Academy for Modding Excellence

Academy of Modding Excellence Public Forums => General Discussion => Topic started by: Henesua on June 10, 2011, 10:26:49 PM

Title: Help with Spam
Post by: Henesua on June 10, 2011, 10:26:49 PM
We need to attack this stuff. Do we have a techie admin?
Title: Re: Help with Spam
Post by: Andarian on June 11, 2011, 12:46:26 AM
Quote from: Henesua on June 10, 2011, 10:26:49 PMWe need to attack this stuff. Do we have a techie admin?

Saw it when I got home and cleared it out. I'm going to have to look into installing some anti-spam features into the forums.
Title: Re: Help with Spam
Post by: Andarian on June 11, 2011, 04:04:19 AM
Quote from: Henesua on June 10, 2011, 10:26:49 PMWe need to attack this stuff. Do we have a techie admin?

OK, I've done a thorough house-cleaning of the AME's account list. Employing one of the most useful websites around - the Stop Forum Spam (http://www.stopforumspam.com/) site - I was able to identify and ban dozens of dormant spam accounts, and I cleaned out spam from the profiles of a lot of others that had already been banned. I'm going to keep an eye on all new registrants to the forum and immediately and pre-emptively ban any that show up on the SFS list. That should put a dent in this for now.
Title: Re: Help with Spam
Post by: jml on June 11, 2011, 06:58:07 AM
As I sais, you're doing a hell of a job here. We made a really good decision in choosing our chairman... between you and you.  ;)
Well done.
Title: Re: Help with Spam
Post by: Henesua on June 11, 2011, 01:08:49 PM
Yes, Andarian, I am impressed. Thanks for putting in the extra effort. When I mentioned Techie Admin, I was thinking there was someone other than you to handle these issues.

I've never used simple machines, so I am not much help in managing this problem. But if you absolutely need help, let me know.
Title: Re: Help with Spam
Post by: Andarian on June 11, 2011, 07:24:02 PM
Thanks for the kind words, all.

I've updated the forum settings so that new member accounts now require approval from me before activation. Eleven new accounts were created since my "cleaning out" last night, of which nine were known spammers. I rejected those accounts and placed pre-emptive bans on their domains and IP addresses.
Title: Re: Help with Spam
Post by: Tybae on June 22, 2011, 05:36:42 AM
Quote from: Andarian on June 11, 2011, 07:24:02 PM
Thanks for the kind words, all.

I've updated the forum settings so that new member accounts now require approval from me before activation. Eleven new accounts were created since my "cleaning out" last night, of which nine were known spammers. I rejected those accounts and placed pre-emptive bans on their domains and IP addresses.

Technically, I can approve them too, so if you're out for a period of time, I can pick up the slack.  I'll be around a bit more often now that I have a job that doesn't suck all the life out of me and I'm back from vacation. 
Title: Re: Help with Spam
Post by: Andarian on June 22, 2011, 11:11:38 AM
Quote from: Tybae on June 22, 2011, 05:36:42 AMTechnically, I can approve them too, so if you're out for a period of time, I can pick up the slack.

I didn't mention it on this thread, but I've since had to disable new account registration altogether because the volume of new spam member registrations was getting out of control. Several other SMF forums in the NWN community suffered similar attacks as well, so it wasn't just us. Eventually we'll "lower the shields" to see if the attack has subsided, but for the time being anyone with a legitimate interest in an AME forum account should contact me by email (andarian at ame dash gda dot net).
Title: Re: Help with Spam
Post by: QSW on June 22, 2011, 11:52:46 AM

I disabled the Review Guild  new registrations as well, a few days back. It was getting too silly for words, 60 -70 applications a day  :o