Don't reply to strange threads here.

[KA0Z R4VR]

Well there ya go :]

[rzr]

Originally Posted by Cloud0005

And that's bad....how?

It's not, which is my point, lol.

[KA0Z R4VR]

Well let's hope a Mod looks over my idea. I think it would help out a lot.

[Afrobean]

Originally Posted by KA0Z R4VR

Well let's hope a Mod looks over my idea. I think it would help out a lot.

The steps to solution of this problem aren't complicated. Any number of choices could alleviate it.

The problem isn't lack of solutions, it's lack of restrictive action. Sure, they can pour work into deleting them after-the-fact, but it seems as though they're not doing everything they can to prevent it in the first place.

[Squeek]

Originally Posted by Afrobean

The steps to solution of this problem aren't complicated. Any number of choices could alleviate it.

The problem isn't lack of solutions, it's lack of restrictive action. Sure, they can pour work into deleting them after-the-fact, but it seems as though they're not doing everything they can to prevent it in the first place.

Sure, blame us.

Don't blame vBulletin, which apparently HATES using anti-bot methods during registration.

I don't think some of the staff have done anything but try to get image captcha working again.

[Izzy]

 				 				Add an extra question to the registration to prevent bot registrations 			
 			 			 		  		 		 			 			This solution will only work for vBulletin 3.6.3 and higher. On the lower 3.6 versions it will allow for a blank response.
 
vBulletin already offers a lot of buildin protections against registrations by bots (automated) like CAPTCHA (Image Verification), Email Verification or Registration Moderation. These will however not always protect you against human-assisted bot registrations (registration process automated, a human provide the CAPTCHA verification).
 
Unfortunatly there is no way to block all human-assisted registrations, adding an extra question to the registration process can however frustrate this type and often they will simply skip your board because it is causing them too much work.
 
How to add an extra registration question to frustrate human-assisted bot registration?
 
AdminCP -> User Profile Fields -> Add New User Profile Field
 
Profile Field Type: Single-Line Text Field
<<Continue>>
 
Use the following information when creating the Profile Field:
Title: Can you spell?
(Note: Adjust the title to the question you want to ask)
Description: Enter the first character of the word "Monkey"
(Note: Adjust the question. Don't use this example as it would be quickly picked up by bot registrations)
Default Value: B 
(Note: anything but a valid answer)
Field Required: No, but display at registration
Field Editable by User: Only at registration
Private Field: Yes
Field Searchable on Members List: No
Show on Members List: No
Regular Expression: ^[mM]$ 
(Note: this expression would only allow a 'm' or 'M' as valid answers, adjust to your needs)
 
This is not a fool proof solution, but will probably limit the number of semi-automated registrations.

http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=173490

[Squeek]

We had that system in place with ten questions and ten different answers.

They broke it.

[Izzy]

Maybe someone wrote a bot specifically for ffr.



Notice theres only 3 letters. lol.

Edit: When i search google i keep reading that you should use javascript to stop bots.

[Squeek]

62Y8. Four letters.

It's that kind of thing that we don't want. Rapidshare went way over the top with that and even legitimate users couldn't figure out what the combination was.

[sc979]

62Y8

edit: ninja'd

edit2: They still have that? I thought they removed it.

[Izzy]

6 and 8 aren't letters. I was joking though. I know there are 4 cat characters. Just not 4 letters.

No, they dont have it anymore.

[x After Dawn x]

I haven't seen any bots for a few days now, maybe they've finally stopped...

Edit: It seems I spoke 5 minutes too soon.

[who_cares973]

if you wouldve been on 2 hours ago we were flooded with sex threads again lol

[Afrobean]

Originally Posted by Squeek

Sure, blame us.

Don't blame vBulletin, which apparently HATES using anti-bot methods during registration.

I don't think some of the staff have done anything but try to get image captcha working again.

Sorry, but I, like most folks, measure effort by results. If there are no results, it doesn't really matter how much is being tried, because it simply isn't working.

No matter what's been done, there could be more. Is there no way to implement permission limitations like I suggested? None of these bots are responding to existing topics, so why not make it require a postcount of at least 1 to post a new topic? Is it possible to instill a waiting period wherein new accounts could respond to topics, but couldn't post new ones?

How about something as simple as limiting the ability of users to make use of BBcode based on postcount (again, based around the requirement of postcount=1)? It wouldn't stop them from posting the offensive ****, but it would make them unable to use hyperlinks and embed images, and frankly, it's the images that are the real trouble as far as I'm concerned. Spam about drugs, not important; spam with hardcore pornographic images? Yeah.

[x After Dawn x]

I agree with Afrobean's suggestion...perhaps set a restriction that doesn't allow anything but text and smileys in a post until a user has hit postcount=5 (since I've actually seen spambots get 2 posts before they are banned, 5 would be a good number, perhaps even 4).

[Squeek]

No.

You can't do that.

It's not possible to do and it would be a pain in the ass for legitimate new users.

The only solution is image captcha and the vB upgrade broke it for more forums than just ours.

[Afrobean]

Originally Posted by Squeek

No.

You can't do that.

It's not possible to do and it would be a pain in the ass for legitimate new users.

I can't speak as to how much ass pain would be involved, but I can say with relative certainty that it is possible.

Also: the legitimate new users who would be butthurt because they can't use their first post to create a new thread containing embedded images can eat my ass if they don't like it. Seriously, if it's THAT IMPORTANT that your first post be a new topic that contains embedded images, you are ****ing stupid.

[x After Dawn x]

GameSpot has (or had) it with their message boards, it's not impossible.

[chidori!]

when porn bots go to 32-bit they've gone too far >:O

[Squeek]

Originally Posted by afrobean

i can't speak as to how much ass pain would be involved, but i can say with relative certainty that it is possible.

Also: The legitimate new users who would be butthurt because they can't use their first post to create a new thread containing embedded images can eat my ass if they don't like it. Seriously, if it's that important that your first post be a new topic that contains embedded images, you are ****ing stupid.

THEN YOU ****ING CODE IT.

GOD.

STOP ****ING WHINING.

If you want to yell at someone, yell at Synth, OK? If it were Tass and I, we'd have 5 different human verification systems. Synth does not like e-mail verification because it turns away legitimate users. Synth does not like human verification because it turns away legitimate users. BLAME SYNTH.