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adom-admin
02-15-2011, 07:15 AM
Today I spent about 45 minutes wading through the new user registrations of the past 15 days or so. Almost 98% of them (that's 200+) probably were spambots. If I deleted folks erroneously please try again and post a bit more of a reason why you would like to join. If I made a mistake it was because your answer made you appear to be a spambot :-) And in some cases I'm still not sure... spambot technology really has matured.

The next step will be to ask for more help from you, the community. I have very little time for things related to ADOM (as you might know) and losing 45 minutes on forum administration really is a big loss in my time management. Thus I would like to install forum administrators with the power to ban users, etc. For that I would love to win experienced and respected forum users. If you would be willing to support the site, please announce it on this thread and I will get back to you.

Here you can find some info about the tools available to a moderator:
http://www.serpentus.info/44/vbulletin-forum-moderation-explained/

I'm still looking for information on how to allow moderators to also moderate user registrations in vBulletin 3.8. Suggestions welcome.

Thanks for reading and thanks for supporting the site and the game!

Grey
02-15-2011, 08:25 AM
I'll be more than happy to fight back against the hordes of spambots threatening to corrupt the forums.

Soirana
02-15-2011, 09:40 AM
Signing in for antispambot army too:)

rami
02-15-2011, 11:40 AM
Today I spent about 45 minutes wading through the new user registrations of the past 15 days or so. Almost 98% of them (that's 200+) probably were spambots. If I deleted folks erroneously please try again and post a bit more of a reason why you would like to join. If I made a mistake it was because your answer made you appear to be a spambot :-) And in some cases I'm still not sure... spambot technology really has matured.


That's because these are not actually bots, these are real spammers registering. AI technology is just not sophisticated enough to correctly answer random questions like "Enter the last four letters of "Ancardia". Registrations are made by actual people, and registration data is then fed to spambots. Some spam posts may be even done by actual people as well. Case in point: this user (http://www.adom.de/forums/member.php?u=1475). He made a few meaningful posts, but his signature is filled with obviously spammy links.

Honestly, I've never seen a message board that requires users to write an essay to register :D Simply promote some respected ancient members to moderators as you said, and let them quickly ban offending users and their posts.

Laukku
02-15-2011, 12:09 PM
Both Gray and Soirama seem good mod candidates, as they are some of the most active users in the forums.

Then there's topler, who at one point had the most posts in the forums. He was so active that he posted 2 posts a minute for days. Then all of his posts mysteriously disappeared. :confused:Obviously because he was a spambot.


That's because these are not actually bots, these are real spammers registering. AI technology is just not sophisticated enough to correctly answer random questions like "Enter the last four letters of "Ancardia". Registrations are made by actual people, and registration data is then fed to spambots. Some spam posts may be even done by actual people as well. Case in point: this user (http://www.adom.de/forums/member.php?u=1475). He made a few meaningful posts, but his signature is filled with obviously spammy links.

Some bots copypasted the contents of older posts. (Then there was the one (http://www.adom.de/forums/showthread.php?p=38030#post38030) which wrote "not good" in an older antispam thread where it was announced that TB was fixing the situation.:D)

Grey (dumber than gut)
02-15-2011, 01:18 PM
Other defenders of Law (of a sort) that I would suggest for this noble quest:

gut
Silfir
Soirana
JellySlayer
vogonpoet

JellySlayer
02-15-2011, 03:18 PM
I'd be happy to help out.

FWIW, I think it probably makes sense to follow rami's suggestion. Stick with the automated filter, and have the mods kill any bots who slip through.

Silfir
02-15-2011, 06:07 PM
Grey, gut, Soirana, JellySlayer and vogonpoet are all choices I'd heartily second.

Of course, I'm perfectly willing to take up the mantle myself.

Grey
02-15-2011, 08:37 PM
If you simply allow user registration as before, but insist that new users must post at least once or their account will be deleted, then every month we can delete all users with 0 posts. Actual spam posts can be cleaned up as we go along.

I also suggest that you make the question/answer require someone to open up their copy of ADOM (or rely on good ADOM knowledge). I suggested some questions in another thread to this effect:

Name a class in ADOM beginning with 'E'.
What race in ADOM is similar to halflings?
Which stat in ADOM starts with 'P' and affects your sight range?

Something like this is hard for non-ADOMers to guess. It might still need to be cycled every year or two in case bots break through by brute force.

Silfir
02-15-2011, 10:55 PM
The first is good. The second is sort of okay. The third is much too easy to guess even without any ADOM knowledge.

Some people just like to register so they can use some more features, even if they don't plan to post. I wouldn't want to harass them. How about we do that still, but only if the guy's username has a number in it? :) We'd just have to post a warning somewhere that if you insist on having a number in your username, you should make a post to escape the spambot-comb.

What I think would be workable is a system by which people can only register for the forum by uploading one of the game's files - like, adom.cnt or adom.ver (those are files that come with winbeta too, can you get them on MacOS?). A seperate site (linked to in the register form) contains the upload prompt that gives you the code that you need to use, if the filename and contents of the uploaded file check out. Should fool any spambot, at least. Of course, also requires programming busywork. If the people with far too much time on their hands that plague this place actually become able to kill spambots, they should be able to keep it all squeaky-clean even with the old registering scheme.

