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A new wave of bots that defeat the maths question ?
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A new wave of bots that defeat the maths question ?
PostPosted: 07/12/2009 7:37 PM Reply with quote
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circleofatlantis
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The last couple of days I've had a new wave of bots attacking my site.

They register in spite of the maths question, which I've changed twice already to no effect.

I suspect that the maths question has now been built into the bot code and it keeps supplying a numerical answer until it successfully registers. I've just tried a 3 digit number, and they are still getting through.

Is anyone else seeing this ?

Is there any suggested solution ?

I've had to put my forums back onto admin activation just to keep the bots out. Sad
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Re: A new wave of bots that defeat the maths question ?
PostPosted: 07/12/2009 8:09 PM Reply with quote
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Same here!



violent1
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Re: A new wave of bots that defeat the maths question ?
PostPosted: 07/13/2009 12:25 AM Reply with quote
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Nightrider
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I'm really not sure how these spam bots are getting through the security.  You could probably change the math question into a question that requires a text response but I doubt that would make a difference.  The code would probably need to be modified to be case insensitive too...

dontknow
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Re: A new wave of bots that defeat the maths question ?
PostPosted: 07/28/2009 7:47 PM Reply with quote
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circleofatlantis
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I think the bots are calculating answers until one works.

A text message might work better. Have to think about that.

In the meantime, I found the mod that rejects a registration if anything is added to profile fields.

This catches about 99.5 % of the bots.

What I would like to add though, is a test for Albanian language and reject them as well. Every single spam registration I get that manages to post, has the Albanian language selected.

Can someone suggest what to add where to do that ? Or make up a mod for it ? Best if it didnt tell them why the registration was rejected.
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Re: A new wave of bots that defeat the maths question ?
PostPosted: 07/28/2009 9:22 PM Reply with quote
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Try installing this MOD.  It has worked to stop the spam registrations cold on 3 forums so far.  You should be able to install it using EM:

Modify_Math_Question2.zip

Let me know if you have any trouble installing it...

munky2
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Re: A new wave of bots that defeat the maths question ?
PostPosted: 07/28/2009 9:30 PM Reply with quote
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circleofatlantis
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Will do, thanks Smile
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Re: A new wave of bots that defeat the maths question ?
PostPosted: 07/31/2009 5:14 PM Reply with quote
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Update :

Yes, that stopped them dead !  Applause
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Re: A new wave of bots that defeat the maths question ?
PostPosted: 07/31/2009 5:40 PM Reply with quote
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This will stop the spam bots but not the human spammers.  Hopefully this will work until they adjust their bot code to counteract our counteractive measures.  If they succeed in circumventing the security code again, it will be easy enough to use the same MOD to adjust the security question again.  All you would need to do to install it again is modify the Subject or Version number and change the MOD script to match the new question and answer.  Then it can be quickly reinstalled using EM again...

Hopefully this will work to defeat them for quite a while this time...

munky2
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Re: A new wave of bots that defeat the maths question ?
PostPosted: 07/31/2009 5:50 PM Reply with quote
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circleofatlantis
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Actually, all we really need is a mod to change the answer.

Leave the question the same.

So all the mod need do, is find the answer and change it.

So in future we just edit the version number, change the answer and install.

I dont think I'm getting any human spammers at all. They are all bots. The ones still getting through after putting in the no profile mod, are the few bots that dont set up any profile fields. And they are stopped by the nospam question. When the question fails, most of them will be stopped again by the no profile mod, giving me time to change the answer again.
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Re: A new wave of bots that defeat the maths question ?
PostPosted: 07/31/2009 10:06 PM Reply with quote
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Nightrider
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That's what this MOD does.  But when you want to use it again, you will have to change both the question text and the answer.  There is no way around that.  And what is in the INLINE, REPLACE WITH field will have to be moved up to the FIND field since the FINDs are no longer valid once this MOD was installed.  It sounds worse than it is...

munky2
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