Recent spam and moderation

[Kogut]

Doesn't phpbb include some default feature which requires new posts of users in a specific usergroup to be reviewed by a moderator first before being posted? If that'd work for the very first post of every newly registered user, it might be a nice way to keep the spam out of sight without installing mods.

Just a bit of brainstorming here.

Bad idea. A lot of work and will stop one of the nice things on that forum - answers after just minutes. (It is the same problem as FR on wikipedia).

[SHADOW-XIII]

I wanted to say that popular http://www.xda-developers.com/ (just hit 3mln members) is using protection that no link can be post by new member till they reach 6-10 posts (then they are upgraded automatically to a member who can post links in their posts).
Trying to post with url inside the post (url tags or just http or www inside sends user back to editing page saying that due to spam new users are unable to post links until they are verified (which happens by system between 6-10 posts) ...

[Hyronymus]

Is it running phpBB too, Shadow?

I get the idea that a new type of script is available to post spam. Today I noticed for the 2nd time that spam message subjects contained numbers that wnet up with every spam message they posted.

[XeryusTC]

It should be available in phpBB too, just make a seperate user group which becomes the default member group for new users and put some restrictions in place. There should be a method to automatically assign someone to another member group when they reach a certain post count. Some forums use this method for semi-restricted parts like tweakers.net's Huiskamer (living room) which requires you to have made 50 posts to access it.

[SHADOW-XIII]

Is it running phpBB too, Shadow?

I get the idea that a new type of script is available to post spam. Today I noticed for the 2nd time that spam message subjects contained numbers that wnet up with every spam message they posted.

they running on vBulletin but I believe you can make something similar with little effort like XeryusTC said having some Noob group for people with less than 10 posts - you are unable to post message with url inside, also signature editing is blocked for them till they get out of that rank

mind that it will not make them raise spambot post count as spambot will not be able to post any link inside, simple as that, so the only way spambot will be able to spam is to post with plain text (we could block IMG tags too)

[ChillCore]

Hello, fellow spaminators.

The two previous links I posted were "approved" phpBB mods.
The one in the link below is not yet approved but according to the last post in the thread it does its job just fine ...
http://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtopi ... &t=2096637

I found the link near the end of this thread which is quite an interesting read to see the pov of many different people.
http://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtopi ... &t=1861645

[Chrill]

We already have user groups on this forum. Just make sure that the lowest is split in two. When you've posted 5 posts, you'll reach the second "part" of the lowest group. It will show no difference if it is named the same, yet it will allow you to post links.

[Hyronymus]

We already have user groups on this forum. Just make sure that the lowest is split in two. When you've posted 5 posts, you'll reach the second "part" of the lowest group. It will show no difference if it is named the same, yet it will allow you to post links.

And that might be the problem: as far as I'm aware usergroup names need to be unqiue.

[Chrill]

We already have user groups on this forum. Just make sure that the lowest is split in two. When you've posted 5 posts, you'll reach the second "part" of the lowest group. It will show no difference if it is named the same, yet it will allow you to post links.

And that might be the problem: as far as I'm aware usergroup names need to be unqiue.

Ah, I see. I was under the impression they could have different names in the Admin control panel, yet appear the same in the forum itself.

An alternative take on it would be to slightly revamp the different groups in terms of which post numbers they cover, making the first group only apply only to posts 0 through 10 or similar

[Dave]

Put a space after "Engineer", thus you'll have that and "Engineer ". That's unique and looks the same haha.b

[Hyronymus]

Put a space after "Engineer", thus you'll have that and "Engineer ". That's unique and looks the same haha.b

Not a bad idea, if Owen rather doesn't add a new usergroup.

Yesterday I wondered if it's possible to make signatures a requirement to register.

[John]

Also, with regards to the spammer we just had who posted 95(!) posts, don't feel obliged to report every single post - one is enough, and I can then simply use an option to move or delete all its posts at once.

Do we know if it was human all the way, or human registered then bot?

If its human all the way, then restrictions on the first 5 posts will do very little (especially if you highlight why the post isn't being allowed).

You find a block, they find a way around it, you block that, they find away around that...

[orudge]

An alternative take on it would be to slightly revamp the different groups in terms of which post numbers they cover, making the first group only apply only to posts 0 through 10 or similar

Those are ranks, not groups - the two are not directly connected. Some groups can have specific ranks (such as the assorted moderator groups), but it's not mandatory. I'll look into this feature once I get back to the US, although people may have to bug me due to general busyness.

And John, I have no idea, really. We've not had anything quite as bad as that since, though.

[John]

We've not had anything quite as bad as that since, though.

You shouldn't have said that!

Current spammer is at 45 posts.

Interestingly the account registered 17th Jan, and has waited until 27th November to spam. 9 Months and 10 days of waiting.


I wonder if someone has started a business in creating forum accounts and selling the activated ones on to spammers...

[Dante123]

isn't there some peace of code/script at phpbb that will check of a user posts the same block of text over and over again over all his posts ?

as far as i can see they just copy/paste the same stuff in each post

[orudge]

isn't there some peace of code/script at phpbb that will check of a user posts the same block of text over and over again over all his posts ?

Not that I know of. It wouldn't be particularly efficient, really, either.

[Hyronymus]

isn't there some peace of code/script at phpbb that will check of a user posts the same block of text over and over again over all his posts ?

Not that I know of. It wouldn't be particularly efficient, really, either.

Indeed, as most spammers post different messages.

[WWTBAM]

I will happily accept nominations if it comes to looking for a new moderator from a timezone similar to mine. I will partially take that back about Raichase as he has posted recently.

I am still available if so wanted, but my time for personal internet usage will be going down after Jan 17th or or so as I will be starting my new Traineeship then but may have time still after then during work hours.

[Ammler]

around 90% of the spam I read from tt-forums is in the TTD Graphics Section, but we can't blame Pikka and Lakie, they need to moederate one of the most busy sections alone.

I wondered already, why the 2 dev groups aren't moderator there, that could make that section already quite better.

Please add those 2 groups there and give poor Pikkabird and Lakie some support.


Greets
Ammler

[Hyronymus]

around 90% of the spam I read from tt-forums is in the TTD Graphics Section, but we can't blame Pikka and Lakie, they need to moederate one of the most busy sections alone.

I wondered already, why the 2 dev groups aren't moderator there, that could make that section already quite better.

Please add those 2 groups there and give poor Pikkabird and Lakie some support.


Greets
Ammler

And a lot of possible spam is filtered out in advance. Please support our efforts to reduce spam to a minimal amount by just reporting it (and not replying to it) and when we really find it necessary we will move our main focus to the sections you mentioned.