Simple Machines Community Forum

Customizing SMF => Tips and Tricks => Topic started by: Mick. on January 19, 2011, 08:58:29 PM

Title: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: Mick. on January 19, 2011, 08:58:29 PM
Lots of folks ask 'why i get spammers in my forum', 'i have lots of spam', etc.

Let me tell you,.... i dont get spammers at all on my working  5 years old forum.

Simple,  i run SMF RC3 and a couple mods.....

1. First off, i use SMF's RC integrated security question.  The question used is related to my forum genre. I run an automotive forum and the question is simple. "How many spark plugs a Chevy Avalanche has?" Answer is 8.

Do bots know this? No.

Dont make question like: "What color is the sky?",  "What color is the grass?" or "2+2=?"   Make your security question related to your forum genre that your guest know the answer to.

2. I also use SMF's integrated "profile Fields".....(also available in the mod site for 1.1.x users).
a. text
b. selection

The mods i use:

Vbgamer's "Avatar Select" mod: http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=368
青山 素子 "reCaptcha" mod: http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=1044


These simple mods available in the mod site (http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/) and the security question should stop bots and spammers from registering.

Try them out and have fun :P

Mick.

Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: TheListener on January 19, 2011, 10:04:22 PM
I have only had 2 spammers and they didn't get very far.

My forum is related to the area where I live ie Milton Keynes in the UK.

Now why would a hotel in Bali want to register as a member?

Similar to BD I also have questions related to the content of the forum.
Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: bucharest on May 13, 2011, 04:28:12 PM
How do i apply the security question?
Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: NanoSector on May 13, 2011, 04:41:38 PM
I use CloudFlare in combination with Arantor's Login Security mod, Forum Firewall and my own custom mod (blocks e-mail addresses as usernames, awaiting approval at the mod site).

Now I only need some stuff to prevent spammers from registering...maybe I'll create a custom mod for this.
Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: MC73 on May 13, 2011, 04:54:11 PM
Quote from: bucharest on May 13, 2011, 04:28:12 PM
How do i apply the security question?

   
    Administration Center »
    Security and Moderation »
    Anti-Spam

Then scroll to the bottom to insert your Q and A
Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: timetraveller on May 13, 2011, 05:57:52 PM
Where is the Security and Moderation area?
Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: MC73 on May 13, 2011, 10:30:00 PM
Quote from: timetraveller on May 13, 2011, 05:57:52 PM
Where is the Security and Moderation area?

It is within the Configuration section in the ADMIN area
Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: bucharest on May 14, 2011, 02:39:12 AM
I dont see the security and moderation area in configuration?
Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: timetraveller on May 14, 2011, 06:04:21 AM
Glad it's not just me :-)
Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: Illori on May 14, 2011, 06:23:39 AM
security and moderation is a section in the admin panel for 2.0 it will not be found in 1.1.*
Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: RvG on May 14, 2011, 06:25:20 AM
I just installed avatar select and viola no spammers.
Do bots know how to select avatars?
Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: bucharest on May 14, 2011, 06:47:25 AM
Good work they seem to have stopped our spammers


is there a way i can remove all members who have never made a post?


Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: floridaflatlander on May 14, 2011, 06:54:31 AM
I looked and didn't see anything, someone else may know more but if you don't very many menbers you can sort post column and click the  members with out post and then click delete,
Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: Outrack on May 30, 2011, 04:34:53 AM
Quote from: bluedevili dont get spammers at all on my working  5 years old forum.

