• Registered: 2007-04-23
  • Posts: 3

Topic: Overrun with SPAM

Hi,

This is my first post and I apologise if this subject has been covered elsewhere.

My PunBB forum is becoming overrun with SPAM.  To prevent this I'm thinking I either need to introduce a CAPTCHA or block urls in postings.  Does anybody have any experience of either of these, or can you suggest something else?

Many thanks in advance

Mike

  • From: Cork, Ireland
  • Registered: 2007-01-18
  • Posts: 92

Re: Overrun with SPAM

do you allow guest posting? also have you tried any spam preventing mods yet?

CAPTCHA etc are good but they are not accessibility friendly. i created an anti-spam mod just yesterday (based off Daniel Vijge's Forbidden word spam blocker 1.0.1 mod but enhanced a fair bit), is called BB Spam Fighter - let me know if it works for you, needs to be customised though, but i think that is a bonus as every forum is setup different and may receive different types of spam.

3 Reply by mike___ (edited by mike___ 2007-04-23 12:22)

  • Registered: 2007-04-23
  • Posts: 3

Re: Overrun with SPAM

Thanks.  I don't allow guest posting, but it looks like the bots are registering first. :-(

I'm happy to use a CAPTCHA if it's easy to drop in, but I'll have a look at your suggestion now.

Thank again.

Mike

  • From: Cork, Ireland
  • Registered: 2007-01-18
  • Posts: 92

Re: Overrun with SPAM

ok, yeah bots seem get around registering very easily that to me allowing guest posting is the same as registering.

if you try out that mod let me know, is your forum in English or another language? i have a list of 30 or so very frequently used spam words / phrases which spammers have used on my forum, since adding these words and configuring restrictions on guests and members with few posts or registered recently the amount of spam has been reduced drastically. reducing the URL amount and message size for these spammers also goes a long way in reducing the problem i believe as most new members or guest posters don't post really long messages and also don't post 20 or so URLs in their first posts lol.

  • Registered: 2007-04-23
  • Posts: 3

Re: Overrun with SPAM

Thanks again naitkris,

Is it easy to block posting of urls?

Mike

  • From: Cork, Ireland
  • Registered: 2007-01-18
  • Posts: 92

Re: Overrun with SPAM

yep, very easy to block URLs - just enter 0 for URL # in the admin area. Setting it to 1 or 2 can be good also as most spammers post many URLs rather than just 1 - all up to you as to how you want to handle them.