Enable a waiting period for new posters

[Cogman]

While it may not kill all bots, most bots try to create then post immediately. Putting on a 1-2 day waiting period on new accounts might divert some bots from posting.

 

[ComputerWizKid]

I agree that would foil alot of bots/Spammers let do it

 

[aloser]

Do these Cialis offers mean no moar iPodz?

 

[Red Squirrel]

I've thought of trying that for the forums I run.

Though, on the other hand, legit people will pretty much always post right away too. So it might divert new members, but maybe not. Some spammers actually accumulate tons of accounts then suddenly strike with all of them at once. So maybe deleting accounts that have been innactive for more then 24 hours could help too. Really it's hard to decide as they vary their ways so much.

Actually, just block words like cialis, ipod etc. If someone is posting and these words show up, it racks up "points" (like an email spam filter) and then auto bans them. Only run this scan for the first couple posts.

 

[Cogman]

I've thought of trying that for the forums I run.

Though, on the other hand, legit people will pretty much always post right away too. So it might divert new members, but maybe not. Some spammers actually accumulate tons of accounts then suddenly strike with all of them at once. So maybe deleting accounts that have been innactive for more then 24 hours could help too. Really it's hard to decide as they vary their ways so much.

Actually, just block words like cialis, ipod etc. If someone is posting and these words show up, it racks up "points" (like an email spam filter) and then auto bans them. Only run this scan for the first couple posts.

So, apply a Bayesian filter to each of the first new posts. Since bots don't seem to have any Bayes filter poison, you could temporarily ban them, then send them a message like "Your account looks fishy a moderator is reviewing your recent posts" If the moderator thinks they are legit, they can unban them.

You should have enough posts throughout the entire forum to have a pretty well train filter for each forum. You would just have to be sure that you updated the filter everytime a spammer was caught.

[edit]Humm, I tought I posted this in the suggestion box, no wonder I couldn't find it 🙂 If someone would like to move this out of HT to the suggestion box, I would be grateful[/edit]

 

[soccerballtux]

crackberry forums says you have to post 10 times before you can actually create your own topic.

It's a horrible idea, I put off registering for like 2 weeks because I wouldn't have been able to post to get help.
So I went to howardforums and mobile-files.com/forums and never looked back.

I would highly advise against a waiting period. Just give them a recaptcha if you must for their first 2 posts.

 

[MStele]

Actually to foil bots all they need to do is implement a visual code feature like those used on many sites now, where the server provides a unique picture of characters that must be typed in to complete the post. Since code delivery is in the form of an image, no bot can bypass it.

 

[Sahakiel]

Actually to foil bots all they need to do is implement a visual code feature like those used on many sites now, where the server provides a unique picture of characters that must be typed in to complete the post. Since code delivery is in the form of an image, no bot can bypass it.

On the other hand, legions of underpaid Indians can crack thousands per minute.
Seriously, that's what a lot of spammers are doing.

 

[Cogman]

Actually to foil bots all they need to do is implement a visual code feature like those used on many sites now, where the server provides a unique picture of characters that must be typed in to complete the post. Since code delivery is in the form of an image, no bot can bypass it.

Straight characters are easy to crack. Most bots have ocr's good enough to be able to read them. It is where you have distorted characters that it starts to be more difficult for a bot to bypass.

Really, doing anything unique or not commonly done will foil 99% of bots. Bots are built for the common, not to uncommon.