phpBB2Refugees.com Logo
Not affiliated with or endorsed by the phpBB Group

Register •  Login 

Continue the legacy...

Welcome to all phpBB2 Refugees!Wave Smilie

This site is intended to continue support for the legacy 2.x line of the phpBB2 bulletin board package. If you are a fan of phpBB2, please, by all means register, post, and help us out by offering your suggestions. We are primarily a community and support network. Our secondary goal is to provide a phpBB2 MOD Author and Styles area.

The bots are adapting....


 
Search this topic... | Search MOD Requests... | Search Box
Register or Login to Post    Index » MOD Requests  Previous TopicPrint TopicNext Topic
Author Message
circleofatlantis
Board Member



Joined: 12 Jul 2009

Posts: 13



PostPosted: Sun Oct 28, 2012 9:59 pm 
Post subject: The bots are adapting....

Seems the bots have adapted.

I was using the no profile details mod and the nospam word mod, and the other day I started getting new usernames and immediate posting of spam again. They worked well for a long time but seem to be past their use by date now.

I changed the word in the nospam mod for now, which is holding them out again.

Whats the latest on anti-bot mods ? Looks like I need to add something new.
Back to top
Salvatos
Board Member



Joined: 19 Feb 2009

Posts: 449
Location: Québec


flag
PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 1:17 pm 
Post subject: Re: The bots are adapting....

I haven't heard of yours before so I don't know how they work and how they could be improved, but Anti-Bot Question has never failed me and it's been several years now. Granted, my forum is pretty small so I don't expect spammers to go all out and crack its specific defenses, and I'm not protected against human spammers.

What it does is ask a question at account creation and when posting anonymously. You can make your own questions and include an image if you want, asking something like "What color is the biggest cercle in the image" or "How many of these apples are not red."
Back to top
circleofatlantis
Board Member



Joined: 12 Jul 2009

Posts: 13



PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 7:30 pm 
Post subject: Re: The bots are adapting....

The no spam mod is basically the same. Ask the person to type in the word "nospam". It worked for several years, but obviously someone who makes bots went looking for why they were failing, and found a forum using that mod, and adapted the bot. Since a lot are using the mod unchanged, that would work.

I've changed mine now to a different word. And set it up so I can slide a new word in very quickly if need be.

Originally it was a maths question, but they adapted to that pretty quickly and changing the number didnt matter. Then I used a mod to change the maths question to nospam.

Is there a link to the mod your using ?
Back to top
Salvatos
Board Member



Joined: 19 Feb 2009

Posts: 449
Location: Québec


flag
PostPosted: Tue Oct 30, 2012 1:22 am 
Post subject: Re: The bots are adapting....

Try this: http://www.phpbbhacks.com/download/6697
If it doesn't work I can upload it somewhere (maybe here if attachments allow zipped files).
Back to top
circleofatlantis
Board Member



Joined: 12 Jul 2009

Posts: 13



PostPosted: Tue Oct 30, 2012 1:28 am 
Post subject: Re: The bots are adapting....

Got it ok. Thanks.

Will look at it as soon as I can.
Back to top
Jim_UK
Board Member



Joined: 19 Nov 2008

Posts: 656
Location: North West UK


flag
PostPosted: Tue Oct 30, 2012 3:42 pm 
Post subject: Re: The bots are adapting....

Quote:
The no spam mod is basically the same. Ask the person to type in the word "nospam".


Is "nospam" the example word used in the mod and if so did you use the word "nospam"?

If that is the case then I am not surprised that bots manage to register as all the bot writer has to do is make that change to registration process.

I have installed the VIP mod and I guess it is very similar to what you are using. In 6 years no bot has ever registered - only a handful of humans and they are easily dealt with if you have a good team of moderators.
Now of course you can have a human register on many boards and then there will be a bot that follows up maybe days or even weeks later to post multiple spam posts. Looks like a bot registered and posted but it was a combined effort. The registrants are invariably poor people who would be paid a pittance for each registration they make.

Jim
Back to top
Porkchop
Board Member



Joined: 17 Sep 2012

Posts: 2



PostPosted: Wed Dec 05, 2012 2:28 pm 
Post subject: Re: The bots are adapting....

Here is one I use and have for years and have not had a spam bot one on my sites ever while using it.

