DriverPacks.net Forum - Forums reopened to new users...for now.

Re: Forums reopened to new users...for now.

null@example.com (Wim Leers) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 12:01:40 +0000

Good news!

I've installed two new extensions:
1. one that uses StopForumSpam.com and the DNS Blackhole List (DNSBL): http://punbb.informer.com/forums/topic/ … -antispam/. This is applied when the user has successfully filled in the CAPTCHA: if it's a known spammer who fills in CAPTCHAs correctly, he'll be blocked anyway. If we report it, the blacklist becomes better because it's sent to the central DB automatically.
2. reCAPTCHA instead of the default CAPTCHA, which should be a *much* better first line of defense. Extension link: http://punbb.informer.com/forums/topic/ … recaptcha/.

This should go a long way in making this problem more manageable. Hopefully, this will now finally be a problem that we can leave behind us!

Re: Forums reopened to new users...for now.

null@example.com (Helmi) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 10:58:25 +0000

Roger, Chief!

Just moved a couple of spam posts and banned another spammer.
But I concur with the policy of taking them down before they even hit us!

That said, I think it's about time PunBB implemented Recaptcha. The current ones (I just checked) are way too easy to break for OCR...
Or replace them by some tech question; that will also keep the occasional noobs out
(I'm thinking of Leisure Suite Larry style questions for techies, if you get the idea )

Re: Forums reopened to new users...for now.

null@example.com (mr_smartepants) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 06:48:38 +0000

Over the past 48 hrs, we had over 100 new registrations and of those only 1 is confirmed as a "real" user.
That's a 99.9% spam rate. I'll try to keep tabs over this week of new registrations. If the spam rate stays this high then we'll have no choice but to "raise shields" and close the forums to new registrations again.

Re: Forums reopened to new users...for now.

null@example.com (mr_smartepants) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:47:12 +0000

OK, I've spotted a trend with new users banned for spamming the forums. None of them take the time to update their profile with any relevant info (name, country, etc.) but ALL include a spam link for their "Website" and signatures.
If a user can take the time to update that type of info, but omit their REAL info, they shouldn't be welcome here.
This is the easy "low hanging fruit" type of culling the herd.
To be honest, most "real" users will register an account and then post something driver-related on the same day because it matters enough to them to take the time to register.
User accounts that are created & updated with useless spam then not used for days/weeks are 99% spam-bot created.
Thoughts?

So, I'd like to request that all our admin/moderators be pro-active and check the "user list" menu item and check each days new registrations for spam, then ruthlessly delete the user account before they get a chance to spam us. I've deleted over 100 (lost count) new user accounts in the last 10 min.

Our automated countermeasures are failing to stem the flow of spam accounts.

If this gets much worse, we'll have to lock the forums again until we can figure out another way that works.

Also, if you spot spam in the forums, please report the offensive post(s).

Re: Forums reopened to new users...for now.

null@example.com (OverFlow) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 08:28:43 +0000

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Re: Forums reopened to new users...for now.

null@example.com (salim) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 09:58:11 +0000

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http://www2.ati.com/drivers/11-12_xp32_dd_ccc_ocl.exe
http://www2.ati.com/drivers/11-12_xp64_dd_ccc_ocl.exe
http://www2.ati.com/drivers/11-12_vista … cc_ocl.exe
http://www2.ati.com/drivers/11-12_vista … cc_ocl.exe

Mobility Radeon HD
http://www2.ati.com/drivers/mobile/11-1 … 64_ccc.exe

Re: Forums reopened to new users...for now.

null@example.com (TechDud) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 02:01:43 +0000

From Germany, here is another tool for 'ops to monitor spam. (free for admins, with a limit of no-proxies, & 200 lookups/day)
http://www.tcpiputils.com/
It includes blocklists, spamDB-lookup, has maps, email test, hp warranty look-up, W3C validator, IP Geo-location (IPv4 & 6), etc, etc, etc
Example: http://www.tcpiputils.com/browse/ip-address/9.2.0.19
I like the PortScan, personally. This site has some extensions for Chrome (port-able to FF??) & accelerators for IE here--> http://www.tcpiputils.com/browser-exten … celerators

Re: Forums reopened to new users...for now.

null@example.com (TechDud) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 06:55:20 +0000

Edmund Blackadder wrote:

i have a cunning plan... it is so cunning, you could put a tail upon it and call it a weasel!

