General Discussion

This one is pretty bad. More than 100 spam messages.

I've notified Jeff to see if Jeff can delete all messages form this spam account.

It got tiring to delete this son of a b &**%^%$ mesages manually :))

-bodhi
===========================
Forum Wiki
bodhi's corner (buy bodhi a beer)



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/07/2018 11:18PM by bodhi.

Also, looks like something happened to the followed topics feature? I don't see any under my account.

haridsv Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Also, looks like something happened to the
> followed topics feature? I don't see any under my
> account.
>
Don't know what exactly you meant by followed. However, if you meant your posts on any of the removed spam posts. they also get removed by the admin/mod unless they get split before being removed, AFAICT.

bodhi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It got tiring to delete this son of a b &**%^%$
> mesages manually :))
>
I can understand that. I used to moderate some forums that was overwhelmed with spam post. The only way to curb such spam posts is to block the IP Address, unfortunately.

habibie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> haridsv Wrote:
> -------------------------------------------------------
> > Also, looks like something happened to the
> > followed topics feature? I don't see any under
> my
> > account.
> >
> Don't know what exactly you meant by
> followed. However, if you meant your posts
> on any of the removed spam posts. they also get
> removed by the admin/mod unless they get split
> before being removed, AFAICT.

I am referring to this section of control panel: https://forum.doozan.com/control.php?8,panel=subthreads

I only see this current thread under there, but before my first post here it was completely empty. All my previous threads are still missing.

haridsv Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am referring to this section of control panel: https://forum.doozan.com/control.php?8,panel=subthreads
>
Sorry, I don't understand. When I clicked the above link, it said No topics match the above criteria.

> I only see this current thread under there, but before my first post here it was completely empty. All my previous threads are still missing.
>
That is better than mine that showed nothing. Anyway, according to your user profile, you had 38 posts as of this writing.

> Don't know what exactly you meant by
> followed. However, if you meant your posts
> on any of the removed spam posts. they also get
> removed by the admin/mod unless they get split
> before being removed, AFAICT.

That only applies to a spam post created by spammer. Not in this case, where the spammer posted a message on existing legit posts.

Jeff has blocked this spammer and remove all messages from this account only (does not effect the other posts).

-bodhi
===========================
Forum Wiki
bodhi's corner (buy bodhi a beer)

habibie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> I can understand that. I used to moderate some
> forums that was overwhelmed with spam post. The
> only way to curb such spam posts is to block the
> IP Address, unfortunately.

Usually it is easy fo rme to delete the whole spam topic. This case is more severe, because I have to open each thread and remove the last post.

-bodhi
===========================
Forum Wiki
bodhi's corner (buy bodhi a beer)

haridsv,

> I only see this current thread under there, but
> before my first post here it was completely empty.
> All my previous threads are still missing.

That's strange. Probably just a coincidence. Try to resubscribe to threads and see if it works.

-bodhi
===========================
Forum Wiki
bodhi's corner (buy bodhi a beer)

Brings back memories when I was forum admin 15 years ago. Occasionally there would be a spammer, and I'd run to the store for 12-30 beers and delete messages for hours, insult the spammer. Of course I'd wake up next day and my brain would be trying to tell me "if there's spam still then you're going to be hungover" and there wouldn't any spam, so brain says "no hangover, you feel great!" LOL

=========
-= Cloud 9 =-

bodhi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> haridsv,
>
> > I only see this current thread under there, but
> > before my first post here it was completely
> empty.
> > All my previous threads are still missing.
>
> That's strange. Probably just a coincidence. Try
> to resubscribe to threads and see if it works.

Apologies for the confusion, I didn't realize that by default it shows only those with recent activity. When I selected "All Dates" I saw all my subscribed threads. Come to think of it, a few months back I fell for the same and it took me some exploring to figure this out and I forgot all about it. This interface is quite unusual to have caused the same confusion twice :)

> This interface is quite unusual to have
> caused the same confusion twice :)

I know :) especially with the search dialog, you have to remember to select All Dates, or else it is default to 30 days or so. But it is a simple and fast web interface.

-bodhi
===========================
Forum Wiki
bodhi's corner (buy bodhi a beer)

bodhi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > Don't know what exactly you meant by followed. However, if you meant your posts on any of the removed spam posts. they also get
> > removed by the admin/mod unless they get split before being removed, AFAICT.
>
> That only applies to a spam post created by spammer. Not in this case, where the spammer posted a message on existing legit posts.
>
I don't know about the BB forum software used here. However, most of BB forum software, i.e. PunBB, etc., has an option (if enabled by the admin) to moderate the thread (listed on the right-hand corner at the bottom of each thread). This will let the admin and/or moderator to clean up the thread by splitting and then removing and/or deleting the offended post(s) from the thread.

