Thanks to all the webmasters and programmers for the responses.
I am on a Windows box so Strongbox is not an option, but I do have a comparable product that allows me to throttle and block. Yet I do not use the throttle option as that leads to emails with pissed off members. IF they are clearly using a mass download program, and I have analysed the logs to identify them, I give them a warning. Second time I cut them off and change their password.
The benefit of protecting the page counters is, I do enable dictionary attack, which to the server seems like that is happening when they try to Quadsuck 10,000 page counter scripts, and they get cut off for 6 hours. That is enough for one day, they try again the next and receive an email. Fortunately I only have to deal with this a couple times a week with 3000+ members.
The real problem is, it will only get worse. As raymor correctly pointed out, this "quad" option is enabled in IE6 by default (offline files) that I had not considered. As technology advances we have to stay ahead of the cheaters yet provide for our members. Arrrrggg.
More boxes, more ram, dual CPUs, more bandwidth, and less revenue from the "cheaters". It's a pain in the ass to review logfiles everyday, but hey, who else but me is going to do it ya ?
Thanks again for all the viewpoints, some great answers !!
take care, i be lurkin' back at ya
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