VBulletin spam. Any tips?
 

One of my mainstream message boards is getting hammered with spam signups. I am using the innate VBull username ban list. For example, you can't sign up using "viagra" in the name. I have the captcha box on. But they are still getting through.

Any tips are appreciated.

Thanks,

Ban mail.ru

after we enabled reCaptcha we have 0 spam, though earlier we get dozens of spam posts daily (see human verification manager)

same, I also religiously watch the failed signups and if I get too many from a class-c I block the whole class-c. once i enabled recapcha I notice they try to get in but can't. Remember there are 2 image verifications on vBulletin, the other one sucks big time.

Either of you ever wondered if it also stops legitimate joins? I tried to join a couple of boards using it and I couldn't get it right for the life of me.

I don't think it's ever stopped a real join.

I don't have it set to the max, I just have it set to a comfortable level. Now if they can't figure out what it says then I don't want them on my site to begin with.

Also try the challenge question.

Think up a few questions that a human can answer and set up the challenge answer in vBulletin.

ICQ me if you want a link to my forums.

Well at least they can trumpet that it's 100% effective at reducing spam! Just add an * and say it's 100% effective at reducing signups as well. LOL. :thumbsup

Bump for Cory

Any more suggestions?

I've given up on some sites because of captcha, tried like 3 or 4 times and just gave up.

i fucking at spammers btw, they crap everything on the net

Trust me, I understand :helpme

The challenge question is a good one :thumbsup

+1


..............

Thanks everyone.

I installed a challenge question for a charity forum... they were getting pounded and almost dissolved their website due to extreme spam. After I did that they had NONE.

use the human verification question. if you can create creative questions it eliminates all spambot signups.

Yup, question is what we use as well. That stops spam.

There's a plugin caleld NoSpam! last time I checked. It is installed on several of our boards and works perfectly.

I don't see the question option under "human verification?"

Find a good programmer than can implement a DNSBL, RBL, Open Proxy monitoring/blocking. It will block most of the bots, but still allow the real users to join. But make sure you use the right RBL databases

my auto sign up bots get around the captchas

Most bots are smarter than humans when it comes to captchas

Also keep in mind captchas dont fix the problem with handwritten spam - RBL's do a lot better job there

that's the best thing i ever did :thumbsup

Agreed....

Ban users from mail.ru for sure

There was a thread about this on slashdot yesterday. Particulally interesting was that it was applying filtering posts themselves, so even if the signups go through, the posts will be blocked...

captcha doesnt work


you need to enable the regular image verification, AND then go into your admin panel and turn on the "human verification" question - it will eliminate all of your bot registrations immediately

:thumbsup

I was getting about 30 signups per day - tho rarely any actual posts but just installed NoSpam!

Added about 10 random questions so we'll see if that puts an end to it.

change your signup & login forms to flash.....problem solved

yeah ban mail.ru