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Whois

Not applicable

Whois

On my website I get applications for registration and I always check them first on Whois.
As it is a very specialised one I can confidently delete the ones from Russia, China and the like.
Today I inputted the IP into Google and it was an automated forum spambot from Israel.
I also check the username and email address as the rubbish ones are just that - rubbish!
I just wanted to know if anyone has any general advice or information to offer me as this is all new and I don't know much about it (all guess work).
Luckily, since we've been open there has only been about 2 or 3 instances of spam so I just quickly deleted the member plus post and that was it.
10 REPLIES 10
sharpyuk
Grafter
Posts: 69
Registered: ‎27-02-2010

Re: Whois

Hi Poppy,
This is always a pain when it comes to online forms.  I would recommend adding a script which will enable a CAPTCHA system. 
CAPTCHA is a random letter / number generate that loads in the form of an image so it can't be read by bots or spam systems.  If you search the net for CAPTCHA scripts, you will find a free one that you can use with your forms so you know its a human filling it in and not just an automated script (spamming)
Smiley
dvorak
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 29,473
Thanks: 6,623
Fixes: 1,482
Registered: ‎11-01-2008

Re: Whois

[me=adiewoo]goes off to spam poppies forum[/me]
Customer / Moderator
If it helped click the thumb
If it fixed it click 'This fixed my problem'
sharpyuk
Grafter
Posts: 69
Registered: ‎27-02-2010

Re: Whois

LOL
adie:quote
Not applicable

Re: Whois

Thanks for replies. We do have CAPTCHA so don't know why we still get Russians and others trying to get on the board. I had to lower it a touch because it was unreadable and I was getting problems. However, it certainly isn't easy now and I occasionally have to register people myself when they can't manage.
Surely spambots can't read this?
And Adiewoo - you are welcome to come and spam the board with the condition that you join us in Cairn-dom - SEE HERE for details. I can promise you a warm welcome.
sharpyuk
Grafter
Posts: 69
Registered: ‎27-02-2010

Re: Whois

You could block know IP ranges that are based in russia etc.
If you put that as part of your form validation then it shall take out the russians Tongue well, as long as they are in russia at the time or going through a russian provider.
Here is a service that will provide you a list of IP's based on country
http://www.ipaddresslocation.org/ip_ranges/get_ranges.php
mentalist3d
Grafter
Posts: 371
Registered: ‎20-08-2009

Re: Whois

I found this tool very effective for weeding out the spam: http://stopforumspam.com/
Not applicable

Re: Whois

Yes, have come across this website too. I put suspect IP addresses in the Google search bar and more often than not Stopforumspam comes at the top.
It is an excellent resource. I think that I have more or less got it sorted now and am not getting spammed at all (fingers crossed).
Any from China and Russia I just delete. Have had USA ones that I am suspicious about (proxies) so when I am not sure I just send them an email asking what their interest is in Cairn Terriers.
So far 100% of those that jmdlp and I have emailed don't respond so our suspicions were correct.
We get several bogus applications each week and as our captcha is set at medium I can't  understand how machines can read it. Is it being done by humans and if so, are they stupid or what?
They must know that a membership/registration only forum would weed them out.  Huh
David_W
Rising Star
Posts: 2,305
Thanks: 33
Registered: ‎19-07-2007

Re: Whois

One particularly effective way I found to stop spammers registering is part of the SMF features.  When you sign up you get a captcha, but you can also add random questions which a machine (which may be able to read a captcha) cannot answer.
For instance:
What colour is this text?
A human would put "red", a machine would fall over itself (plus it allows for a lighter captcha to be used).
Not applicable

Re: Whois

That is a good bit of advice, particularly in relation to lowering the captcha level as they can be a bit complex for some people to read.
Thank you for reply.
mentalist3d
Grafter
Posts: 371
Registered: ‎20-08-2009

Re: Whois

Captcha isn't 100% effective nowadays but is good for stopping the bulk of spam registrations. A company that breaks Captchas in the name of research can be found @  http://ocr-research.org.ua/index.html
As for human registrations, I think they are relying more on a less vigilante admin to approve their account Smiley