I'm half tempted to register on your forum pretending to be a bot so you can't claim this anymore :p

This is very useful advice, thanks for sharing it. The reCaptcha mod didn't help as much as I hoped, but adding in a security question relevant to the content of the site stopped all bots dead - I still get the occasional spam from India as they seem to have real humans registering accounts (using Google to get through the question), though it's so infrequent that it can hardly be considered a problem.
Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: Carmina on June 05, 2011, 12:08:50 PM
I just realized that spammers registered in my forum but they never managed to post anything. Anyway, I will install the mods now. Thanks for the recommendations!
Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: doublecoin on July 22, 2011, 09:30:17 PM
We were getting 100+ spammers trying to register every day. When we upgraded to 2.0 I added a simple security question to the registration process and they STOPPED immediately. I even logged off with my user name reregistered a new account username and it works perfect...
Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: Mick. on July 23, 2011, 02:03:39 AM
Quote from: doublecoin on July 22, 2011, 09:30:17 PM
We were getting 100+ spammers trying to register every day. When we upgraded to 2.0 I added a simple security question to the registration process and they STOPPED immediately. I even logged off with my user name reregistered a new account username and it works perfect...

You can even leave the answer in your registration page.   Bots cant read, they do recognize certain words that have been programmed to them.

When registering to my forum, i ask the question followed by the answer. That way folks know what to input without hassles.

Ive been bot free for 3 years.
Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: donjazzy on July 23, 2011, 05:47:19 AM
Quote from: bluedevil on July 23, 2011, 02:03:39 AM
Quote from: doublecoin on July 22, 2011, 09:30:17 PM
We were getting 100+ spammers trying to register every day. When we upgraded to 2.0 I added a simple security question to the registration process and they STOPPED immediately. I even logged off with my user name reregistered a new account username and it works perfect...

You can even leave the answer in your registration page.   Bots cant read, they do recognize certain words that have been programmed to them.

When registering to my forum, i ask the question followed by the answer. That way folks know what to input without hassles.

Ive been bot free for 3 years.
You are right this simple trick but neglected by many folks works like miracle. I am but free now, I don't use any verification except this. Cuddles @Bluedevil.

Hey hey hey I like your smf blog forum don't know if you can help me set up something like that. Please permit me to pm you for further details. Cheers :) folks know what to input without hassles.

Ive been bot free for 3 years.
[/quote]You are right this simple trick but neglected by many folks works like miracle. I am but free now, I don't use any verification except this. Cuddles @Bluedevil.

Hey hey hey I like your smf blog forum don't know if you can help me set up something like that. Please permit me to pm you for further details, for spamming reasons can't do it here. Cheers :)


Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: Mick. on January 24, 2012, 02:49:50 PM
Bumping. Lately seen lots of spam topics.

Still running spam bot free.
Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: Eudemon on January 24, 2012, 03:48:31 PM
i have stop spammer mod enabled in my forum
so far it blocked out all spammer registration for me which is good
but i get little worry that it might block legit users

thanks for the tip bluedevil
i have concern about placing simple registration question with answer
bcuz a lot of my members don't read english
if i place math question is it gonna be ez for botz to figure out? like 10+3
Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: Mick. on January 24, 2012, 04:04:29 PM
I wouldn't use anything mathematical.  For other languages quite frankly im not sure how to answer that.
Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: Arantor on January 24, 2012, 04:35:48 PM
Definitely nothing mathematical.

As a simple rule, try typing your question into Google and seeing what answer you get back. If you get your answer as a direct answer or in the first few results, think of another question.
Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: kimcarter14 on February 13, 2012, 10:48:14 PM
Quote from: bluedevil on July 23, 2011, 02:03:39 AM
Quote from: doublecoin on July 22, 2011, 09:30:17 PM
We were getting 100+ spammers trying to register every day. When we upgraded to 2.0 I added a simple security question to the registration process and they STOPPED immediately. I even logged off with my user name reregistered a new account username and it works perfect...

You can even leave the answer in your registration page.   Bots cant read, they do recognize certain words that have been programmed to them.

When registering to my forum, i ask the question followed by the answer. That way folks know what to input without hassles.

Ive been bot free for 3 years.

Bot usually don't recognize those kind of stuff and they only depend on the programs that makes them run. Simple as that. It is guaranteed that only pure humans can register in the forum with that security measures.
Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: AstronomyEnthusiasts on March 26, 2012, 01:00:37 PM
Thank you, this helped me a lot too.

