Forum Spam

[Willis]

Wow, what happened? There's crazy spam everywhere. Hopefully the c7 guys can get a handle on it soon.

[T.S. Luikart]

I believe I have obliterated the spam-kudzu for the moment. Thanks everybody for throwing up flags, it helps to hunt down the infestation.

[misterharry]

I also spent a lot of time yesterday deleting the dozens of spam posts that kept appearing and banning the offenders. However, they keep coming back for more so something needs to be done to stop them joining the forum in the first place.

[StuartJ]

When I saw the deluge of spam posts in cyrillic script, I thought the Easterlings had arrived

Seriously though, it's a pity though that T.S. and others (Cubicle 7 staff as well as volunteers in the 'Spam Cops' group?) are having to take time out to battle the spammers. It does seem though that this a known problem with several proposed solutions, e.g. perhaps:

1. a Q&A CAPTCHA before posting? See e.g. the suggestions about Preventing Spam in phpBB3 on the PhpBB community forum. I could imagine several trivial questions that anyone posting here could answer, but that would defeat most spammers. Something like 'What was the surname of the author of The Hobbit?'. Or if the Q&A has to be more generic for all the different forums, something to do with Cubicle 7?

2. making user registration a two-step process, with users unable to post until activated by an administrator. Labour intensive, but perhaps the group of 'C7 Spam Cops' could activate users instead of deleting spam?

3. some other anti-spam plugin, like Advanced Block MOD that claims to implement additional 'spam countermeasures'?

Some of these might take some technical expertise to install or configure, but I imagine that there are some forum members who would be able to help. I'd be happy to lend a hand too, though I have only passing familiarity with php.

[Hermes Serpent]

As one of those who had to dispose of around 50 spam posts this morning, hitting delete as soon as the Russian/mongolian posters hit post, I appreciate the thanks, but the forum is hosted not by C7 but a third party they have subbed it out to. The best way to eliminate the spam deluge would be to ban IP's from Russia, Indonesia, The Philipines and a few other locations where the majority of spammers originate. I see little problem with this as sales (and enquiries) from these areas are likely to be minimal and directed posts to info @ cubicle7.com would handle any such queries rather than having to deal with loads0fspam.

Much as I like Python the rain of processed meat product recently has been appalling. Probably mostly attempts to get access to credit card or login information. It must be cheaper to buy a list of card date from the dark net than pay someone to sit at the computer all day posting slabs of text.

[bluejay]

... and I see they have begun again!

[Hermes Serpent]

It's like playing Whack-a-mole. In fact it's more fun than Windows Solitaire.

[Glorelendil]

If Anonymous really gave a shit about other people they'd follow up on this sort of thing, follow the links to whatever website they lead to, and DDOS the bastards into the stone age.

[Falenthal]

It's like playing Whack-a-mole. In fact it's more fun than Windows Solitaire.

[T.S. Luikart]

The fight continues - special nods to misterharry and Hermes Serpent for getting stabby in the trenches. Everyone will doubtless be delighted to know that I've been full on IP banning all these blighters - including going back to ban all the ones the lads took out this morning.

Sadly - we do have an authentication step - the spammers are human.

A Red Day! A Sword Day! Ere the Spam Rises!
Ban Now! Ban Now! Ban FOREVER!