Travis Prue
02-16-2011, 05:00 AM
TB, have you tried looking at http://stopforumspam.com/ ?

Grey
02-16-2011, 09:45 AM
The first is good. The second is sort of okay. The third is much too easy to guess even without any ADOM knowledge.

Well, remember that many of the people who fill in these registrations for spambots are not native English speakers, so it won't be that easy.


Some people just like to register so they can use some more features, even if they don't plan to post. I wouldn't want to harass them. How about we do that still, but only if the guy's username has a number in it? :) We'd just have to post a warning somewhere that if you insist on having a number in your username, you should make a post to escape the spambot-comb.

It's not unreasonable to request that everyone makes at least 1 post, and a warning can be given a week or more in advance. Essentially it's the same as asking them to write a paragraph to justify their account creation (as TB has currently set up). Otherwise it's very hard to distinguish the bots from the lurkers.

Soirana
02-16-2011, 12:09 PM
It's not unreasonable to request that everyone makes at least 1 post, and a warning can be given a week or more in advance. Essentially it's the same as asking them to write a paragraph to justify their account creation (as TB has currently set up). Otherwise it's very hard to distinguish the bots from the lurkers.

We can always make nice thead "Introduce yourself or be deleted...":)

gut
02-16-2011, 02:32 PM
we already have a forum feature to vote on poll questions.

maybe we could vote newbies in :D

Silfir
02-16-2011, 03:10 PM
Shhh, gut, we're trying to pretend we are not completely batshit insane :(

Grey (dumber than gut)
02-16-2011, 04:56 PM
Yeah, last thing we want is for the forums to become cliquey and full of in-jokes...

gut
02-16-2011, 06:59 PM
that is too creepy!

anyway, i didn't mean vote like getting so many % gets you in,
i meant more like... 1 vote gets you in.

Laukku
02-16-2011, 07:05 PM
anyway, i didn't mean vote like getting so many % gets you in,
i meant more like... 1 vote gets you in.

We'd need only one spammer (bot or real person) get through, so he can approve all other bots.

So it should be mod-only or something.

gut
02-16-2011, 07:20 PM
bots have technology to approve other bots via poll?

Dudley
02-16-2011, 07:44 PM
bots have technology to approve other bots via poll?

They can get it.

tapi
03-11-2011, 01:33 AM
As mentiond earlier in this thread, topler is the most sensible choice. I do not think anybody can question the devotion he has put into the game and the community. His posts have always had distinquishable quality too and they stand out posively in every aspect from the general posting.

vogonpoet
03-18-2011, 01:05 PM
Hi folks.

Some peeps upthread seemed to have mentioned my name... I gotta say, my currently low forum profile is at least partially due to the spam levels - they kinda sap my enjoyment of this place somewhat. So I would certainly be willing to help clear the spambots, were the power to do so be invested in me and the other, more consistently loquacious members of this forum.

I might not end up being the most dedicated spam-buster, but if the feeling is that an extra hand beyond the many hands of Silfir, Soirana, Grey, gut, JellySlayer and the legendary topler would help, then sign me up.

Nor sure about expanding the questions system -as others have said, spammers are increasingly using humans to get their initial feet in the door, and a full on registration quiz seems more likely to frighten off real potential newbies than spammers.

tapi
03-22-2011, 02:08 AM
Im Dr gonzo

foxfire29
05-23-2011, 04:29 PM
Would liked to have helped as well in clearing Spambots although havent got the time atm even if I would have gotten selected, despite not being an ancient member, per'se

I must say though I think voting people in is a dodgy road if its done by more than just 1 single Admin who is a bit older, mature and knows that humility isn't a ladys name. (To be fair the Admin choices listed seem like good ones and this post has not attracted a bunch of 10 to 14 year olds as happens with the majority of forum Administrator request posts on other forums which is great)

I have been busy with work lately so for all I know this issue may have been dealt with, either way I'm glad an effort is being made to keep the community afloat since it is, as far as I can see, populated by a good bunch of people.

Perhaps the new Admins can just filter through all new registrations and any suspect ones, sent out a mail which consists of a standard letter type thing with a custom question, maybe just talk with these members via mail, I think you would catch most out that way. Even if its real people that made the initial accounts I doubt they are going to be available for follow up talks. (As for spam methods becomming more advanced and speaking as someone who is studying computer security related materials , I agree it has become more advanced, constant fix then new exploit so to speak!)

Also I have a number in my name, I'm screwed lol :D Joking aside though I completely understand why the suggestion was made regarding names with numerical digits. (I try to avoid that these days but usually I am busy and it is as quick as I can get a valid name for registration)

Bearing what I have said in mind and also touching on what was said by the previous poster(Vogonpoet) I am rather in agreeance because I know personally the minute I see registrations that are breaking from the norm, with questions, surveys or other things of such a convoluted nature, I immediately think:

1: Not got time for this 'faffing' about
2: Another net Scam
3: Next they will be asking me to pay for a premium membership

Despite the fact the above is untrue pertaining to this site the fact remains there are so many scams etc on the web that the slightest barrier could be incorrectly percieved and cost the site new members.

gut
06-12-2011, 02:11 PM
on the bright side, there HAVEN'T been any posts by spambots lately...

Grey
06-12-2011, 05:15 PM
We also haven't had any new members :-(