Quote:
##############################################################
## MOD Title: Add a Registration code during registration
## MOD Author: Jadestone, http://mpsmod.com
## MOD Description: User has to enter a Registration Code during registration, otherwise the registration fails.
## MOD Version: 1.0.0 - created for phpBB 2.0.23
##
## Installation Level: (Easy)
## Installation Time: ~1 Minutes
## Files To Edit: 5
## admin/admin_board.php
## includes/usercp_register.php
## language/lang_english/lang_admin.php
## language/lang_english/lang_main.php
## templates/subSilver/agreement.tpl
## templates/subSilver/profile_add_body.tpl
## templates/subSilver/admin/board_config_body.tpl
##
## License: http://opensource.org/licenses/gpl-license.php GNU General Public License v2
##############################################################
## Author Notes:
## This is a Registration Code system i use on my site.
## Just releasing the code if others want to use it.
## I have 0 bot registrations after install
##############################################################
## MOD History:
##
## 2008-06-11 - Version 1.0.0
## - First Build
##
##############################################################
## Before Adding This MOD To Your Forum, You Should Back Up All Files Related To This MOD
##############################################################

#
#-----[ SQL ]------------------------------------------
#
INSERT INTO `phpbb_config` ( `config_name` , `config_value` )
VALUES (
'vip_code', 'iNp34W2'
) ;

#
#-----[ OPEN ]------------------------------------------
#
admin/admin_board.php
#
#-----[ FIND ]------------------------------------------
#
"SERVER_NAME" => $new['server_name'],
#
#-----[ BEFORE, ADD ]------------------------------------------
#

"L_COCOCODE" => $lang['Registration_Code'],
"COCOCODE" => $new['vip_code'],

#
#-----[ OPEN ]------------------------------------------
#
includes/usercp_register.php
#
#-----[ FIND ]------------------------------------------
#
global $userdata, $template, $lang, $phpbb_root_path, $phpEx;
#
#-----[ REPLACE WITH ]------------------------------------------
#
global $userdata, $template, $lang, $phpbb_root_path, $phpEx, $board_config;
#
#-----[ FIND ]------------------------------------------
#
'DO_NOT_AGREE' => $lang['Agree_not'],
#
#-----[ AFTER, ADD ]------------------------------------------
#

'COCO' => sprintf($lang['Registration_Code_Display'], $board_config['vip_code']),

#
#-----[ FIND ]------------------------------------------
#
rawurlencode($website);
}
#
#-----[ AFTER, ADD ]------------------------------------------
#

// Start vipcoco mod
if ( ($mode == 'register') && ($HTTP_POST_VARS['vipcoco'] != $board_config['vip_code']) )
{
message_die(GENERAL_MESSAGE, $lang['Registration_Code_Error']);
}
// End vipcoco mod

#
#-----[ FIND ]------------------------------------------
#
$template->assign_block_vars('switch_confirm', array());
}
#
#-----[ AFTER, ADD ]------------------------------------------
#

// Start vipcoco mod
if ($mode == 'register')
{
$template->assign_block_vars('switch_vipcoco', array());
}
// End vipcoco mod

#
#-----[ FIND ]------------------------------------------
#
'SMILIES_STATUS' => $smilies_status,
#
#-----[ AFTER, ADD ]------------------------------------------
#

'L_REGISTRATION_CODE' => $lang['Registration_Code'],
'L_REGISTRATION_CODE_EXPLAIN' => $lang['Registration_Code_Explain'],

#
#-----[ OPEN ]------------------------------------------
#
language/lang_english/lang_admin.php
#
#-----[ FIND ]------------------------------------------
#
?>
#
#-----[ BEFORE, ADD ]------------------------------------------
#
$lang['Registration_Code'] = 'Registration Code';
#
#-----[ OPEN ]------------------------------------------
#
language/lang_english/lang_main.php
#
#-----[ FIND ]------------------------------------------
#
?>
#
#-----[ BEFORE, ADD ]------------------------------------------
#
$lang['Registration_Code'] = 'Registration Code';
$lang['Registration_Code_Display'] = 'Registration Code : <strong>%s</strong>';
$lang['Registration_Code_Explain'] = 'You can find a valid <strong>Registration Code</strong> on the previous page!';
$lang['Registration_Code_Error'] = 'Sorry, but your <strong>Registration Code</strong> is NOT correct.<br /><br />You can find a valid <strong>Registration Code</strong> on the EULA Page.';
#
#-----[ OPEN ]------------------------------------------
#
templates/subSilver/agreement.tpl
#
#-----[ FIND ]------------------------------------------
#
<tr>
<td><span class="genmed"><br />{AGREEMENT}<br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="{U_AGREE_OVER13}" class="genmed">{AGREE_OVER_13}</a><br /><br /><a href="{U_AGREE_UNDER13}" class="genmed">{AGREE_UNDER_13}</a><br /><br /><a href="{U_INDEX}" class="genmed">{DO_NOT_AGREE}</a></div><br /></span></td>
</tr>
#
#-----[ REPLACE WITH ]------------------------------------------
#
<tr>
<td><span class="gen"><br />{COCO}<br /></span><span class="genmed"><br />{AGREEMENT}<br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="{U_AGREE_OVER13}" class="genmed">{AGREE_OVER_13}</a><br /><br /><a href="{U_AGREE_UNDER13}" class="genmed">{AGREE_UNDER_13}</a><br /><br /><a href="{U_INDEX}" class="genmed">{DO_NOT_AGREE}</a></div><br /></span></td>
</tr>
#
#-----[ OPEN ]------------------------------------------
#
templates/subSilver/profile_add_body.tpl
#
#-----[ FIND ]------------------------------------------
#
<!-- END switch_confirm -->
#
#-----[ AFTER, ADD ]------------------------------------------
#

