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Stop Spammer

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

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EL34xyz

That'a mighty nice of you snoop.
This mod is actually worth keeping.
It has served me quite well for a year or so.

I hate to see one man software efforts because you are screwed if that one guy decides to put the code on the back burner.
I own a few pieces of software that I love, but are now abandonware.

Thanks, for your effort snoop

KensonPlays

EL34xyz, I agree with you completely!

quatermass

Can I suggest that you rename this Mod slightly, create a brand new Mod page with you as the Author and post in the new board the reason for the rename.

This will get over all the problems of waiting for someone else to do something which will probably never happen.

Then if need-be alter the Mod so that it checks that the www.stopforumspam.com site is up and running before the Mod does any checking.

This Mod is too important to lose and this latest possible bug will have seriously damaged any future user of it taking it seriously unless this issue is resolved. :)


Sabre™

#443
LOL
You cannot just take somebodies mod, rename it and then re submit it to the public! lmfao
If anybody wishes to take over another persons mod, they need to make contact with the author/owner of the mod/code.

Quote from: snoopy_virtual on February 05, 2010, 02:38:17 PM
The Mod author, M-DVD, has not been coming to SMF for more than 3 months already.

M-DVD
Last Active: January 28, 2010, 02:56:10 AM
Do NOT give admin and/or ftp details to just anybody, see if they are trust worthy first!!  Do your homework ;)


quatermass

Of course you can.
If the second owner has proof they have permission to take over, then it just happens.

We do this all the time on Yahoo Groups. The owner goes AFK and so we have to set up a new group.
If the SMF forum admins are not listening to the new owner and his request, why aren't they?

Sabre™

Quote from: quatermass on February 05, 2010, 05:57:04 PM
... they have permission to take over

Being a 'co-owner' doesn't mean you have the right to redistribute somebody elses work in another thread, which is what You have suggested.
A co-owner may update it, That is all, unless otherwise stated.
Please gain a little knowledge into the area before you reply with uneducated statements such as 'Of course you can.'  This isn't Yahoo Groups.
Now if M-DVD has given FULL ownership of this mod to another, then that is another thing...
I have seen no evidence of this
Do NOT give admin and/or ftp details to just anybody, see if they are trust worthy first!!  Do your homework ;)


CrankyOldguy

I'm not a programmer... maybe we can get some help here?  I've localized the problem, but I may not be able to fix it elegantly.
         
There are indeed 2 bugs with the current code.  When you are looking at members, it's walking the entire forum member list instead of only the 'checked' members.  That will be uglier to figure out & modify, although the example DELETE MEMBER code in ManageMembers.php should be a useful guide.  The problem area in the code starts at line 70 in StopSpammer.php.  That REALLY needs to be fixed, as I presume even when it's working 'properly' that it's hitting the SFS database with hundreds or thousands of requests that weren't intended.  Let's not do a DOS attack of them ourselves, K? ;)

The second bug is that the checkDBSpammer function is using the three options of "what to do when a database connection fails" DURING REGISTRATION to modify a member's 'spammer status' when you are just looking at them in the Admin panel MANAGE MEMBERS area.  Those options are working fine during registration, but I don't want it to mark someone as SPAMMER while looking at the MANAGE MEMBER list merely because the database is offline.  That should always return the DATABASE CONNECTION ERROR message and then abort further processing.  Maybe an easy way to correct that is to add an IS_REGISTRATION variable to what's passed to the routine, and use that to do a RETURN 0; right after the failed connection test?  The problem is that lines 38-42 of StopSpammer.php are really only intended for REGISTRATION, and not for viewing the members.

Personally, I even if there is NOT an error with the DB connection, I don't want it to automatically de-activate someone because their username appears in the SFS database.  The chance of a name false-positive is fairly good, and I don't expect a LOOK AT THIS EXISTING MEMBER to suddenly de-activate them until I say so.
         
The problem where it wipes out all members only occurs if you have "If the Connection Fail with Anti SPAM DB" Admin panel setting set to "Member Approval and show yellow icon to check later"; the other two options do NOT cause an overwrite of the member database.  You can simulate a database connection error by changing the stopforumspam.com URL in line 28 of StopSpammer.php to anything that won't resolve, like xyzzy1.org  I've verified it, and can duplicate it repeatably.

