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Stop Spammer

Started by M-DVD, December 31, 2008, 07:31:43 AM

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Eudemon

QuoteIf you put it here with the same name as M-DVD's and mine that would lead people to confusion. For example I can see now Eudemon  is confused:
nah, i know his version is not official version
i was asking what did he change from the official ver
the rc3 one i've mentioned is the official one from http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=1547
and i added rc4 in package-info to make it installable for rc4
that's all i was trying to say in the previous post

anyways, thx for the comments and i will look forward for your solutions to the issues we have mentioned

Darren996

Quote from: snoopy_virtual on December 16, 2010, 08:10:07 AM
We have talked about that a lot of times. For example you can find some info here:

http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=283309.msg2795650#msg2795650
http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=283309.msg2824751#msg2824751

Not only that 2, but also the posts just before and after both of them, with all the talk we did about the subject at the moment.

Also you can search the thread for all the times we have talked here about the problem with the "false positives". (There are lots of examples, so I cannot give you a full list.)

If after reading all that you still don't see it clear, let me know and I will try to explain it again.

I think the axle broke on the hamster wheel in my head as soon as I read that.  :D  I read a bit of it and I agree with you completely.  I didn't consider that at all...  I'm fairly technical but not a highly experienced administrator.  I am a software developer however :D so let me throw this at you. 

The reason I inquired about that was because of some changes that went in at the web site I administrate.  I deployed  Cloud Flare around my sites because I was inundated by spammers.  I highly recommend it as I would your mod.  Cloud Flare is sort of a cloud of DNS server virtual appliances that block traffic to your site from suspicious IP addresses.  Well, that's what I think it is anyway.  Actual mileage may vary. :D  It works wonders!  Every once in a while though it seems to fall asleep at the wheel I suppose, and I get hammered by tons of spammers at once.  What would you think about some sort of throttle on new registrations for say 10, 15 minutes when there's been a flurry of attacks? 

That probably might be a little to specific to my situation though.  Just a thought.  Thanks again for the awesome mod!

Thanks,
Darren

cypdevil

Quote from: snoopy_virtual on December 19, 2010, 08:21:24 PM

I have been working with cypdevil today through Skype and we have found out the problem was the FTP program he was using was giving the wrong CHMOD values to a lot of files and folders, so his Package Manager was not working properly and couldn't install any mod at all.

He is going to install a new FTP program and re-install again SMF properly. We will see tomorrow if that has sorted the problem or if there is any other problems on his server.

Snoopy

Thanks for everything. I installed FileZilla and it behaves exactly the same way as SmartFTP, so the problem is deeper than that. I tried the 1.1.12 upgrade again using FileZilla: just the same results. My head is spinning! Unfortunately, I have to be absent this morning and have some urgent hardware to install this afternoon, so will not be able to do anything until late afternoon.

I have some issues I want to bring up with my ISP which may or may not be related, see
http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=413853.0

This change took place again while we were working and I'm 90% sure that it happens as I stated, when the Packages Manager states there are some permissions problems and it comes up with the 4 questions. This is very puzzling. I'm also pretty sure something is corrupt in SMF and I think a clean re-install is needed as I can see there is some spurious stuff, especially in the SMF directory. I'm a little unsure what to keep (other than settings.php and, I presume, the FTPGreen theme which has some modifs that date back several years and have not given trouble).

snoopy_virtual

#983
Quote from: Eudemon369 on December 19, 2010, 09:56:16 PM
i added rc4 in package-info to make it installable for rc4

You don't need to edit the package-info at all. It is already set up for SMF from 2.0.0 to 2.99.99 and that includes all the betas, RCs etc they can possibly make. Inside the version for RC3 I only actually mention the number RC3 inside the "readme" file, and that has nothing to do with the installation.

====================

@Darren996

Yes, I heard about ClaudFlare. It has been developed by the same people who did Project Honey Pot, so I was invited to test their software even when they started it (the first betas they did) because I have been working with them for years (since I started my mod httpBL).

