Re: [Request] Help fight spam together!
 

Sorry for answering your question but a bot might just do what I just did: Throw the question to google and look for the first words and try them out. Of course if I was to make a bot I would first try all the words that are not connectives (the, of, or, etc) and try to guess answers in the case of special questions like "How is rats spelled backwards?", then I would try all the words spelled backwards or something like that. That is a common tactic, for instance.

I guess that something like "'aftermath' is a word made of 2 words. How would it be spelled if the first word had all its letters changed for the very next letter in the english dictionary?" ans:'bgufsmath' would be tougher for a bot to crack, because is an unusual question and the word has no separation for a bot to understand and try the spelling just for the after not the aftermath (but it is still doable with a dictionary attack), for instance.

BUT, to make a bot analyze all the html page to look for visual features (a form that is hidden might as well be just a mistake instead of a trap for instance) is a much more mature form of attack that, at least for me, would be far more difficult to try to implement to be overthrown.

Re: [Request] Help fight spam together!
 

Ok, rather than installing a new plug-in, I re-activated another plug-in that was installed in the forum sometime back (plug-in link). Basically it puts a delay for registrants to enter and submit their member info. Registration bots would usually enter info and submit as fast as possible (humanly impossible) and this plugin tries to detect that and block it. It will deny registration via direct registration as well via hidden fields.

This was working sometime back and was deactivated when newer plug-ins were installed. This should help as well.

Thanks.

Re: [Request] Help fight spam together!
 

I'm cautiously hopeful that did make a difference, Reggie-- it's been quiet since...

Re: [Request] Help fight spam together!
 

Mm, silence. Good job Reggie!

Re: [Request] Help fight spam together!
 

thank you very much this has worked. But in my opinion you shouldnt provide a link to the exact add-on description because if the spammer sees it, he might improve his bots.




EDIT something I have just noticed. if you use power search with keywords :online live streaming you get all of the threads. When you try to visit them of course the dont exist but still, this is annoyng

Re: [Request] Help fight spam together!
 

Wow.. you actually use Powersearch? I figured it broken so badly that nobody uses it anyway. I always end up going to google and typing 'site:talk.maemo.org search terms' because the "power search" never... NEVER seems to work right. Good to know it at least works for the spam, I guess. :)

Re: [Request] Help fight spam together!
 

So take my deepest excuses, as I have misjudged Your reasons. Thanks for taking effective action. Anyway, I think we should be somehow prepared in advance, for possible next generation of bots.

/Estel

Re: [Request] Help fight spam together!
 

I pity the fool that spams this forum. :)

Re: [Request] Help fight spam together!
 

Just saw the first set of spam come in selling cellphones. Interesting that this spammer registered on Sept 17 and just posting spam just now. This means they can get around the the registration spam plugin, as they have registered already.

Keep reporting. Thanks!

Re: [Request] Help fight spam together!
 

Thanks very much for nominating me. I'm not interested.