Of course, DON'T simulate a connect error if you do not know how to quickly change all of your members back to ACTIVATED. ;)  In phpMyAdmin, hit the SQL tab and enter the following:
UPDATE smf_members SET is_activated = REPLACE(is_activated,'3','1');
and then
UPDATE smf_members SET is_spammer = REPLACE(is_spammer,'8','0');


Can we stay on topic here, and not get into Robert's Rules of Order for Yahoo Groups?  Pretty please?   We'll get it fixed quicker if we don't hare off on wild unrelated tangents.

lc62003

A nice feature that could be added to this would be if IPs could be checked in the who's online list.   8)  That way admins could know when spammers are viewing the forum.  Just a thought.   :)

snoopy_virtual

#448
Please, as CrankyOldguy was saying yesterday, don't ask for any new features and try to concentrate all our efforts in the big bug discovered a few days ago. We can talk again about new features and any other topic once we sort this yellow bug.

By the way, I have starting calling it "the yellow bug" because once it attacks you all your member list is just pure yellow everywhere.

I have set a few test forums and I am doing a lot of tests there to try to find the solution, but it will save me some time if anybody can answer me these questions:




As far as I can see here: http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=283309.msg2487164#msg2487164 Tamsin reported he got the yellow bug using StopSpammer version 2.3

Is that right or is it just a typo?

I mean, I would understand a newbie using an old version, but Tamsin is a Charter Member and I thought he knew version 2.3 has been obsolete since December 2009




More questions:

Anybody has seen this yellow bug using a version older than 2.3?

I can check that myself just installing a lot of different versions in a test forum, but it will save me time if anybody can answer that.

Knowing exactly when this bug started and knowing (as I know) what lines have been added or modified in each version can give me a clue about where the problem can be.




Another one:

Anybody has seen it using SMF 2.0 RC2?

I am not really worry just now about SMF 2.0 anyway, because nobody in his right mind will use an RC program for an important site, but I suppose that eventually, when I find the mistake in the mod for SMF 1.1.11 I will need to check it for SMF 2.0 as well.

And it can even be another clue.




By the way, in the test forums I have created to study this bug, I am continuously repeating inside them the conditions where the yellow bug occurs, trying to find exactly in what point the mod goes mad.

Every time this happens the forum blocks itself and I need to sort it if I want to continue using it.

The first time I went inside the DB and sort it manually, using a SQL line similar to the one CrankyOldguy has pointed out a few times, but after that I did a file to automatize all the process with just one click so I can continue with the tests easily.

If anybody want that file, as I still have no access to the mod's main page, I have put it in my server with all the rest of the files concerning this mod:

http://www.snoopyvirtualstudio.com/trankos/portal/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=36&topic=296.msg1263#msg1263

It is very useful if you got the yellow bug and you want to sort your forum with just one click.




I want to thank as well all the people who have been making suggestions about where the mistake can be. Either here in this forum or in my own forum.

Anyway I have been checking all those suggestions and the mistake is not in any of them, so please, continue thinking and sending suggestions until we find it.

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.

snoopy_virtual

OK, as nobody was answering my questions, I have done the tests myself and now I can tell you for sure that the yellow bug didn't affect version 2.2 but it affects version 2.3

It means it started from version 2.3 onwards, so it must be in the few lines M-DVD and myself added or modified last September.

I have seen also that the yellow bug affects as well SMF 2.0 if you are using mod StopSpammer from 2.3 onward.

Of course, if you are using StopSpammer 2.3 you must be using SMF 2.0 RC1, because StopSpammer 2.3 is not compatible with RC2 and StopSpammer from 2.3.1 onward are only compatible with SMF 2.0 RC2

Anyway it affects all the versions of mod StopSpammer from 2.3 to 2.3.6

So it means I have just now the bug surrounded and it can only be in a few lines of code.

I suppose it won't take me too long now to find it.

(I hope)

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.

snoopy_virtual

Quote from: Sabre™ on February 05, 2010, 04:53:58 PM
...

Quote from: snoopy_virtual on February 05, 2010, 02:38:17 PM
The Mod author, M-DVD, has not been coming to SMF for more than 3 months already.

M-DVD
Last Active: January 28, 2010, 02:56:10 AM

Hi Sabre,

I didn't really wanted to answer to that until I sort the problem with the yellow bug, but, as I have been already working on it for too many hours (I don't even remember when was the last time I slept) and I think I should take a small break, I'm going to use this break to give you just a few small facts.

If you check inside M-DVD's profile and you check his posts you can see that he has been a very active member of SMF from the 12th of August 2007 until the 15th of October 2009 and he has published in that time 1651 posts.

But from the 15th of October 2009 he hasn't been coming here. Only sometimes (maybe once every 2 months) just to see a couple of things and check his PMs, but from that day until today he has just written one post.

This one:

Quote from: M-DVD on December 15, 2009, 10:03:16 AM
Hi

snoopy_virtual (co-author) has made the fixs for SMF 2RC2 and others. Soon he will be attaching the new version, that will have the fixs.  :)

That was his last post in SMF.