The problem is I never install any software before I analyse it first to see exactly what it's doing and I haven't had time yet to check this one out properly. As far as I can see, what it does (at least the free version) is almost exactly the same as my mod httpBL does, so I don't want redundant code in my sites.

I would really like to have enough time to check ClaudFlare properly (as I have heard a lot of people talking very good about it) but I am already protected with mod httpBL against harvesters, dictionary attackers, comment spammers, etc, so I am not really in a hurry just now.

Another reason why I am not really in a hurry to check it out is that I always prefer Open Source code, and ClaudFlare is not.

====================

@cypdevil

So it means the reason why your SMF installation is corrupted is not because the FTP program. It has arrived to that state because of something else, but one thing is sure: It is corrupted and you need a clean install.

In your case (with no mods installed at all and with all the changes made only inside your "Green Theme" folder) it would be pretty safe for you to delete everything in your forum (leaving only the Settings.php and the "Green Theme" folder) and upload all the files like a new installation.

But I am not 100% that will sort it. We haven't found yet why the permissions for the files and folders are wrong, so maybe after you do all that the files and folders end up again with the wrong permissions.

An approach a lot more safe would be the one Wizzlefits suggested yesterday:

http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=283309.msg2885917#msg2885917

With a new database and installing SMF in a different folder (fully clean install) you can check it properly. It's longer but safer.

----------
Edit:
There are a lot more things about it I didn't write here (would be too long) but I will tell you later via Skype. It's a lot easier than what it sounds.

El verdadero sabio es aquel que lo ve todo, lo estudia todo, lo analiza todo y molesta poco.
A true wise man is he who sees everything, studies everything, analyses everything and hardly ever annoys.

cypdevil

Quote from: snoopy_virtual on December 20, 2010, 08:20:18 AM

@cypdevil

So it means the reason why your SMF installation is corrupted is not because the FTP program. It has arrived to that state because of something else, but one thing is sure: It is corrupted and you need a clean install.

In your case (with no mods installed at all and with all the changes made only inside your "Green Theme" folder) it would be pretty safe for you to delete everything in your forum (leaving only the Settings.php and the "Green Theme" folder) and upload all the files like a new installation.

But I am not 100% that will sort it. We haven't found yet why the permissions for the files and folders are wrong, so maybe after you do all that the files and folders end up again with the wrong permissions.

An approach a lot more safe would be the one Wizzlefits suggested yesterday:

http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=283309.msg2885917#msg2885917

With a new database and installing SMF in a different folder (fully clean install) you can check it properly. It's longer but safer.

----------
Edit:
There are a lot more things about it I didn't write here (would be too long) but I will tell you later via Skype. It's a lot easier than what it sounds.

I've done it now! I've lost all contact with the db and I can't find the details. I'll contact you again in the late afternoon, as I have a hospital appointment in the morning. In the meanwhile, I've asked the ISP for the server, dbname and password; hopefully he will give them to me without any hassle.

Darren996

Quote from: snoopy_virtual on December 20, 2010, 08:20:18 AM
@Darren996

Yes, I heard about ClaudFlare. It has been developed by the same people who did Project Honey Pot, so I was invited to test their software even when they started it (the first betas they did) because I have been working with them for years (since I started my mod httpBL).

The problem is I never install any software before I analyse it first to see exactly what it's doing and I haven't had time yet to check this one out properly. As far as I can see, what it does (at least the free version) is almost exactly the same as my mod httpBL does, so I don't want redundant code in my sites.

I would really like to have enough time to check ClaudFlare properly (as I have heard a lot of people talking very good about it) but I am already protected with mod httpBL against harvesters, dictionary attackers, comment spammers, etc, so I am not really in a hurry just now.

