The SPAM problem returns

[Fraser]

Hi folks, we've had a renewed wave of SPAM attacks in the last few days. Clearly the spammers have evolved their attacks, so we'll have to evolve a better defense. We're going to be implementing some new techniques to try and get things under control. Until then, keep on reporting any SPAMs that you see.



Just click the little red triangle beside any post to inform the moderator team that there's a new SPAM on the site, and we'll deal with it.

Thanks!

[Dragon Star]

Spam has been hitting hard everywhere in the last two weeks. Wonder what sparked the increase.

[antoniseb]

Here is an article discussing it.

[Fraser]

Okay, I've got a couple of new solutions running. New members now have to click a confirmation email before they can contribute to the forum. This is pretty common.

The second tool automatically sends new users to the moderation queue if they use a certain group of words in their first few posts.

As always, let me know when things are misbehaving or backfiring.

[antoniseb]

That sounds good like it should slow things a lot. Thanks.

[mickal555]

I whish I had some new solutions...
Keep banning IP's, deleting, people can no longer put a website in their profile but I still get a heap signing up anyway...

Woese me

[Dragon Star]

Originally Posted by mickal555

I whish I had some new solutions...
Keep banning IP's, deleting, people can no longer put a website in their profile but I still get a heap signing up anyway...

Woese me

What really gets me is that half the ones that post on your site contain broken links.

[mickal555]

Don't click on them!!!!

[PhantomWolf]

Fraser, does the New Member system have an anti-Robot system? I had straight e-mail authorization and they still get around that, but with the anti-robot put in, I haven't had any more troubles.

[Fraser]

can you give me a link to an anti-robot system? I'm not exactly sure which modification you're referring to.

[PhantomWolf]

I use phpBB, but it's the classic 5-6 random images with letters that you have to enter in as part of registration. I am sure that vBulletin should have the option, or a mod.

[mickal555]

CAPCHA I think it's called...

[Fraser]

Oh yeah, we're using a Capcha. The robots can get around those now too.

[mickal555]

Doesn't do anything for me either...

[Fraser]

When historians look back and mark the beginning of the robot uprising that destroyed humanity. They'll point to the captcha decoding that started everything. Thanks Russian spammers, you've doomed us all.

[Dragon Star]

Originally Posted by mickal555

Don't click on them!!!!

I don't anymore (I'm talking way back).

[Fraser]

I just wanted to give you all an update. This new SPAM filter is working really well. Essentially it's catching all the new forum members trying to post links to other websites. It's made a few false positives, but it's easy for us to spot them, and approve them for the forum.

And the SPAMs... we just make them disappear.

[Frog march]

spam sleeps with the fishes tonight.

[Graybeard6]

I'm so glad I bought an iMac!

[Maksutov]

Originally Posted by Graybeard6

I'm so glad I bought an iMac!

What's that got to do with SPAM being posted to the BAUT BB?

[Jim]

Originally Posted by Fraser

When historians look back and mark the beginning of the robot uprising that destroyed humanity. They'll point to the captcha decoding that started everything. Thanks Russian spammers, you've doomed us all.

And I, for one, welcome our new robot masters.

Russian botnet... Y'know, if Putin has to go after someone, why can't he do us all a favor?

[Dragon Star]

Originally Posted by Graybeard6

I'm so glad I bought an iMac!

Er...iMac sucks...bad, not to mention that is extremely OT.

[Graybeard6]

Originally Posted by Dragon Star

Er...iMac sucks...bad, not to mention that is extremely OT.

My most abject apologies! I thought we were referring to spam received by members.
However, insulting my computer is also OT.

[Dragon Star]

Touche'

[Frog march]

just see what happens to the similar thread functions if i say llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama


anything?

[Dragon Star]

Woah! When did we get similar thread functions?!

[ToSeek]

Originally Posted by Frog march

just see what happens to the similar thread functions if i say llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama, llama


anything?

We get paired with a thread about orbital debris....

[Maksutov]

Originally Posted by ToSeek

We get paired with a thread about orbital debris....

Warm fuzzy, spit-in-your-face, orbital debris.


But, at least it's not Roger De Bris!