[CDB] Stop Forum Spam

[RMcGirr83]

I have taken back this extension and have submitted it to the database on here for validation.

[nero]

thx man

[TimoMF]

Hallo,

in the file version_101.php is a problem.
I have open an pull request.
https://github.com/TimoMF/phpBB-3.1-sto ... 2c49f52548

[RMcGirr83]

Got it thanks.

[Lady_G]

Thank you for this extension. I have downloaded the latest git version (1.01) and am testing as localhost. My test configuration is phpBB 3.1.4, Fedora 20, and postgreSQL.

In ext/rmcgirr83/stopforumspam/event/main_listener.php, add the $username, $ip, or $email you wish to test after:

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	private function stopforumspam_check($username, $ip, $email)
	{

which results in:

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	private function stopforumspam_check($username, $ip, $email)
	{
		
		// $ip = '176.37.33.75';	// localhost testing
		$email = '[email protected]'; // localhost testing
		
		// we need to urlencode for spaces
		$username = urlencode($username);

This example $email has 1 result in stopforumspam.com. I lowered the "Stop Forum Spam threshold:" to 1 for this test. The registration was rejected as expected.

However, the log files are recording an IP address of '216.172.135.95' for any IP address or email I test. I purged the system cache, but this error persists.

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Banned IP for reason “Found in the Stop Forum Spam database”
» 216.172.135.95

How can this be debugged?

[Lady_G]

Testing as localhost (same as my previous post), in ext/rmcgirr83/stopforumspam/language/en/acp/info_acp_stopforumspam.php I found:

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	'SFS_API_KEY'			=> 'Stop Forum Spam API key',
	'SFS_API_KEY_EXPLAIN'	=> 'If you want to submit spammers to the Stop Forum Spam database, input your API key from <a target="_new" href="http://www.stopforumspam.com/keys">stop forum spam</a> here.  You must be registered on the SFS website to get an API key',
	// ACP message logs

But I do not see this message anywhere in the Admin Control Panel. How are these messages intended to be used?

My board has spammers that have already registered. Can I report them using this extension?

[RMcGirr83]

This is where the IP is banned

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				if ($this->config['sfs_ban_ip'])
				{
					$this->ban_by_ip($this->user->ip);
				}

and no you can not submit using this extension to the stop forum database.

[GoBieN]

Thanks to this extension about 25 registrations a day are blocked.
Keep up the excellent work.

[Lady_G]

This is where the IP is banned

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				if ($this->config['sfs_ban_ip'])
				{
					$this->ban_by_ip($this->user->ip);
				}

and no you can not submit using this extension to the stop forum database.

Yes, that works. Thank you.

I use postgreSQL, which is not as well supported as MySQL. When I see an error related to a database operation, I will try to find the cause.

The banned IP addresses appear in the ban list correctly as 1 hour bans.

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Reason for ban: Found in the Stop Forum Spam database
Reason shown to the banned: Found in the Stop Forum Spam database

Should 'Reason shown to the banned:' instead be blank (no message)? I don't see a need to notify a spammer. Perhaps it doesn't matter, as there is no username or email associated with a failed registration.

[Lady_G]

Can you please update the log file screenshot in Post #1? There is now a User log containing (example shown):

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Stop Forum Spam triggered:
Username: TestUser
IP: 176.37.33.75
Email: [email protected]

(The log file links are very helpful.) There is also an Admin log showing the IP block:

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Banned IP for reason “Found in the Stop Forum Spam database”
» 176.37.33.75

I suggest that Post #1 be clarified to explain that the username, IP address, and email are checked against the Stop Forum Spam datatabase.

If any of these entries returns a positive result, only the IP address will be blocked. The IP will be blocked for a fixed period of time.
==========

I like the temporary IP ban approach (vs. a permanent ban), as it will save the admins time from answering member emails. The spammer will get the message and leave. A legitimate member will often try again later.

[Lady_G]

In ext/rmcgirr83/stopforumspam/event/main_listener.php,

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	// Let's not ban a registrant/poster with a common IP address, who is otherwise clean
	// not sure of keeping this or not...we'll see
	if ($ck_username + $ck_email == 0)
	{
		$ck_ip = 0;
	}

I recently was hit with several hundred spambot registrations using random username and email addresses. The registrations were about a minute apart. (A 1 hour ban will work in this situation.)

Neither the usernames nor emails appeared on Stop Forum Spam. However, the IP address hit with over 1,000 entries and I ended up banning a range of IP addresses.

I recommend removing the code.

[Lady_G]

...Should 'Reason shown to the banned:' instead be blank (no message)? I don't see a need to notify a spammer. Perhaps it doesn't matter, as there is no username or email associated with a failed registration.

'Reason shown to the banned:' appears when posting:

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You have been banned from this board until Sat Jun 27, 2015 7:54 pm.

Please contact the Board Administrator for more information.

Reason given for ban: Found in the Stop Forum Spam database

A ban has been issued on your IP address.

I do not want to advertise how I ban spammers on my board.

Can 'Reason shown to the banned:' be left as an empty field, or perhaps made an option in the ACP?

Also consider changing the IP 60 minute ban time to a user-defined entry.

===================================

To be clear, I appreciate all of the work to develop this extension. If you disagree with these suggestions, I will still use the extension.

[Lady_G]

I have taken back this extension and have submitted it to the database on here for validation.

Hi,

Can you please tell me a status on the validation process?

Thanks.

[Puchahawa]

From what I've read it can take up to a month or so after it's submitted to be validated.

[Lady_G]

Thank you. I will wait for the validation process to complete.

If there is anything I can do to help, please let me know.