Another reason why I am not really in a hurry to check it out is that I always prefer Open Source code, and ClaudFlare is not.
/quote]

CloudFlare is service so I didn't actually install anything.  It's very similar to your software.  CloudFlare is protecting the whole site and your software is protecting SMF.  It's kinda "belt and suspenders" but that's fine with me.  The combination is working well and my users aren't complaining.   Just trying to get the most out of Stop Spammer without my Mods having to delete Spammers "Awaiting Approval" all the time.

snoopy_virtual

Quote from: Darren996 on December 20, 2010, 02:58:29 PM
CloudFlare is service so I didn't actually install anything.  It's very similar to your software.  CloudFlare is protecting the whole site and your software is protecting SMF.  It's kinda "belt and suspenders" but that's fine with me.  The combination is working well and my users aren't complaining.   Just trying to get the most out of Stop Spammer without my Mods having to delete Spammers "Awaiting Approval" all the time.

No, CloudFlare has nothing to do with this mod Stop Spammer. It is similar to my another mod httpBL.

Both mods (Stop Spammer and httpBL) are complementary and work in a completely different way.

El verdadero sabio es aquel que lo ve todo, lo estudia todo, lo analiza todo y molesta poco.
A true wise man is he who sees everything, studies everything, analyses everything and hardly ever annoys.

Darren996

Quote from: snoopy_virtual on December 20, 2010, 03:38:25 PM
No, CloudFlare has nothing to do with this mod Stop Spammer. It is similar to my another mod httpBL.

Both mods (Stop Spammer and httpBL) are complementary and work in a completely different way.

Right, right.  Sorry, Alzheimer's moment...  Any thoughts on reducing the amount of spammers to delete?

snoopy_virtual

Quote from: Darren996 on December 20, 2010, 04:05:31 PM
Any thoughts on reducing the amount of spammers to delete?

The last time I had to delete one spammer was 3 months ago. And I have 7 very busy forums.

In all my forums I have these security programs installed:


You can see more info here:

http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=283309.msg2824757#msg2824757

and here:

http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=283309.msg2824764#msg2824764

and here:

http://www.snoopyvirtualstudio.com/tutoriales/index.php?estudio=httpBL_2

El verdadero sabio es aquel que lo ve todo, lo estudia todo, lo analiza todo y molesta poco.
A true wise man is he who sees everything, studies everything, analyses everything and hardly ever annoys.

butchs

Quote from: snoopy_virtual on December 19, 2010, 08:21:24 PM
If you want a Spanish beer you should do some code better than me and then bet me a beer about it. If I accept the bet and you prove me wrong you will win a Spanish beer.

If you were so great at coding you could have fixed your mod yourself?

Lets see who's mod is doing better so far:
Forum Firewall 3800 spammers
httpBL             2457 spammers
Stopspammer  25 spammers

and you had a head start.  Better save up some beer money!
I have been truly inspired by the SUGGESTIONS as I sit on my throne and contemplate the wisdom imposed upon me.

snoopy_virtual

#990
Quote from: butchs on December 20, 2010, 07:30:40 PM
If you were so great at coding you could have fixed your mod yourself?

I am not a great coder, I am just good accepting my mistakes, and don't bet unless I am sure of what I am saying.

Also the fix you are talking about here was done by busterone more than a month ago. Why would I need to fix it again?

I have been working for 40 years in lots of Open Source Projects (we didn't called them like that 40 years ago but that's what they were) and I haven't seen any of them as any kind of "competition" but more as "team work". In this case (for example) all of us working together against a common enemy: The spammers.

-------
Edited just to sort a spelling mistake

El verdadero sabio es aquel que lo ve todo, lo estudia todo, lo analiza todo y molesta poco.
A true wise man is he who sees everything, studies everything, analyses everything and hardly ever annoys.

Eudemon

QuoteYou don't need to edit the package-info at all. It is already set up for SMF from 2.0.0 to 2.99.99 and that includes all the betas, RCs etc they can possibly make. Inside the version for RC3 I only actually mention the number RC3 inside the "readme" file, and that has nothing to do with the installation.

my bad, i probably was thinking about other mods

Quotebut more as "team work"

+1

still little early but i want to wish all of you a Merry Christmas

busterone

I must agree with you. A big +1 for teamwork. We all benefit by it.  :)

butchs

Quote from: snoopy_virtual on December 21, 2010, 04:59:00 AM
Quote from: butchs on December 20, 2010, 07:30:40 PM
If you were so great at coding you could have fixed your mod yourself?

