Kiprobalhato wrote:
xenocity wrote:
They could move captcha to log in to prevent bots from logging in instead of using it to verify new threads and posts (which is doesn't work half the time).
They could also do like most other forums, require a minimum unique post minimum in a certain time frame before being allowed to post a thread like many sites do.
Some do 300 unique posts that have substance and minimum character count before being able to post a thread.
But you have to hit that in a few months to before being able to post.
i have suggested moving captcha to login and thread creation and it would work.
browsing posts for "substance" must take up a
lot of time though, and we don't have a real guideline as to what counts. but it shouldn't be too hard, hopefully.
xenocity wrote:
They could also do blanket ISP bans from Korea, China, and India (where most of the bots come from).
Though they would need a system for those who genuinely wish to become members, to be able to get verified for an account.
yes, we would. i can recall one current user off the top of my head who is from that area. i don't think this forum software supports that verification feature you propose, which is just another argument for switching to a new one...again.
i have already done some IP lookups on the massive amounts of spam threads and have blocked several that match. it's the most i can do, but i'm reluctant do do it since a lot of them point towards brisbane, which actually is home to a few WP members, i think.
naturalplastic wrote:
No robot as ever participated in an existing thread, nor as any robot ever quoted another post, nor has any robot ever entered an existing thread to make any kind of nonoriginal post, nor has any robot ever pm'd anyone (as far as I know). Yet in every one of those actions we have to prove to the captchas that we "are not robots".
no, spammers are indeed fully capable of screwing up existing threads. it's just this particular "breed" we have now that doesn't do it. trust me, i had a hell of a time last year trying to clean up the nightly spam from many existing threads in practically
all of the subforums. it was worse when other users posted after the spammer, forcing us to use a totally different process to avoid deleting the innocent posts. in a way, these spammers are actually
easier to deal with.
the "babaji love solution" bots don't send out PMs, but once in a blue moon we get other ones that do.
Literally when new accounts are created, set up so they are sent a verification alphanumeric code that must be handed typed in to verify they are human.
You could also add Capatcha to that page too.
There is no reason why you guys can't do that via automation.
If you can't, you can do it by hand.
I highly doubt there is a huge amount of actual people wanting accounts.
Or better yet do this like other sites do when creating a new user account:
Make users input their city, state/district/whatever, postal code (every country in the world uses some form of a postal code).
The Postal codes will confirm whether or not that person lives in that city and state/district/whatever
Also make a box that forces them to type a short essay into why they want to join (yes I have had to fill these out for other sites) you can set a minimum and maximum character limit.
It's really not that hard to fix the key issue which is simplistic automatic account registration.
Also do a bulk reverification of accounts to kill spam bots for good.
Send out a notice to all users, requiring their next log in after the set date to input their email (which is unique to all users) and their birthdate and capatcha.
This would only reverify the accounts to the actual remaining users, while scrubbing the site of all the dead and spam accounts.
Add this to new registration form as I've stated above, you would be able to turn off all the new security measures and never have to deal with another amount of spam from a spam bot.
Also you guys should fully to a new server and new site layout/theme.
The constant capatcha and site crashing are equally as maddening.
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