Moderated user registration

[Alex]

I enabled moderated user registration today. Doesn't change a thing for existing users, and only means that new signups are delayed until I enable each individual account. Any account that chooses and all-caps username, muddles their first name, or lists no motorcycles just gets deleted instead of approved, as there is 99% chance that it's an automated spambot.

Pain in the ass to have to do this, and I wish it weren't necessary, but this is the more appropriate choice rather than having to delete spam posts day after day from these new bot accounts.

[camaroz1985]

Maybe we need to make it more clear that they need to list a motorcycle or say "None yet." I know it says that is a perfectly acceptable answer, but it would be a shame to lose real users because they didn't enter either a motorcycle name or none yet.

Just my $0.02. Keep up the good work Alex. So far we have had relatively little trouble with spammers.

[Snake]

I had been noticing more spamers here so I am glad you have made these changes.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by camaroz1985

I know it says that is a perfectly acceptable answer, but it would be a shame to lose real users because they didn't enter either a motorcycle name or none yet.

Just my $0.02. Keep up the good work Alex. So far we have had relatively little trouble with spammers.

I agree, I don't want to lose any real users either. I've had to ban a few dozen accounts over the past month, and with some of the members here reporting the posts as soon as they happen, many times the spam posts and the spammers themselves are gone & banned before many other folks even saw the post. Which is good. But it is draining.

So far, in hindsight, the spam accounts are easy to pick out. People do sign up with fake first names (like: ashkjdlajskhd), answer the motorcycle question in such a way that it's obvious they are up to no good. Of course if someone signs up with perfect info, there's no way for me to absolutely confirm that their intentions aren't spam, but the likelihood is lower. And if I do in fact go the wrong way and don't enable the account of someone because I have a strong feeling it's a spam account, the user will likely send another note to the Contact Us link wondering why their account wasn't enabled.

[camaroz1985]

Sounds like you have it all under control (which I never doubted ). I'm all for a method that is less work for you, and keeps the spammers out.

[Banzai]

Sucks to have to do it that way, but it's probably the only real way to prevent the spam bots? That is, until the bots get much smarter and actually start filling in real information, I guess.

It's like missile/counter-missile technology. Neither has the edge over the other for very long!

[Alex]

OK - I'm trying to attack this a different way. I've turned off Moderation, so people can sign up immediately like before without me having to manually OK them. But I've enabled an anti-spammer check that works with www.stopforumspam.com to see if that user is on their blocked list. After having it up for 5 minutes today, it already blocked 2 new spammer registrations, I was pretty impressed. I also enabled additional spam-scanning on posts themselves, to hopefully pick up the issue if someone does manage to get through registration and then starts spamming.

I'll let this go for a short while to see how well it works, but please let me know if anyone sees any weirdness in their own usage of the site. If this works well, nobody should notice a thing. Other than much less spam.

[Snake]

Less spam is a good thing. Thank you Alex.

[Alex]

Wow. Since I made this change just about a week ago, it has blocked 850 attempts by different spam accounts to signup. This blocking happens before you have to go through that reCAPTCHA "type these words" test, so many of them wouldn't have gotten through that, but I'm amazed at how many attempts there are in the first place.

[Snake]

Alex thanks for keeping this place bot free.

[ninjabrewer]

Originally Posted by Alex

Wow. Since I made this change just about a week ago, it has blocked 850 attempts by different spam accounts to signup. This blocking happens before you have to go through that reCAPTCHA "type these words" test, so many of them wouldn't have gotten through that, but I'm amazed at how many attempts there are in the first place.

that calls for a big HOLY COW. 850. Glad that you are on the issue. I had noticed that there were several post a while back that were selling things. Also glad to know that there are programs available that do the weeding out automatically without taking up your family and riding time. As great a forum as this is, I'm sure it takes up a lot of your time. My way of saying you are doing a fantastic job at running and taking care of this forum.

Just think, if the individuals that design and write the programs and all that is needed to do these things were to devote that time and effort to other more useful endeavors, how much better my coffee would be in the mornings. Just my

nb

[Alex]

A new generation of spambots is starting to add blog posts, rather than posts within the forums. I think this is due to the better controls on the forum areas of vBulletin (and other tools), but not so much progress on the blog side.

I've deleted a handful of accounts in the past week, including one that had added > 1000 bogus blog entries on the site. I don't have an automated way of catching these yet, though the good thing is once I delete their account it also deletes all their blog entries, which is even simpler than the forum side where you need to delete them separately.

So - if you see any bogus blog entries, let me know so I can deal with them. Thx!

[flynjay]

@Alex - On another forum one of the entry requirements is to make a post in the new users section before you have full posting access. Maybe that is another way to weed out the bots.

[Miles_Prower]

keep up the good work!!!

[Stingray1000]

I run a forum for the game I play online and I understand completely. I get my e-mails on my phone so I can approve/deny anyone as soon as I get the e-mail. I just click a link on the e-mail which takes me to my dolphin browser and approve or deny registration from there. Little bit more work for you, but it's a good choice if you want the opinion of a fellow forum admin on another forum!

[Jiggles]

Well, who reads blogs anyway

[Alex]

Yup. (this is a bumped old thread, for those that have started from the beginning). Very happy with the forum spam controls, and I haven't had to resort to manual approving/denying user access for quite some time now. I'd prefer not to, as there are some periods where I'm away from the site for a few days, and it's ultimately better if people receive immediate access when appropriate.

I guess I'm realizing I need to research some better blogging controls. The problem is that the different user types that are available on the blog side are more rudimentary than on the forum side, so it's not a straightforward fix.

[Stingray1000]

Originally Posted by Alex

Yup. (this is a bumped old thread, for those that have started from the beginning). Very happy with the forum spam controls, and I haven't had to resort to manual approving/denying user access for quite some time now. I'd prefer not to, as there are some periods where I'm away from the site for a few days, and it's ultimately better if people receive immediate access when appropriate.

I guess I'm realizing I need to research some better blogging controls. The problem is that the different user types that are available on the blog side are more rudimentary than on the forum side, so it's not a straightforward fix.

I noticed :P lol I set it up to read newest first lol

[Stingray1000]

Originally Posted by Alex

Yup. (this is a bumped old thread, for those that have started from the beginning). Very happy with the forum spam controls, and I haven't had to resort to manual approving/denying user access for quite some time now. I'd prefer not to, as there are some periods where I'm away from the site for a few days, and it's ultimately better if people receive immediate access when appropriate.

I guess I'm realizing I need to research some better blogging controls. The problem is that the different user types that are available on the blog side are more rudimentary than on the forum side, so it's not a straightforward fix.

If you need any help I'd be glad too. It's a lot for one person to handle.