OpenXTalk Forums

Posted: **Fri Feb 02, 2024 6:10 pm**

Probably sitting down with his family for a semi-civilised Friday evening while the Russian Spam-bots go bananas.

Why this should be such an urgent problem I just don't know: I can spot a Russian Spam-bot about 100 versts away: as can you.

Ask my son (a demining expert) about incoming missiles in Ukraine: then you'll realise that a few stupid Russian Spam-bot messages are NOT imp[ortant at all.

The Admin. can purge them tomorrow.

Cool down.

Posted: **Fri Feb 02, 2024 8:52 pm**

@Paul
Please delete user Sbgefitex, because I can't.
I'm deleting the posts by them now (16 of them)

edit: done
We need to make it harder for these bots to register. New users should have to verify their email address.

Please also delete users:
JessieBok, JJfitex, Kristinrhisk, Lolitassailt, NancyBef, psyQueva, psyReapido

Or, please give me the ability to delete users.

Posted: **Mon Feb 05, 2024 6:36 am**

More bots to delete today:
zlEmork , PillsDrype, Larisaref, Dannyved

Once again, their posts are deleted as soon as I see them.

As above - please delete these users, or please give me the ability to delete them.
Please turn on verification via email for new users, as I think that would keep them out.

Posted: **Mon Feb 05, 2024 10:10 am**

Two more spam bots.
Please can someone turn on email verification as a requirement for new users.

Secondly, please delete users:
TerrellWreli, CryyptooNNew

Posted: **Mon Feb 05, 2024 12:27 pm**

And still they are able to register, please see my repeated requests above.... anyone?

More users to delete:
Karlosbih, AlbertSnoro

Posted: **Mon Feb 05, 2024 1:16 pm**

And still they come:
Williehor, Georgepum

I tried to PM Paul, but it seems his setting might be set to 'ignore private messages' as it came straight back.
I would like this phpBB mod added, and for it to be set up.
https://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/mod/ ... tion_pack/

This will allow for email validation of users, it would allow an admin to allow / block the request, and it would allow for automatic user management:

Auto user pruning for deactivated user, inactive users, lost users and lazy users.

Posted: **Mon Feb 05, 2024 3:09 pm**

Not good at all.

I am not sure why Paul does not want to give a few more people Admin. rights.

Posted: **Mon Feb 05, 2024 3:47 pm**

Please delete user:
hymnereri

Posted: **Mon Feb 05, 2024 4:58 pm**

?
Nothing is being done to stop these users registering.
I could be doing something about it if I had the access.
TerrellWreli, JosephPak, datingmannn

They are being created as fast as I delete them.

Posted: **Tue Feb 06, 2024 2:09 am**

tperry2x wrote: ↑Mon Feb 05, 2024 1:16 pm And still they come:
Williehor, Georgepum

I tried to PM Paul, but it seems his setting might be set to 'ignore private messages' as it came straight back.
I would like this phpBB mod added, and for it to be set up.
https://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/mod/ ... tion_pack/

This will allow for email validation of users, it would allow an admin to allow / block the request, and it would allow for automatic user management:
Auto user pruning for deactivated user, inactive users, lost users and lazy users.

I was away over the weekend so I just got the private message, I'll try update and to look into adding this tonight.

Posted: **Tue Feb 06, 2024 2:32 am**

I deleted this latest batch of spammer accounts. Thanks for listing them here Tom.

I should probably just ban using Hotmail and Outlook addresses because apparently MicroSoft makes it real easy for spammers to make burner accounts. Email verification doesn't stop spammers from automating the use of burner email accounts.

Posted: **Tue Feb 06, 2024 11:22 am**

Well Spammers are now replying to pre-existing threads to such an extent there is a very real risk that genuine people may abandon the forums.

Posted: **Tue Feb 06, 2024 5:29 pm**

Paul, if you feel it would be helpful I wouldn't mind helping to delete spammers here. That's pretty much the only moderation I do on the other site, and we find that having mods deleting from multiple times zones is helpful in making the site a less attractive target.

Banning when deleting helps too, tho I suppose you're already doing that.

Once thing has become clear: the submit-twice-to-post gambit no longer helps against adaptive bots. Maybe a good time to remove that?

Posted: **Tue Feb 06, 2024 6:12 pm**

I am beginning to wonder exactly how the LC forums have found a way round this.

Posted: **Tue Feb 06, 2024 6:15 pm**

richmond62 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 06, 2024 6:12 pm I am beginning to wonder exactly how the LC forums have found a way round this.

Klaus and I.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broken_windows_theory

Posted: **Tue Feb 06, 2024 8:32 pm**

FourthWorld wrote: ↑Tue Feb 06, 2024 5:29 pm Paul, if you feel it would be helpful I wouldn't mind helping to delete spammers here. That's pretty much the only moderation I do on the other site, and we find that having mods deleting from multiple times zones is helpful in making the site a less attractive target.

Banning when deleting helps too, tho I suppose you're already doing that.

Once thing has become clear: the submit-twice-to-post gambit no longer helps against adaptive bots. Maybe a good time to remove that? I'll try to do some admin stuff later tonight.

Yeah I've banned by IP and by email. I certainly could use some help managing the site, particularly when we get these waves of spam posts.
Has anyone heard from or seen posts (like on the mail list) from the actual admin-admin here Seth Morrow? Hope he's doing well.

Posted: **Tue Feb 06, 2024 8:44 pm**

I don't recall seeing much from Seth in some time, but engagement across the whole LC ecosystem had been in such noticeable decline over the last three years I'd hesitate to draw any conclusions from the absence of one member.

Posted: **Wed Feb 07, 2024 6:41 am**

Here we go then, I'll delete what I can this morning... [edit: done]
If I can have more permissions (Seth M? - if you are there, please...) then I'd like to investigate registration requirements to keep them out.

I can't keep chasing these though, as they appear every couple of hours.
The issue as to why they can post in the first place needs to be stepped on.

Posted: **Wed Feb 07, 2024 11:11 am**

Elvis has seemingly left the building: it would have been nice had he handed the guitar to someone else as he departed.

Posted: **Wed Feb 07, 2024 11:40 am**

If Seth is ultimately not watching the site, but is in charge of the setup and hosting (and presumably paying for renewal fees), I'm grateful that he's doing that.

However, we do need more in the way of admins around here.
I'm going to limit my responses to only updating the release notes in the OXT lite downloads topic, and perhaps the bugfixing. I'm not going to get drawn into the politics of things anymore on the other topics.

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