Spam Attacks

mmm4444bot

mmm4444bot

Super Moderator
Joined
Oct 6, 2005
Messages
10,962
It seems like the system has stopped moderating posts from new users. This is why dozens of spam messages have made their way onto the boards, over the last few days. Ted has been notified.

Until the issue is resolved, these spam bombs will be removed as they come to our attention. You may use the post-reporting link, to send a message to the moderators; these messages will bring matters to our attention sooner. Thank you for your patience.
 
Spam-O-Matic has options that will help with moderating the posts of new users. I created a product that will help with this as well. I can also provide tools to help the mod staff zap spammers with one click (if you don't already have something like that). Please feel free to let Ted know I will be glad to help/advise. :D
 
MarkFL said:
Spam-O-Matic has options that will help with moderating the posts of new users.
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Spam-O-Matic is one of the moderator tools available. It takes two clicks, but it reports and removes users simultaneously. I use it for spam that gets on the boards.

Some time ago, Ted set the system to place new users' first few posts into a waiting-for-approval queue. This allows moderators to deal with objectionable posts before they can get on the boards. However, over the last three weeks or so, it seems like the system is no longer moderating new users' posts.
 
What needs to happen is for an admin to tweak the settings/permissions. Moderators are essential, but so are active administrators. I'm not trying to be critical, just honest. Ideally, a site will have a team of admins...each with their own niche, but all knowing how to perform basic functions. And the admins have to be active...that is, overseeing operations on a daily basis. ;)

I know this site has been around for a long time, much longer than I have been a vB coder/admin, but these are my opinions on what a site needs. Just my 2 cents. :D
 
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The spammers have got this site's number and are making it their beyatch. It reminds me of MHF and MMF...no active administration (two sites I left because of rampant spam). It's a shame. :(
 
I think there should be a limit to the number of posts(~10) that can be made without approval.
 
Subhotosh Khan said:
I think there should be a limit to the number of posts(~10) that can be made without approval.
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I'm not privy to all of the options. As a moderator, I can neither register as a member of the vBulletin support site nor find a system list of available options for the system or for moderators. (I have basically taught myself what I may do, by experimenting with menus and system links; there is no "moderator" handbook, as far as I know.)

The previous requirement that all new users must have their first few posts approved, seemed to prevent over 90% of spam from posting on the boards. Ted set up that feature, after the last major spam offensive, well over a year ago. I understand that some new users have voiced negative feedback about that policy, but it worked, and I'd be surprised to learn if many people have needed to wait more than a few hours for a post approval. My sense is that most posts were approved in less than two hours, during the daytime (US). Even if the system were set to automatically moderate only the first post of each new user, that would prevent the recent three-week onslaught from totally cluttering up the boards and their respective index pages.

I'm wondering if Ted might be on vacation ...

I'll also mention that I've been too busy with training at work since Tuesday to help weed out these spams; I will have time to return helping Subhotosh and Elizabeth with this housekeeping beginning Saturday.
 
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Here's a screen shot that shows something interesting. Note that spammer molvibabaji068 posted four times (my time settings show 7:31pm, 7:32pm, and two messages timestamped 7:33pm).

Those envelope icons with the yellow triangles indicate a system-moderated post. That is, those two posts were flagged by the system and are waiting for approval. Those posts are not on the boards for general viewing; only moderators and Ted see this information.

In other words, the first spam posted on the boards, the second and third spams were caught by the system, and the fourth was allowed to post.

That's kinda weird. I hope the spammers have not discovered some vBulletin glitch, allowing them to mostly-circumvent the auto-moderating feature for new users.

Or maybe some code has become corrupt, on the server, and needs to be reloaded.

Just wondering "out loud" ...
 

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I have configured the system to force users into moderation until they have 3 approved posts. Hopefully that helps cut down on some of the SPAM. Anyone interested in being a moderator?
 
Ted said:
I have configured the system to force users into moderation until they have 3 approved posts. Hopefully that helps cut down on some of the SPAM. Anyone interested in being a moderator?
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Hi Ted.

Thanks! This will definitely cut down on spam that gets on the boards.

I'm curious to know whether the registration process informs users that their first three posts need to wait for approval. If so, that will also cut down on duplicate thread submissions. :cool:
 
Done. Users will receive an explanation via email and private message. They are also now required to verify their email address before the registration completes.
 
Ted said:
I have configured the system to force users into moderation until they have 3 approved posts. Hopefully that helps cut down on some of the SPAM.
Click to expand...
It was very helpful in the past, and I note that there appears to be no spam today. Yay!

Ted said:
Anyone interested in being a moderator?
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I already am, as are a few others. If some of those others could log into their moderator control panel from time to time and clear out waiting posts, that'd be wonderful. (Look down at the bottom right-hand corner. Is there a link for "Mod" between "Free Math Help" and "Archive"? Then you're probably a moderator and probably can log into to moderator threads and posts.)

I clear out the stack when I come by, but I've been busy with... other things lately... Thank you! ;)
 
stapel said:
...there appears to be no spam today.
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There were 17 spam threads waiting to be processed this morning, all of them from the same jerks of late; I took care of them.

stapel said:
If some of those others could log into their moderator control panel from time to time and clear out waiting posts, that'd be wonderful.
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I enter the control panel every time I log into the forum, and I process moderated posts almost daily. But I don't simply clear out spams in the moderated-posts listing; I like reporting their IP addresses to anti-spam databases first -- then use Spam-O-Matic to delete the posts and ban the users. (Spam-O-Matic also reports to akismet.)

And, when known spammers join, but wait a few days before posting, I catch them before they can post, by running their credentials through third-party databases. (They get banned manually, as do those posting profile-page spam).

Over the past 90 days, I have manually reported and banned 274 users.

I mostly use the moderated-posts listing to catch valid posts waiting for approval that somehow got overlooked. Cheers :cool:
 
mmm4444bot said:
There were 17 spam threads waiting to be processed this morning, all of them from the same jerks of late; I took care of them.

I enter the control panel every time I log into the forum, and I process moderated posts almost daily. But I don't simply clear out spams in the moderated-posts listing; I like reporting their IP addresses to anti-spam databases first -- then use Spam-O-Matic to delete the posts and ban the users. (Spam-O-Matic also reports to akismet.)

And, when known spammers join, but wait a few days before posting, I catch them before they can post, by running their credentials through third-party databases. (They get banned manually, as do those posting profile-page spam).

Over the past 90 days, I have manually reported and banned 274 users.

I mostly use the moderated-posts listing to catch valid posts waiting for approval that somehow got overlooked. Cheers :cool:
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You rock! :grin:
 
oh

Ted said:
Done. Users will receive an explanation via email and private message. They are also now required to verify their email address before the registration completes.
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oh! thankyou so much :p :)
 
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