Damn :) another rampant spam flood!

I've notified Jeff.

-bodhi
===========================
Forum Wiki
bodhi's corner (buy bodhi a beer)

bodhi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Damn :) another rampant spam flood!
>
> I've notified Jeff.


My control panel isn't wrecked, but neat to see I have 1234 posts. Having said that it should be 1235 now that I said so. D@#n you spammer you forced me to wreck my own Feng shui sand castle 8-(

=========
-= Cloud 9 =-

Spammer strikes again %^%&* :)

Still waiting for Jeff to remove this account.

-bodhi
===========================
Forum Wiki
bodhi's corner (buy bodhi a beer)

This spammer is quite bad! more than 130 messages.

I'm pretty tired. I think Jeff should turn captcha on. Is there any drawback in having captcha?

-bodhi
===========================
Forum Wiki
bodhi's corner (buy bodhi a beer)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/10/2018 02:48AM by bodhi.

bodhi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm pretty tired. I think Jeff should turn captcha on. Is there any drawback in having captcha?
>
AFAICT, the answer is no. It just adds another step for verification during a sign up process and that does NOT out weight the SPAM posts a spammer will generate to give lots of headeaches, especially a spam posted on an already discussion thread where mod and/or admin has to take an additional step to split the spam post and delete (or move to hide) it. As such, CAPTCHA is useless. What is good to fight against SPAM posters is block their IP Address. This is exactly what has been done on OpenWRT forum to curb spammers. It used to get lots of SPAM posts, like the ones you are getting now by this poster (131 new spam posts). These days, only a few (1 or 2) in a week or even none spam posts on openwrt forum.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/10/2018 07:10AM by habibie.

bodhi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This spammer is quite bad! more than 130
> messages.
>
> I'm pretty tired. I think Jeff should turn captcha
> on. Is there any drawback in having captcha?

I could be totally wrong, but the thoughts that come to mind, is that it's probably a small group with a language barrier who don't realize hacking in the context of this website's name means modifying and improving conventional hardware through software and techniques. They probably think they're cyber cowboys for defacing it, or have bug-riddled computers and paranoia issues and think places like this are watching them. You know the drill. Thinking out loud. That's my profiling, could be way different.

But I would go with a timer allowing one post per 10 minutes and unlimited editing within the 10 minutes but no new posts allowed, or even daily limit to posts overall. So if you had 24 posts per day limit, and someone came here spamming, most people would be awake within 12 hours to delete 12 posts and ban the user. And/or deputize anti-spam moderators with limited power to stop a name or IP from getting through. CAPTCHA... that's harsh.

Got to rest, g 'night :-)

=========
-= Cloud 9 =-

I think captcha is a good solution, I can't see why it would be harsh. It costs me, depending on the kind of captcha, like 2-10 second to solve. It doesn't annoy me or keep me from posting in anyway, if that's what you mean.

AngryCoder Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think captcha is a good solution, I can't see
> why it would be harsh. It costs me, depending on
> the kind of captcha, like 2-10 second to solve. It
> doesn't annoy me or keep me from posting in
> anyway, if that's what you mean.

The technology being discussed here isn't kindergarden stuff though, it can take more than a train of thought to ascribe thought to cyber paper so to speak. CAPTCHA is good for a torrent site, where a person is fired up in acquisition mode for oh... LibreOffice Pro (joking) you know.

Well it's not my site, and all I have to go by is 10-15 years ago when I had a site remotely similar to this one (meaning, easy to register and post). I'd sit there and delete spam posts as they were being made, and it would break the spammer's spirit within 20 minutes. The spammer posts would get meaner, but they'd be gone another month.

The spammer could have been doing it the day before the monthly check, or a person with monthly biological imbalance, I never figured it out. Could be a competitor with an axe to grind. Could be a bored kid wanting to brag they spammed a "hacker" site.
Just my 2 cents.

=========
-= Cloud 9 =-



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/12/2018 01:25PM by JoeyPogoPlugE02.

AngryCoder Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think captcha is a good solution, I can't see why it would be harsh. It costs me, depending on the kind of captcha, like 2-10 second to solve. It doesn't annoy me or keep me from posting in anyway, if that's what you mean.
>
That is exactly what I meant. A spammer to waste 10 sec signs up with a 1x captcha and start posting hundreds (through cut/paste) of spam posts as new or on already discussion threads (like a buffet servicem pay once and eat all you can). The later will cost more time for admins and/or mods to clean up. AFAICT, a captcha is ONLY good for a 1x service, i.e, to download a file. For a forum, the ONLY solution is to block the offended IP Address, AFAICT. Once blocked, the only way for the offended spammers to come back is to use another unblocked IP address.

