affecting everyone who uses the software.

CAPTCHA (those letters) is useless - it does not stop spammers and can actually prevent REAL users
Questions -- just FYI, if they are easily google-able, then they are not useful.


There is no known way for users to bypass the registration process - that includes the admin approval - in the core product...
There *IS* a known issue in the tapatalk mod (which is why I asked you about it, and one of the many reasons that it is not available on our customization site here)
If users ARE bypassing the registration process, then you have an issue with something else that you are running.

What mods are you running?

[bobbyb888]

It seems that some email notifications of new spam registrants that I received was delayed and I received them after I made the changes I noted above. So I'll just wait and see if the spam problem has been resolved. I'm running one mod "Ad Management". Thanks for all the input. It's much appreciated.