I am not a great coder, I am just good accepting my mistakes, and don't bet unless I am sure of what I am saying.

Do you remember the TRS-80?  Oh no, we are ancient!

I never took many programing courses but I my abilities are above average...

As far as teamwork goes yall know I have been on your site contributing where I can.  Even though you are mean to me at times... 

In the end, our combined mods are awesome...   Even though SMF seems to be confused with my latest work!
I have been truly inspired by the SUGGESTIONS as I sit on my throne and contemplate the wisdom imposed upon me.

Jade Elizabeth

#994
Quote from: busterone on November 02, 2010, 07:21:25 PM
Alright Snoopy, I tested ver.2.3.7 on both. I had to do only 1 manual edit for both the upgraded and the clean install RC4.
It is in /Sources/Subs.php.

The install is looking in subs.php for the following code to replace-
$context['unapproved_members'] = !empty($modSettings['registration_method']) && $modSettings['registration_method'] == 2 ? $modSettings['unapprovedMembers'] : 0;
which has changed to this in RC4-

$context['unapproved_members'] = (!empty($modSettings['registration_method']) && $modSettings['registration_method'] == 2) || !empty($modSettings['approveAccountDeletion']) ? $modSettings['unapprovedMembers'] : 0;


I manually replaced it with the mod's code
$context['unapproved_members'] = $modSettings['unapprovedMembers'];
and allowed the package manager to finish the installation. It appears to be working and there are no errors in the error log so far. As best as I can tell, just changing the above search string will make it compatible with RC4.  :)


Can you please just update this in the main package if that's the only problem? It would make it work with RC4 and you wouldnt have to worry about it anymore. It would save a lot of people coming and begging you to make it work.

I ask cause people keep bothering me about it and I'm tired of finding the right post to link them to lol.
Once proud Documentation Writer and Help Squad Leader | Check out my new adult coloring career: Color With Jade/Patreon.

SD-X

Quote from: snoopy_virtual on December 21, 2010, 04:59:00 AM
I have been working for 40 years in lots of Open Source Projects (we didn't called them like that 40 years ago but that's what they were) and I haven't seen any of them as any kind of "competition" but more as "team work". In this case (for example) all of us working together against a common enemy: The spammers.
Lol jeez man, how old are you? That's a very impressive amount of experience!

On another note, maybe you should consider getting a bug tracker that users can submit their issues to. This might help you keep track of new bugs with your various projects, and the users that are lacking the knowledge to use the trackers can continue posting in these topics, making it easier on everyone and cutting down on the number of random subjects being discussed. :)

cypdevil

Okay, I have successfully installed version 1.1.12 and added the Stop Spammer package – but not where I want it!

In fact, I have installed it on completely different Apache server without the slightest difficulty. If I try to do the same on my normal Apache server then all hell is let loose with permissions, including on parts of the hierarchy over which I have no control. This blocks, for example, the transmission of e-mails because the home file is changed from 705 to 777. It is obvious that the latter would allow any Tom, Dick or Harry to have access to my e-mail and even to modify it. This is obviously unacceptable.

I have been in constant correspondence with the ISP concerned but am not getting very far. This morning, I sent them a very strong message implying that, despite their protestations, the problem seems to fall fairly and squarely into their court. To be fair, this ISP runs something over 250 servers plus another 150 dedicated to MySQL. It may just be only one of the servers that has this problem. For this reason, I don't wish to publicly denounce them. If anyone wishes to know whether a problem is similar, please PM me with the name of your ISP and the name of the server you been allocated on. I'll reply to the effect of whether it's the same or completely different.

I should like to take the opportunity to thank those who have helped me and, in particular, Snoopy who has spent hours looking at this problem.

snoopy_virtual

MOD Stop Spammer v2.3.8
==================





  • Authors:
M-DVD and snoopy_virtual
  • Version:
2.3.8
  • Release:
23th December 2010
  • Compatible With:
SMF 1.1.1 - 1.1.12
SMF 2 RC4

WARNING:


Anyway, as I had a couple of changes already done, I have put them inside this update:



I hope now I will have time to concentrate in all the rest of the changes I was doing for this mod.