Damn! this spam wave is pretty bad, too. Looks like it is coming back.

-bodhi
===========================
Forum Wiki
bodhi's corner (buy bodhi a beer)

As long as Jeff does NOT want to block (a.k.a to support) them, they will keep coming back more and more until Jeff caves in. Who wants to bet Jeff willcave in soon? Until then, there will be more house cleaning works need be done by the admin/mods.

Whatever Jeff does is fine with me!

When spams come in as individual threads, where I clean up that up a few times a day, it is fine for me to manage. When it got through with hundred of posts in hundreds of existing threads, I notify Jeff and he would delete the account therefore its associated posts.

It's a break from the forum duty once in a while for me :)

Just let it be.

-bodhi
===========================
Forum Wiki
bodhi's corner (buy bodhi a beer)

So I changed the subject title for this sticky thread to "General Discussion". Please post whatever come to your mind, or that can be an improvement to the forum.

-bodhi
===========================
Forum Wiki
bodhi's corner (buy bodhi a beer)

I think that it is necessary to replace a forum engine, for example smf, mybb, phpbb, phpbbex

butaford Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think that it is necessary to replace a forum engine, for example smf, mybb, phpbb, phpbbex
>
That's one uneffective deterrent way to do it, i.e. spammers can still come to register for a new account and simply write a few legit posts before posting lots of spam posts. I had seen and experienced this before. Spammers always manage to come back to post spams. The only simple and effective solution is to band the IP Address used by the spammers. Still, they will come back to post spams with new IP Addresses before the new IP Addresses get banded. In the long run, they will exhaust their IP Addresses and stop wasting their effort to come back but move to other forums, i.e. like this forum, etc., to target them. Until Jeff implements to band the IP Address, we will still see more and more spam posts. TBH, it is more works to isolate spam posts on a discussion thread then on a new spam post. The former requires additional work to split the spam post and then delete or move it somewhere. For 1 or 2 such spam posts, I believe it is OK. However, for spam posts like we had here every-now-and-then, you can ask Bodhi how painful it is to split and remove those spam posts.

habibie,

> The former requires
> additional work to split the spam post and then
> delete or move it somewhere. For 1 or 2 such spam
> posts, I believe it is OK. However, for spam posts
> like we had here every-now-and-then, you can ask
> Bodhi how painful it is to split and remove those
> spam posts.

Normally, I delete a handful of spam threads a day, and that is fine, I just trash the whole topic when I see it (take 2 clicks).

I'm OK with asking Jeff to remove the spam account (that will remove the individual posts automatically). Also, Jeff has put in some more spam guards, so hopefully that will help.

-bodhi
===========================
Forum Wiki
bodhi's corner (buy bodhi a beer)

bodhi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> habibie,
>
> > The former requires additional work to split the spam post and then delete or move it somewhere. For 1 or 2 such spam posts, I believe it is OK. However, for spam posts like we had here every-now-and-then, you can ask Bodhi how painful it is to split and remove those spam posts.
>
> Normally, I delete a handful of spam threads a day, and that is fine, I just trash the whole topic when I see it (take 2 clicks).
>
For 1 or 2 newly created spam posts, I believe that will be alright to exercise a pointing finger to click. However, when you started to get spam posts inside a discussion thread, that will likely need more than 2 clicks away for each spam posts, i.e. select the spam post (1 click), split the selected spam post (1 click), move/delete (or isolate) the spam post (1 click), etc. I know this because I had run into such a task long ago and tried any scheme to fight any spammers to no avail until blocking an IP Address scheme got implemented. Anyway, all I can say about what I saw here is we did not have handful of spam posts inside lots of discussion posts and that definitely will give you some exercises on your pointing finger. Physically, that is not bad, but mentally this is really bad.

> I'm OK with asking Jeff to remove the spam account (that will remove the individual posts automatically).
>
AFAICT, that is definitely not a good idea. What you want is to ask Jeff if it is OK to block their IP Addresses. Until then, they will keep coming back to register for a new account and start to post lots of spams on any discussion threads.

> Also, Jeff has put in some more spam guards, so hopefully that will help.
>
I don't know what spam guards the BB software used here will provide that can deter a spammer. OTOH, this is just a minor deterrent most spammers don't mind to spend their time to achieve what they wanna do, i.e. spuriously posting lots of spam posts on any discussion threads.