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Re: /* Bot Spam and IP Bans */

Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2018 3:29 pm
by nicksen782
So, I've noticed that we are being hit with spam bots again. I've updated the anti-spam bot and have had it in continuous operation for a couple of weeks. I'm just going to leave it on. The users "BrantHop" and "GalenCab" are bots. I would like to request that their accounts be deleted. I have records of all deletions by the anti-spam bot. Additionally, the moderator logs will show it. Each deleted post also includes a the reason for its deletion.

Are there some additional rights that I could have that could help me with the forum's built in protection?

Re: /* Bot Spam and IP Bans */

Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2018 5:55 pm
by Jubatian
I did some deletions by the logs, wiping out users which were targeted by the anti-spam bot (neither of them did anything useful ever).

I also switched the antispam protection of the registration form to Q&A with some I guess not too difficult Uzebox-related questions. People genuinely interested in us should be able to answer them (I think).

Maybe all zero post users should be purged, I am fairly certain that we are very much full of them, most likely all of those were spam registrations (maybe such users more than a year old, those are rather unlikely to be bound to any real person caring any more).

Re: /* Bot Spam and IP Bans */

Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2018 6:00 pm
by nicksen782
419 posts deleted today thus far by the anti-spam bot.

I have IP addresses, post times, topic text, and usernames. If that info helps you then PM me for it.

We have had a handful of spam messages over the last month but today it is already over 400. Clearly they are stepping up their game again.

Alec did purge quite a bit of the 0 post users. We compared the member list with a list of users that the spam bot deleted the posts for.

Re: /* Bot Spam and IP Bans */

Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2018 6:11 pm
by Jubatian
nicksen782 wrote: Tue Jan 16, 2018 6:00 pm 419 posts deleted today thus far by the anti-spam bot.

I have IP addresses, post times, topic text, and usernames. If that info helps you then PM me for it.

We have had a handful of spam messages over the last month but today it is already over 400. Clearly they are stepping up their game again.
I saw that in the moderator logs (maybe only an admin can view those), the "BrandtHop" user was even someone who I remember deleting before (apparently re-registered with the same name).

If the Q&A is OK, we will see what they can do with it. If they are all bots then this should halt them, it should also keep out real people spammers (or possible registrations made by real people which are then passed over to bots).

Re: /* Bot Spam and IP Bans */

Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2018 6:24 pm
by nicksen782
Their usernames remain in the anti-spam bot's black list so if they re-register then their posts are deleted. I remember adding branthop within the last month. I can read the moderator logs. Today took up 5 pages worth.

I'm really glad that I kept I Hate Spam up to date.

Thanks Jubation.

Re: /* Bot Spam and IP Bans */

Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2018 3:15 pm
by D3thAdd3r
Awesome, thanks for this!

Re: /* Bot Spam and IP Bans */

Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2018 10:15 am
by Kilo
It heads up...
Every day new spam topics which I delete.
As a mod I am not able to ban these spam user. I can only delete the topics.

Re: /* Bot Spam and IP Bans */

Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2018 10:59 am
by L4rry
Kilo wrote: Fri Dec 21, 2018 10:15 am It heads up...
Every day new spam topics which I delete.
As a mod I am not able to ban these spam user. I can only delete the topics.
Much appreciated. I momentarily got excited about what the new game 'Hot Galleries' might be all about... :lol:

Re: /* Bot Spam and IP Bans */

Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2018 11:00 am
by Kilo
I was already looking forward to this game :lol:

Damn... today it is very frustrated to delete all this threads.
Always new users every few minutes

Re: /* Bot Spam and IP Bans */

Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2018 3:04 pm
by nicksen782
My anti-forum-spam bot acts as a mass post deleter. During it's creation we had lots of posts from the same usernames and ip ranges. It was not based on keywords or post contents for fear of deleting a legitimate post. However, any thread whose last post comes from a known trusted member wouldn't be deleted.

I'm an admin now and I deleted a few accounts yesterday. But, I can also see the recently created accounts list. I expect they are spam accounts that will be used in the future.

I'm more concerned that these accounts could be created. There is a spam counter measure that is supposed to be enabled with up to 10 questions about Uzebox that a bot wouldn't know. I don't think they are working or they can be easily defeated.

I wonder, perhaps we can move to admin approved new accounts? It would be hassle but we aren't super high traffic anyway. I don't want this spam here any more than you do.