Quote from: SugarD-x on December 23, 2010, 08:40:14 AM
Lol jeez man, how old are you?

54 I thought my profile was public  ;)

Quote from: SugarD-x on December 23, 2010, 08:40:14 AM
On another note, maybe you should consider getting a bug tracker that users can submit their issues to. This might help you keep track of new bugs with your various projects, and the users that are lacking the knowledge to use the trackers can continue posting in these topics, making it easier on everyone and cutting down on the number of random subjects being discussed. :)

That would be an idea. Yes.

Quote from: cypdevil on December 23, 2010, 10:45:32 AM
Okay, I have successfully installed version 1.1.12 and added the Stop Spammer package – but not where I want it!

In fact, I have installed it on completely different Apache server without the slightest difficulty.

etc etc

I knew it was something wrong with your server.

You should consider anyway to open a thread about it in a more general section, as this is not a problem only for people using this mod, but for everybody using SMF.

El verdadero sabio es aquel que lo ve todo, lo estudia todo, lo analiza todo y molesta poco.
A true wise man is he who sees everything, studies everything, analyses everything and hardly ever annoys.

Propbndr

Tried to install Version 2.3.8 and got a test failure.  It reads:

nstalling this package will perform the following actions:
   Type    Action    Description
1.    Execute Modification    ./Themes/default/ManageMembers.template.php    Test failed
2.    Execute Modification    ./Themes/default/Register.template.php    Test successful
3.    Execute Modification    ./Sources/ManageRegistration.php    Test failed
4.    Execute Modification    ./Sources/ManageMembers.php    Test failed
5.    Execute Modification    ./Sources/Register.php    Test successful
6.    Execute Modification    ./Sources/Subs.php    Test failed
7.    Execute Modification    ./Sources/Subs-Members.php    Test successful
8.    Execute Modification    ./Sources/Profile.php    Test successful
9.    Execute Modification    ./Themes/default/languages/Modifications.english.php    Test successful
10.    Execute Modification    ./Themes/default/languages/Modifications.english-utf8.php    Test successful
11.    Execute Modification    ./Themes/default/languages/Modifications.english_british.php    Skipping file
12.    Execute Modification    ./Themes/default/languages/Modifications.english_british-utf8.php    Test successful
13.    Execute Modification    ./Themes/default/languages/Modifications.spanish.php    Skipping file
14.    Execute Modification    ./Themes/default/languages/Modifications.spanish-utf8.php    Skipping file
15.    Execute Modification    ./Themes/default/languages/Modifications.spanish_es.php    Skipping file
16.    Execute Modification    ./Themes/default/languages/Modifications.spanish_es-utf8.php    Test successful
17.    Execute Modification    ./Themes/default/languages/Modifications.spanish_latin.php    Skipping file
18.    Execute Modification    ./Themes/default/languages/Modifications.spanish_latin-utf8.php    Test successful
19.    Extract File    ./Sources/StopSpammer.php    
20.    Extract File    ./Themes/default/images/icons/spammer.gif    
21.    Extract File    ./Themes/default/images/icons/suspect.gif    
22.    Extract File    ./Themes/default/images/icons/moreinfo.gif    
23.    Execute Code    install_1.php

snoopy_virtual

#999
Quote from: Propbndr on December 23, 2010, 04:59:13 PM
Tried to install Version 2.3.8 and got a test failure.

If I remember properly you are using SMF 1.1.12 Is that right?

With so many "Test failed" you either have something wrong in your SMF installation or you have a mod that is not compatible with this one. Could you give me a list of the mods you have in your forum?

I can see also that you have "spanish" language packages in your forum. If you can speak Spanish better than English we can sort your problem here instead:

http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=291588.0

I speak good English, but I am Spanish and can really speak a lot faster in my own language.  ;D

El verdadero sabio es aquel que lo ve todo, lo estudia todo, lo analiza todo y molesta poco.
A true wise man is he who sees everything, studies everything, analyses everything and hardly ever annoys.

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