This place is currently bugged out...

SAK ` · Post by **SAK `** » Sun Mar 12, 2006 9:27 pm

Right now, I am sorting out users with joined date in descending order. I already see about more than 4 pages worth of automated registrations and a bunch of fudging lam3rs advertising their worthless crap on here. So far, it's non-stop and it won't end until we find the IP of this bot and shut it down for good! Maybe if we disable this board for a couple of days, that'll clean this place out a little bit.

$.@.K.

SAK ` · Post by **SAK `** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 2:10 am

No, the administrators are using phpBB. I guess that would mean "Visual Confirmation." This program has a username disallow and banning feature also if they feel that automated registrations get heavier.

PPC_Digger · Post by **PPC_Digger** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 12:14 am

As a first method of stopping bots I would change the URL from /phpBB to something less obvious. I would also do something that would make a user wait some time before a first log on could be done (an hour or until an admin's approval).

ataxy · Post by **ataxy** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 4:12 am

definitly this is a big problem

Stephen Coates · Post by **Stephen Coates** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 4:35 pm

Right. We have been having this problem for a few months now (getting 1000s registrations per day).

The reason I havn't done anything to stop it is that until they post, I can't find the IP address. And I can't delete them because that would involve going into each member profile, ticking the delete box and clicking save.

That would take forever. There is a mass-user deletion hack but as I have no access to the server I can't add it.

The verification where you have to type a code in doesn't work, and even if you have admin activation or email activation, that doesn't stop the user being there or showing up on the lists. They will be there, but will remain unactivated. So that doesn't really help unless we were getting mass-posts, which we're not.

I will do all I can to sort it out.

Stephen Coates · Post by **Stephen Coates** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 11:05 pm

I don't want to block registrations as people might want to register here to ask about mac emulation.

I will have to have words with ClockWise about all this.

I don't really want to be messing about with the site too much as it's not my site to mess about with. I'm only an admin.

SAK ` · Post by **SAK `** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 12:47 am

Nice! I am glad you guys are standing up to the MORON that keeps exploiting phpBB and keeps generating worthless usernames into the database. Thank you guys! 8)

Stephen Coates · Post by **Stephen Coates** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 7:58 am

freemenot wrote:Oh, sorry, i thought you were the owner!

Nah, I'm just a person whos been here quite a long time and ClockWise (the owner) made me into an admin to try and deal with the spam problem. I don't want to be making too many changes though unless they seem essential.

SAK ` · Post by **SAK `** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 1:15 pm

I can still see more lamers in the memberlist. I can teach the sole owner easier ways of deleting multiple users using phpMyAdmin/MySQL, and that might put a little peace into this board.

For the time being, check and see if you can add these to the list of disallowed users...

Code: Select all

*from*
1*
2*
3*
4*
5*
6*
7*
8*
9*
0*

That means something like (for example) "467236487 from RetardLand", "745461346", and "856543443 from Hell" won't show up in the memberlist, forcing the automated bot to give up for once and try or do something else.

$.@.K.

Stephen Coates · Post by **Stephen Coates** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 3:21 pm

I've added all those.

Thanks.

Stephen Coates · Post by **Stephen Coates** » Sat Jun 24, 2006 1:11 pm

I seem to have stopped those mass registrations.

I just have to figure a way to delete the existing ones. Perhaps I could edit the databse.

SAK ` · Post by **SAK `** » Sat Jun 24, 2006 10:36 pm

viewing this database using phpMyAdmin or MySQL should give you an opportunity to search this DB for multiple users with a number or a "from"?

Stephen Coates · Post by **Stephen Coates** » Sat Jun 24, 2006 10:41 pm

The problem is, I don't know how to open the database. I can download a backup from the Admin CP, and restore a backup, but I don't know how I would go about modifying it.

Also, I don't have access to the server. I am merely an administrator on phpBB.

PPC_Digger · Post by **PPC_Digger** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 12:44 am

Stephen Coates wrote:The problem is, I don't know how to open the database. I can download a backup from the Admin CP, and restore a backup, but I don't know how I would go about modifying it.

Also, I don't have access to the server. I am merely an administrator on phpBB.

Download a backup, load it on a server you do have access to, make the necessary modifications, and restore the backup on the main server.

Stephen Coates · Post by **Stephen Coates** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 7:45 am

I now have access to the serever, so should be able to get the site sorted out.

PPC_Digger · Post by **PPC_Digger** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 4:08 pm

Stephen Coates wrote:I now have access to the serever, so should be able to get the site sorted out.

Good luck