Massive increase in spam attacks on my small site. What gives?

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  • Fly
    Senior Member
    • Oct 2003
    • 203

    [Forum] Massive increase in spam attacks on my small site. What gives?

    Given the questions I've seen lately about recaptcha and the human verification manager, I can assume that I'm not alone in this onslaught. I use reCAPTCHA and email verification, but its still getting through. Was there some spam bot released that can solve reCAPTCHA?

    Additionally, are others seeing a MASSIVE increase in spam accounts in the last week or two?

    I know there isn't a whole lot vB can do about it. I'm really just wondering if there is some background info on how its all being done.
  • punchbowl
    Senior Member
    • Nov 2006
    • 3903
    • 4.0.x

    #2

    Comment

    • Fly
      Senior Member
      • Oct 2003
      • 203

      #3
      I'm well aware of how to limit it, as I mentioned. I was more interested in finding out if anyone knew the cause of a 1000% increase in forum spam recently. And if everyone else was experiencing it (I assume that they are).

      Comment

      • JonUrban
        Senior Member
        • Jul 2003
        • 222
        • 4.0.0

        #4
        Me too. My site is a 'smaller site', but I've been getting very odd spammers lately, and I have a lot of the anti-spam stuff installed.

        I don't know how these buggers find us..... (and what they hope to accomplish)

        Comment

        • Streetgliderx
          Member
          • Jun 2010
          • 75

          #5
          mine too i use recaptcha, and e-mail confirmation and still getting a massive influx of spam in just the last 3 days

          Comment

          • sulasno
            Senior Member
            • Feb 2010
            • 323
            • 4.0.0

            #6
            add an extra question during registration
            http://sulasno.bravehost.com/android.png

            Comment

            • Fly
              Senior Member
              • Oct 2003
              • 203

              #7
              Originally posted by sulasno
              add an extra question during registration
              I added that today. We'll see what happens. How in the heck are they solving the reCAPTCHA???

              Comment

              • beishe8
                Senior Member
                • Oct 2005
                • 6782
                • 4.2.X

                #8
                Spambots are trying to register on my board without success.
                Question and Answer is stopping them.


                vB5 is unequivocally the best forum software, but not yet...

                Comment

                • bplinson
                  Senior Member
                  • Mar 2004
                  • 290
                  • 6.X

                  #9
                  It is not spambots. In Russia people are getting paid to register on forums and spread spam.

                  Comment

                  • Fly
                    Senior Member
                    • Oct 2003
                    • 203

                    #10
                    Originally posted by bplinson
                    It is not spambots. In Russia people are getting paid to register on forums and spread spam.
                    I've heard of that kind of stuff, but the MASSIVE increase recently seems odd.

                    Theoretically, you only have to get one of two reCAPTCHA words correct. I wonder if...

                    Comment

                    • bplinson
                      Senior Member
                      • Mar 2004
                      • 290
                      • 6.X

                      #11
                      Yes it does. I have been banning them. At first I was deleting the accounts but they kept coming back. I am also banning the networks they are coming from. It is slowing down a bit by banning the networks but they are still coming through.

                      But, IMHO, since they are humans there is really nothing that can be done to stop them.

                      Comment

                      • Vikingant
                        New Member
                        • Sep 2010
                        • 27
                        • 2.2.1

                        #12
                        We have been having the same thing. It really ramped up just after new year. I was hoping it would go away, but we are getting 30-40 per day. Not all are activating, but a few still do. There has always been the odd bot trying to register, but now it is getting ridiculous. Thankfully we have all new registrations go for moderation first, but they are getting more ballsy now. Some are even posting the spam as guests (we have some select forums set for gust posting)

                        Hopefully they will get bored and dissapear soon, but if anyone find a way to deter them I would be grateful.

                        Comment

                        • Fly
                          Senior Member
                          • Oct 2003
                          • 203

                          #13
                          Originally posted by Vikingant
                          We have been having the same thing. It really ramped up just after new year. I was hoping it would go away, but we are getting 30-40 per day. Not all are activating, but a few still do. There has always been the odd bot trying to register, but now it is getting ridiculous. Thankfully we have all new registrations go for moderation first, but they are getting more ballsy now. Some are even posting the spam as guests (we have some select forums set for gust posting)

                          Hopefully they will get bored and dissapear soon, but if anyone find a way to deter them I would be grateful.
                          Check out the second post in this thread, if you haven't already.

                          Comment

                          • Eagle Creek
                            Senior Member
                            • Apr 2003
                            • 1206
                            • 3.6.x

                            #14
                            Originally posted by Fly
                            I've heard of that kind of stuff, but the MASSIVE increase recently seems odd.
                            Count me in too.
                            A week ago, nothing. Right now about 100 spam registrations a day. What's even worse, they are trying to log in:


                            They try to log in using excisting accounts too, I guess, take over those accounts using dictionary passwords.
                            http://www.nucia.nl/forum/
                            The best way to kill malware; is to kill it together.

                            Comment

                            • Vikingant
                              New Member
                              • Sep 2010
                              • 27
                              • 2.2.1

                              #15
                              I have now installed the mod posted above. So far so good. There are a few new 'registrations' showing now but they are getting an error message.

                              I have now found my new favorite mod!!!

                              Comment

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