<!-- BEGIN switch_vipcoco -->
<tr>
<td class="row1"><span class="gen"><strong>{L_REGISTRATION_CODE}:</strong> *</span><br />
<span class="gensmall">{L_REGISTRATION_CODE_EXPLAIN}</span></td>
<td class="row2">
<input type="text" class="post" style="width: 200px" name="vipcoco" size="25" maxlength="32" value="" />
</td>
</tr>
<!-- END switch_vipcoco -->

#
#-----[ OPEN ]------------------------------------------
#
templates/subSilver/admin/board_config_body.tpl
#
#-----[ FIND ]------------------------------------------
#
<tr>
<td class="row1">{L_SITE_DESCRIPTION}</td>
<td class="row2"><input class="post" type="text" size="40" maxlength="255" name="site_desc" value="{SITE_DESCRIPTION}" /></td>
</tr>
#
#-----[ AFTER, ADD ]------------------------------------------
#

<tr>
<td class="row1">{L_COCOCODE}</td>
<td class="row2"><input class="post" type="text" size="40" maxlength="255" name="vip_code" value="{COCOCODE}" /></td>
</tr>

#
#-----[ SAVE/CLOSE ALL FILES ]------------------------------------------
#
# EoM
Back to top
Salvatos
Board Member



Joined: 19 Feb 2009

Posts: 449
Location: Québec


flag
PostPosted: Wed Dec 05, 2012 6:55 pm 
Post subject: Re: The bots are adapting....

Oh, so instead of asking for a captcha you actually give out the code on the EULA page? That's pretty clever, although I guess once someone knows about it it's easy to adapt your bot to fetch that code before proceeding to registration. Still really good for mindless bots attacking sites randomly.
Back to top
drathbun
Board Member



Joined: 24 Jul 2008

Posts: 729
Location: Texas


flag
PostPosted: Thu Dec 06, 2012 4:56 pm 
Post subject: Re: The bots are adapting....

Nice, I like it.
_________________
phpBBDoctor Blog
Back to top
lumpy burgertushie
Board Member



Joined: 18 Nov 2008

Posts: 266


flag
PostPosted: Fri Dec 07, 2012 2:15 pm 
Post subject: Re: The bots are adapting....

that is basically what the RAC MOD is . I think the VIP was used for the base of the RAC MOD.

And, they are also the basis for the Q&A in phpbb3.

You ask a question or have them type in a code or have them type in the uppercase or lowercase letters or type in the words backwards etc. etc.
you can do any or all of that with either of those MODs.

robert
Back to top
dogs and things
Board Member



Joined: 18 Nov 2008

Posts: 628
Location: Spain


flag
PostPosted: Fri Dec 07, 2012 6:24 pm 
Post subject: Re: The bots are adapting....

I personally prefer a combination of Q&A and an image.

Show an image and ask a question about that image. Seems more bot-proof to me.

_________________
phpBB2 will never die, I hope!
Back to top
Display posts from previous:   
Register or Login to Post    Index » MOD Requests  Previous TopicPrint TopicNext Topic
Page 1 of 1 All times are GMT - 4 Hours
 
Jump to:  

Index • About • FAQ • Rules • Privacy • Search •  Register •  Login 
Not affiliated with or endorsed by the phpBB Group
Powered by phpBB2 © phpBB Group
Generated in 0.0670 seconds using 16 queries. (SQL 0.0236 Parse 0.0010 Other 0.0424)
phpBB Customizations by the phpBBDoctor.com
Template Design by DeLFlo and MomentsOfLight.com Moments of Light Logo