Make the forum three-tiered. New members can only post in one small group of topics separated from the existing forum.
That will be where 99.9% of spam would end up (19 times out of 20). Op confirmation &/or a threshold of posts allow the prospective new user to post in the existing main forum. This could simplify things for an op.

Re: Forums reopened to new users...for now.

null@example.com (TechDud) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:04:52 +0000

perhaps some existing API's could help (PunBB_v1.3 compatible) --> http://punbb.informer.com/forums/topic/ … -antispam/
or this (PunBB_v1.4 compatible) --> http://punbb.informer.com/forums/topic/ … stop-spam/

if only there was an API for VirusTotal to run on PunBB. https://www.virustotal.com/advanced.html#publicapi

One other suggestion that i saw on the forum mentioned in my previous post was to remove the "Powered by PunBB" on the bottom of the page (if allowed by TermsOfAgreement) to assist in avoiding being added to 'spamlists' in the future.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Ten Worst ISP's (for spam profiteering): http://www.spamhaus.org/statistics/networks.lasso

DriverPacks.net Forum is listed by NetCraft as the 11307th most popular web site. More popular that SpaceWeather.com!
http://toolbar.netcraft.com/stats/topsi … 40C7#11307 http://spaceweather.com/

CaptainSlog wrote:

Yo soy del planeta Tierra, trabajo en el espacio exterior!

Re: Forums reopened to new users...for now.

null@example.com (Helmi) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 12:04:58 +0000

Nice idea, TechDud.
Plus, it also sorts out that type of user who cannot read nor write (properly)...
Exactly the type we don't need around here anyhow!

Re: Forums reopened to new users...for now.

null@example.com (TechDud) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 20:59:21 +0000

mmm. spam flavored hair wigs from Philadelphia!

I don't know if this helps, yet here goes.
Quoted from: http://forum.textpattern.com/viewtopic. … 37#p250037

maruchan wrote:

I changed my PunBB over to manual registration — new users email me with their reason for wanting to join the forum.
Works better than anything else I’ve tried, and it’s amazing how many new registrations are spammers. As a bonus, false-negatives tend to go back and read the instructions by themselves. :-)

AntiSpam stats from FluxBB (a little dated, yet interesting anecdotally): http://fluxbb.org/forums/viewtopic.php?id=5263

http://www.stopforumspam.com/ Search by username, IP, etc. Links to spamlists from SpamHaus, Cisco, etc.

Re: Forums reopened to new users...for now.

null@example.com (mr_smartepants) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 19:27:38 +0000

Holy crap, there's another one. I've left this in place to show what we're dealing with. I deleted two accts today already.

Re: Forums reopened to new users...for now.

null@example.com (lionasbinto) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 12:30:41 +0000

I actually like the fresh and new design, however, I was a little shocked when I first visited the site day wink
Has been a while again, but no spam to be spotted now.
Let's hope it stays that way

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Re: Forums reopened to new users...for now.

null@example.com (mr_smartepants) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 16:30:45 +0000

TechDud wrote:

I find myself missing the "Show All Posts Since Last Visit" feature of the old site.

It's still there, it's in the upper-right corner labeled "New posts" next to "Active topics" and "Unanswered topics".

Re: Forums reopened to new users...for now.

null@example.com (TechDud) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 15:22:16 +0000

I surely hope that wasn't a "Speed" reference, Keanu!

I like the new look, yet I find myself missing the "Show All Posts Since Last Visit" feature of the old site.

PS: does it do any good to "Report" spam, or does it simply compound it for an 'op?