Actually, I still keep a copy of the PM M-DVD sent me on the 7th of December 2009 telling me that, as he wasn't going to be available any more, and I knew all the lines in the code of this mod as well as him, because we have talked hundred of times about every small change in them, he wanted to give me full ownership of this mod.

He was just worried because maybe it will mean a lot more work for me and he knows I already have too many things to do.

I also keep a copy of the PM I sent him back answering him I didn't want to take his name from the mod. It was actually me who suggested that a co-ownership will be better even if he is not coming back for a few years. This way he will always have a door open if his life changes and he has time to work here again.

And in that same PM I told him that anyway this is not going to be more work for me because I am always trying to make this mod work as good as possible, because without this mod I will need to close all my forums.

Of course the only way you have to check if I am telling the truth is sending a PM to M-DVD and asking him.

If you do that, you just need to be patient, as M-DVD only checks his PMs once every 2 or 3 months.  ;)




Anyway.

Enough of talking about things that doesn't really matter and back to work.

This fu... yellow bug is going to die soon.

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.

Nerd3D

Hands Snoopy a can of Jolt cola and a nuclear powered bug zapper.  You efforts are really appreciated.

snoopy_virtual

#452
Quote from: Nerd3D on February 07, 2010, 12:07:16 PM
Hands Snoopy a can of Jolt cola and a nuclear powered bug zapper.  You efforts are really appreciated.

That's exactly what I was needing. As soon as you gave me the nuclear powered bug zapper I found the bast... I mean, the bug.  ;D

It's not a joke.

Well, it's only half a joke.  :)

I have found it.

I have already published version 2.3.7 without the yellow bug.

Anyway, as I have seen that a lot of people don't read the changelog that is always included with every update, because I have seen people talking about things wrong inside their template files, I am going to copy it here as well:




QuoteVersion 1.0 - 31th December 2008
   o Initial release
   o Can Block the Registry of Spammer in your Forum
   o Will be checked their data (nickname, IP and mail) in SFS DB
   o If match any data, the user is inactive Waiting for Approval
   o You can set enabled the Inmediate Registration with this MOD
   o Also, it keeps a record number of all Spammers Blocked
   o Compatible with SMF 1.1.X & SMF 2b-RC
Version 2.0 - 08th February 2009
   + You can enable and disable this MOD with a click
   + The MOD automatically test your host for conection remote
   + You can choose the action if the connection fails
   + Your user will have three states (blue, yellow & red)
   + You can check any data in SFS Web, with a click
   + You can check all data of many members with a click
   + You can report many members with a simple click
   !  Fixed issue with membername and error in conection
   ?  Unistall & Update. It's not necessary to re-edit the template files
Version 2.1 - 08th February 2009
   !  Fixed typo bug in the function checkreportMembers
   ?  Unistall & Update. It's not necessary to re-edit the template files
Version 2.2 - 13th February 2009
   !  Fix issue in Registration from ACP
   ?  Unistall & Update. It's not necessary to re-edit the template files
Version 2.3 - 27th September 2009
   * Changes in the Code
   * Regex repaired (the API XML SFS's was changed)
   * If the member is approved is showed in blue
   + You can go to check & report a member via his profile
   + If the API limit query is exceded, you will be notified
   ?  Unistall & Update. It's not necessary to re-edit the template files
Version 2.3.7 - 7th February 2010
   * Changes in the Code to make the mod compatible with 1.1.11 and 2.0 RC2
   * Some minor changes in english language files
   + You can use now your own API key if you want
   + You can now decide if the mod will check or not the username, email and IP
   + 7 new strings in language files
   !  Fixed the yellow bug
   !  Fixed issue with utf-8 spanish language files
   !  Fixed some minor bugs
   ?  Unistall & Update. It's not necessary to re-edit the template files
       unless you have in your template folder the file
       ManageMembers.template.php or Register.template.php

QuoteLegend

oFeature
*Change
+Added
-Eliminated
!Bug Fixed
?How to Update

As you can see in the changelog, you need to check your "Theme" folder to see if your particular Theme has any of these files:

ManageMembers.template.php or Register.template.php

From version 2.3 to version 2.3.7 I have done changes in both files and the installer will update only the files inside your "default Theme" folder.

If your particular Theme has any of those 2 files you will need to do the changes manually.

Anyway this is only if you are updating from version 2.3 to version 2.3.7

From version 2.3.6 to 2.3.7 you won't need that, just uninstall the old one and install the new one.




As always, this new version is in my server:

http://www.snoopyvirtualstudio.com/trankos/portal/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=36&topic=296.0




By the way Nerd, thanks for the nuclear powered bug zapper.

I am going to use it just now in borderlands to see how it goes.  ;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.

giveaway365.com

Yes ! thanks snoopy .. I will try to install it tonight !!
Last week I discovered a yellow bug and its fixed today itself !...