Quote from: MC73 on May 13, 2011, 04:54:11 PM
Quote from: bucharest on May 13, 2011, 04:28:12 PM
How do i apply the security question?

   
    Administration Center »
    Security and Moderation »
    Anti-Spam

Then scroll to the bottom to insert your Q and A
Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: HappyGecko on April 07, 2012, 05:08:07 AM
Cool trick.

The only forum I have run into that asks a topic related security question is http://www.ApplianceJunk.com (http://www.appliancejunk.com), and if I remember right, it only asked the question once I was bumped up to a higher "expert" rank.
Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: ApplianceJunk on April 07, 2012, 08:18:13 AM
Quote from: Yoshi2889 on May 13, 2011, 04:41:38 PM
I use CloudFlare in combination with Arantor's Login Security mod, Forum Firewall and my own custom mod (blocks e-mail addresses as usernames, awaiting approval at the mod site).

Now I only need some stuff to prevent spammers from registering...maybe I'll create a custom mod for this.

We used CloudFlare for awhile until a few of our members started complaining that they could not access our site if their computer was connected to the internet through a cell phone tower.

Quote from: HappyGecko on April 07, 2012, 05:08:07 AM
Cool trick.

The only forum I have run into that asks a topic related security question is http://www.ApplianceJunk.com (http://www.appliancejunk.com), and if I remember right, it only asked the question once I was bumped up to a higher "expert" rank.

Our anti-spam verification question is asked during registration.
Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: jonyparks on May 16, 2012, 12:39:49 PM
I have only had 4 spammers and they didn't get very far.
Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: FooToo on May 19, 2012, 01:58:14 AM
Thanks for the Tip :D
Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: Do not heart me...... on May 21, 2012, 12:43:00 AM
Sorry but using this method , bandwidth will loss. I'll prefer use the  Bad Behavior, blockscript, bots scout etc are there.
Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: ssullivan on May 23, 2012, 04:05:23 PM
Quote from: Do not heart me...... on May 21, 2012, 12:43:00 AM
Sorry but using this method , bandwidth will loss. I'll prefer use the  Bad Behavior, blockscript, bots scout etc are there.
Are you serious? Are you concerned about the bandwidth of 3 to 5 more lines of code, against thousands of bots hammering your server daily?
Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: FLEXjs on October 28, 2012, 07:09:02 PM
Quote from: Mick G. on January 19, 2011, 08:58:29 PM


1. First off, i use SMF's RC integrated security question.  The question used is related to my forum genre. I run an automotive forum and the question is simple. "How many spark plugs a Chevy Avalanche has?" Answer is 8.

Do bots know this? No.

This suggestions was just awesome.  I did exactly that.

The question is so easy for anyone interested in the topic of my forum, but no one else would know.

I went from dealing with 30-40 spammers per day to ZERO since I did this last week.

Thanks so much for this tip.
Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: Vaskania on January 02, 2013, 12:49:22 AM
Bah- I don't know why I didn't think of using forum-genre questions earlier. We'll see how things go, thanks. :)
If bot regs cease, then I can finally remove a lot of extra steps I took to decrease them manually ( such as posting in a specific section of the forum multiple times to gain access to the rest >.> ).
Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: Mick. on January 02, 2013, 10:10:34 AM
Quote from: Vaskania on January 02, 2013, 12:49:22 AM
Bah- I don't know why I didn't think of using forum-genre questions earlier. We'll see how things go, thanks. :)
If bot regs cease, then I can finally remove a lot of extra steps I took to decrease them manually ( such as posting in a specific section of the forum multiple times to gain access to the rest >.> ).

i dont use any of these steps anymore. My only spam measure is the forum genre question. Just one question, no captcha. ;)
Title: Re: Why i dont get spammers in my forum
Post by: BhamRandy on January 13, 2013, 12:44:44 PM
Total spam killer. Many thanks!!!!!!!