Debian User Forums

Today Mez added some new anti-spam measures that we believe will help this forum out quite a bit. Big applaud for Mez!

Thank you Mez.

We have already seen a large reduction in the spam-bots making posts. Nothing is 100% effective but I believe this anti-spam measure will go a long way in helping eliminate our current spam problem.

Awesome. Thanks a lot!

Finally! Three cheers. Hip, hip, horray!
Full speed ahead and leave the spam bots in the dust!

This is excellent news. Thanks, Mez!

Absent Minded wrote:Today Mez added some new anti-spam measures that we believe will help this forum out quite a bit. Big applaud for Mez!

Excellent!

Nothing is 100% effective but I believe this anti-spam measure will go a long way in helping eliminate our current spam problem.

Anti-spam mods will reduce the problem to a level that is easily handled by moderators.

Thank you Mez.

I would have seen a reason for a thanks 1 and half a year ago.
In other words: When the spam problem first got out of hand, was mentioned in a thread, where possible solutions were proposed (and ignored, for said time).

nadir wrote:I would have seen a reason for a thanks 1 and half a year ago.
In other words: When the spam problem first got out of hand, was mentioned in a thread, where possible solutions were proposed (and ignored, for said time).

Unfortunately this is true.

cynwulf wrote:

nadir wrote:I would have seen a reason for a thanks 1 and half a year ago.
In other words: When the spam problem first got out of hand, was mentioned in a thread, where possible solutions were proposed (and ignored, for said time).

Unfortunately this is true.

While it is long over due and I understand some of our members are resentful about how long, still, now is much better than not at all.

Late is better than never. I can't bring myself to worry about what is past.

Just out of curiosity, I looked to see what these new anti-spam measures looked like.

On the initial signup screen at least, there is a second "anti-spam" question. Unfortunately, it looks like it'll prove to be just exactly as easy to spoof via script as the old "what is the middle number?" doodad (which is still in place).

I fear that the current respite may prove to be at best a temporary lull until the bot writers update their automated signup script(s).

dasein wrote:Just out of curiosity, I looked to see what these new anti-spam measures looked like.

On the initial signup screen at least, there is a second "anti-spam" question. Unfortunately, it looks like it'll prove to be just exactly as easy to spoof via script as the old "what is the middle number?" doodad (which is still in place).

I fear that the current respite may prove to be at best a temporary lull until the bot writers update their automated signup script(s).

That second question was added a while ago - and before the anti-spam measures.

Have a look @ the timezone selection - and/or try registering with a known spammers details (stopforumspam.com)

dasein wrote:Just out of curiosity, I looked to see what these new anti-spam measures looked like.

On the initial signup screen at least, there is a second "anti-spam" question. Unfortunately, it looks like it'll prove to be just exactly as easy to spoof via script as the old "what is the middle number?" doodad (which is still in place).

I fear that the current respite may prove to be at best a temporary lull until the bot writers update their automated signup script(s).

It's more than that. We now use a blacklist compiled by forums around the world.

dasein wrote:Just out of curiosity, I looked to see what these new anti-spam measures looked like.

On the initial signup screen at least, there is a second "anti-spam" question. Unfortunately, it is just exactly as easy to spoof via script as the old "what is the middle number?" doodad (which is still in place).

I fear that the current respite may prove to be at best a temporary lull until the bot writers update their automated signup script(s).

While the signup stuff has not changed much, there is now a database of known spammers (not sure if that is IP or URL or both really) that is dynamically updated by this board as well as others that use this plugin across the internet. For example each time we use our new counter measures on a previously unknown spammer, that database is updated so other boards can benifit from our efforts as we also benifit from their efforts.

I've seen a thing recently where users have to play a simple game in order to start a download.
It was as simple as "put the banana in the basket" and there were other items to choose from.

Could something like that be implemented here?

Absent Minded wrote:... there is now a database of known spammers ...that is dynamically updated by this board as well as others ...

Ah, so the new anti-spam measure(s) is/are something akin to a distributed blacklist. That's a hopeful sign.

dasein wrote:

Absent Minded wrote:... there is now a database of known spammers ...that is dynamically updated by this board as well as others ...

Ah, so the new anti-spam measure(s) is/are something akin to a distributed blacklist. That's a hopeful sign.

We now work with http://www.stopforumspam.com/ and https://www.projecthoneypot.org/ among others. It helps dramatically.

I wasn't aware that Project Honeypot was still active, but it's nice to see that they are. (I actually contributed a couple of MX records to them a very long time ago, and was wondering just the other day if the project was still active, and thus would still need said records.)

Distributed blacklisting is a very powerful and very robust tool. And nearly impossible for the Bad Guys to defeat. Excellent choice. (Though I do worry a tad if email address is one of the things that is tracked/blacklisted. Google "Joe Job" for details.)

http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php? ... 15#p389385

Better late than never. Yup.

Well , I can see My job here is done
( as miniscule as it was , flagging spammers )

@Pick2

1) Reporting spam is not, never has been, and never will be, a "miniscule" contribution.

2) While the automatic anti-spam measures recently put in place will help tremendously, some spam still gets through. So you're not out of a job... it's just that your job is now a whole lot easier (mine too).