Thanks !!

Nerd3D

Installed and seems happy in my 1.1.11. Snoopy ROCKS!

giveaway365.com

Snoopy there is one more small bug... the member count count bug.

As soon as a new spammer registers and marked as a spammer and is awaiting approval, the member count is reduced to the real good members. I was using 2.3.6 version on smf 1.1.11 . I have not yet tested on 2.3.7.

The member count should be a total of non approved & approved member.

The manual work around I do is the recount posts in admin maintenance.

kicky

Hi, I installed this mod in my SMF 1.1.11

But everyone can not register....
The error is

Fatal error: Cannot redeclare spammercheck() (previously declared in /home/innovaco/public_html/Sources/Register.php:603) in /home/innovaco/public_html/Sources/Register.php on line 681

When someone click register.

can someone help me?
thanks in advance

mbreber

Hi, I installed this mod in my SMF 1.1.11 and I´m using Cratian language.

I have changed my Themes/default/languages/Modifications.croatian-utf8.php and translated but I see there´s a lo more of text:

Quote
    $txt['stopspammer_error'] = 'Error with DB Anti SPAM. Connection Failed.<br />
    Please try again later, or Contact with the WebMaster';
    $txt['stopspammer_count'] = 'Spammers have been blocked to date';
    $txt['stopspammer_title'] = 'Search more info in `Stop Forum Spam`';

    $txt['stopspammer_enable'] = 'Enable/Disable MOD Stop Spammer';
    $txt['stopspammer_show01'] = 'Show Link "More Info" for All Member';
    $txt['stopspammer_show01_sub'] = 'You can check any member at any time with one simple click';

    $txt['stopspammer_faildb'] = 'If the Connection Fail with DB Anti SPAM...';
    $txt['stopspammer_fail01'] = 'Show Error and Stop Registration';
    $txt['stopspammer_fail02'] = 'Allow Immediate Registration';
    $txt['stopspammer_fail03'] = 'Member Approval and show icon for check';
    $txt['stopspammer_faildb1_sub'] = 'Your host can make remote connection to the DB';
    $txt['stopspammer_faildb2_sub'] = 'Your host couldn\'t make connection to the DB, Try again later<br />
    If it continue see Topic of Support and search ';
    $txt['stopspammer_not_translate'] = '<a href="http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=283309.new#post_issues"><span class="error"><b>Known Issues</b></span></a>';

    $txt['stopspammer_leyd01'] = 'Not Spammer: This data wasn\'t in a DB. But you can check';
    $txt['stopspammer_leyd02'] = 'Suspect: This member couldn\'t be checked. Check now';
    $txt['stopspammer_leyd03'] = 'Spammers: See more info of activity of this spammers';

    $txt['stopspammer_profilecheck'] = 'Check this member';
    $txt['stopspammer_limitexceded'] = 'You have exceded the check limiting (5000 API queries per day).<br />
    You should wait from tomorrow for check again.';

    $txt['in_stop_forum_spam'] = 'In Stop Forum Spam Web:';
    $txt['spammers_checks'] = 'Check these Members';
    $txt['spammers_report'] = 'Report these Members';
    $txt['confirm_spammers_checks'] = 'Are you sure you want to check the selected members?';
    $txt['confirm_spammers_report'] = 'Are you sure you want to report the selected members?\n\n
    Think that when you report a member to SFS he/she is marked as spammer all over the world\n
    and he/she won\\\'t be able to use any of the forums connected to SFS around the world.\n\n
    Do it only if you are completely sure they are spammers and if by any chance you make a mistake\n
    tell as soon as possible the mod\\\'s creator to correct the mistake inside the SFS database.';


Where should I put this text. In what language .php file?
Please help!!!

giveaway365.com

Installed the mod... seems to work fine atleast with me... waiting for some spammers now ;)

Also will check on member count bug , if it still exists  on 2.3.7 with smf 1.1.11
Using my own API key and username unticked.

snoopy_virtual

Quote from: giveaway365.com on February 08, 2010, 02:08:22 AM
Snoopy there is one more small bug... the member count count bug.

As soon as a new spammer registers and marked as a spammer and is awaiting approval, the member count is reduced to the real good members. I was using 2.3.6 version on smf 1.1.11 . I have not yet tested on 2.3.7.

The member count should be a total of non approved & approved member.

The manual work around I do is the recount posts in admin maintenance.

This bug has been there since the first version 1.0 of the mod.

Once of this days we need to sort it.

The problem is that it's also very very difficult to find where it is.

I have tried to find it thousands of times and cannot.

But, as it seems also very harmless and there is always a lot of more important things to do I always say "ok, Ill try again another day".

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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