Anti-Spam Verification Questions for SMF 1.1.x

[Deprecated]

Mike, it doesn't get much better than this, when I can make my friends happy and make our enemies cry.

Folks, I'm trying to repeat those errors so that I know when I've fixed my code, but I can't make it fail and cause an error. I have a pretty good idea what is wrong, and a few ideas on how to fix it, but I'll really appreciate if somebody can find one way to cause one of those error log entries. That would really help in getting this fixed.

[damnitmike]

I started a new SMF site, for fun. From day #1 the spambots were hitting it.

I just installed your mod Dep.

No errors so far, installed beautifully.

Error log I cleaned out also. So I'll start with a clean slate. The same spambot , that I had banned, was the only thing showing up in it. From Amsterdam...

Sorry Guest, you have been banned from this forum


I'll give you all the help I can.

[splatman]

I would just like to explain to the person registering why they are answering silly questions.  A sot of, title to the section.

Like the image in my attachment yeah?
But obviously your own layout?

You add the text in your  languages/Modifications.english.php, and the other edits in your  Register.template.php  in your default theme.

If you need further assistance, Im sure someone could add code here for the layout you'd prefer, after you've provided the necessary information

Good luck

Sabre - This is exactly what I'm looking for...just something to tell the user why they are answering some potentially silly question. 

Can you give me a bit more code assistance?  I just don't know where in the two files you mentioned to add the text. 

Thanks again,

Jay

[forumite]

I'm trying to repeat those errors so that I know when I've fixed my code, but I can't make it fail and cause an error.

I've also been trying to repeat them, but all I've found so far is:

• They don't occur on successful logins.
• They don't occur if I answer a question incorrectly
• They don't occur if I merely don't answer the questions.

Apologies, you probably already know this.

[Deprecated]

splatman, I will appreciate if you and Sabre could start a different topic to custom modify your code to whatever suits you. I suggest that you should discuss that in the Coding Discussion board.

[splatman]

Understood.  Thought it might be a nice addition to the mod as well. 

Jay

[Deprecated]

Everybody:

I have just uploaded a revised modification package, Version 1.01, which should fix the undefined index problems.

I will appreciate if everybody will please verify they are using Version 1.01 of this modification before making any new error reports. It's important for you to provide this feedback because I am not getting any errors on my test site, and I don't have any 1.1.7 production sites so there's just no way I can test this myself to see if it is now fixed.

Thank you everybody for the feedback and please keep it coming in. The Anti-Spam Verification Questions modification is going to be the main focus of my day here, and I'll be reading and updating this topic throughout the day. I intend to fix any new errors as they are found, and I'm hoping by the end of the day (10 hours from now) that we can have this modification stable and error free.

[Deprecated]

Understood.  Thought it might be a nice addition to the mod as well. 

Thanks for the ideas Jay. I've got my mind dead set on imitating SMF 2.0 as closely as possible, and as far as I know SMF 2.0 doesn't have that. However, give it a few days until this modification has settled down, and I might be able to whip up a follow-up package to add clarification to various items on the registration page, including what the verification questions are, and even including a statement about what kind of password strength is required.

It's just that I have so many things zipping back and forth across my radar that I don't want to take the focus away from the verification questions. I expect that by the weekend not only will the registration verification questions be working okay, but I think I can get the guest posting verification going too.

This is very important because I believe that we can strengthen SMF 1.1.7 to be equally as strong as SMF 2.0 with regards to spamming protection, and I believe if we can do that we will have totally destroyed the spambot invasion at least for SMF forums. That's what God told me to do, and that's the plan!

[forumite]

A big thanks.

I'm manually applying the mod. Did all the modified files from the original mod change, or a specific one?

Cancel this request - I went ahead and changed all original files and re-uploaded them. I'll be keeping an eye on the log and will report any anomalies.

[bullbreedluverz]

worked fine on my test site which is a duplicate of my working site, no install probs what so ever and wouldnt let me register without answering the questions so its doing its job to the letter

good on ya for helping to improve the defences against nobs and there bots - should be standard on 1.1.7 (hint hint SMF team)

[forumite]

Just for clarification, for the folks intending to manually modify their files ....

The instructions to Find: and Add before: (or Add after:) should be interpreted literally. Some mod authors follow the syntax used in the modification.xml file, where <search position="before"> means add the new code after the found code, and <search position="after"> means add the new code before the found code. This has led to confusion in another recent mod-related topic.

[forumite]

No more errors have shown up since using the new (1.01) code, although I've witnessed spam bots unsuccessfully attemptng to register, and I've successfully registered additional accounts as a POM.

[Deprecated]

Thanks for the news forumite. It looks like we have the bugs splatting against the windshield now, but they are having no effect inside our nice forums.

As far as that "before" and "after" thing, I usually get it wrong when writing my mod packages, and I always have to try it twice to get it right. One of either me or the person who designed that is out of sync, that's for sure!

If we can get a few more reports that the spammers are trying to get in but no errors are getting generated, we may have reached the point where Version 1 can be considered to be error free. I'm updating some of my other mod packages today, but I hope to return to the guest posting verification questions tomorrow, to zip up the last gap and keep these damned mosquitos^H^H^H^H^H^H^Hspambots out.



old bbs joke if you didn't get the ^H stuff

[splatman]

Error free for me.  I've observed several "bots" attempting to gain access and not getting in.

[mashby]

Sweet. Looks like that little tweak did the trick. I can see the bots trying to register and they are still failing and no longer creating forum errors in the log!
Thanks!

[Bob Gould]

I just tried to install Version: 1.01 Date 2008-11-24
Compatibility: SMF 1.1.7 and get
Installing this package will perform the following actions:
   Type    Action    Description
1.    Execute Modification    ./Sources/Register.php    Test successful
2.    Execute Modification    ./Sources/ManageRegistration.php    Test successful
3.    Execute Modification    ./Themes/default/Register.template.php    Test failed

I am being hit hard by spam and would like to end it

[mashby]

Attach your Register.template.php file...I can take a look.

[Cal O'Shaw]

Hi,

Tried to install this on my 1.1.7 system, but install failed on register.php.

I should mention I also have your Anti-Bot Registration puzzles installed, so I don't know if there is interference.

Would you recommend installing both?  Or one over the other?

Your MODs are really great... you're making my job a heck of a lot easier and my users appreciate it (even if they don't know it ).

Grazie,

Cal

[Bob Gould]

OK here it is

[KenAthas]

I think this is the best mod going.

Keeping all the spam out it the hardest part of creating a good forum.......

Thanks. I am installing it now and look forward to future enhancements.