Spambot activity - How you can stop it

jvvg

davidkt wrote:
jvvg wrote:
davidkt wrote:
jvvg wrote:
davidkt wrote:
ppettitt wrote:
jvvg wrote:
There is a trick to stop just about all spambots. The key is to use something that is unique to your site. Spambots can adapt to just about anything that is used on a lot of sites, but if it is only used on one site, then they probably won't adapt.

This usually involves one of the following:
Specialized CAPTCHAs (they don't need to be hard, they just need to be unique)
HTML tricks
Questions specifically tailored to the website
There are a lot of other things that can go on that list, but the key is to create something unique.
I've got an idea! The top of the signup window would change to a random color and then it would ask “What is the color of the top of this window?” You would have to choose the color from a drop down menu. That is pretty unique. We could also do something like there is a scratch cat that changes colors and moves in a certain direction. You would then have to choose what color the scratch cat is and which direction it is moving. Those things would be easy for an 8 year-old to do, but not a spam bot. And it can be formatted in HTML5 so that flash player is not required. Of course, anyone who wants to view project online will have to get flash eventually.
Way too easy for a spambot to detect the colour.
Not exactly. I need to reiterate what I said above: Spambots will not be able to get around something that isn't widespread. They can get around just about anything if someone wants them to, but nobody will bother trying to write a script to detect the color if it's just one site.
What if someone makes a spambot specifically for the Scratch website that creates a bunch of accounts to spam? Way too easy.
There is just about no way to stop a spambot targeted for a specific site. However, developers of spambots don't care about individual websites.

The thing you need to remember is that the spambots we're trying to stop are commercial spambots, and those just try to hit as many sites as possible. The developers don't care if some sites are able to stop them, they just care that some aren't.
Still, more security is better than less…

Like how about the easiest platformer game where you have to get from one side of the screen to another? That would be hard for a spambot to use…

Actually, a simple keyboard script could accomplish that.

Professional web developer and lead engineer on the Scratch Wiki
Maybe the Scratch Team isn't so bad — Why the April Fools' Day forum didn't work last year

scratchisthebest

jvvg wrote:
davidkt wrote:
jvvg and davidkt wrote:
<words>
Still, more security is better than less…

Like how about the easiest platformer game where you have to get from one side of the screen to another? That would be hard for a spambot to use…
Actually, a simple keyboard script could accomplish that.

Remember that little jquery slider captcha? That was fun

I am a Lava Expert

jvvg

scratchisthebest wrote:
jvvg wrote:
davidkt wrote:
jvvg and davidkt wrote:
<words>
Still, more security is better than less…

Like how about the easiest platformer game where you have to get from one side of the screen to another? That would be hard for a spambot to use…
Actually, a simple keyboard script could accomplish that.
Remember that little jquery slider captcha? That was fun

I now use just a pretty simple image puzzle for my sites. The reason it is so effective is that nobody else uses it (and for that reason, I will not release any further details about it).

Professional web developer and lead engineer on the Scratch Wiki
Maybe the Scratch Team isn't so bad — Why the April Fools' Day forum didn't work last year

Mickey_Fan

ScratchJahd2011 wrote:
adasba wrote:
I have a few ideas for dealing with spambots. Use captchas that have everything backwards. Also, send an email to the person once they join. Tell them to reply and have them say their favorite color, movie, book, game, restaurant, food, and number. Also make them type it when they join.

It might be a little hard for younger people to do.

Could they think it's bad to say their favorites? They're technically personal info.

turkey3_test

It's getting quite ridiculous how many spambots I see everyday now. At least 5.

LuxrayStar

I just reported like, 7 spam posts -.-

Stop the Spambots!
;We will never forget the semicolon;

turkey3_test

LuxrayStar wrote:
I just reported like, 7 spam posts -.-

I know! Since late January it's really really intensified.

LuxrayStar

Well today is the Super Bowl (I think). So there are more sports-related spam topics than usual today.

Stop the Spambots!
;We will never forget the semicolon;

ProdigyZeta7

Six spam topics side-by-side, 5 of which were for SB 48… Worse, one of the posts has links to the Scratch website itself…

joshuaho

I reported about 5 spam topics in just a matter of 2 days….. Luckily I reported them only a few minutes after they started their trouble.

College student studying Communication and Fire Technology, communication lab tutor, guitar and piano player, perfectionist, and just some guy who regularly eats and trains physically to stay healthy.

davidkt

Never seen a spam topic…

Remember when I looked like this? I still do.

Float, my Scratch 2.0 mod | My (somewhat under-construction) blog

NoxSpooth

davidkt wrote:
Never seen a spam topic…

Really?

Oh, it looks like people are quickly reporting them…

Last edited by NoxSpooth (Feb. 3, 2014 22:22:59)

Arrivederci.

joshuaho

davidkt wrote:
Never seen a spam topic…

SUPERBOWL THIS SUNDAY!!! DON'T MISS IT!!
(spam link to dangerous sites)
(spam link to dangerous sites)
(spam link to dangerous sites)
(spam link to dangerous sites)

^^^^ This is an example of what a spam topic would look like. Spam topics contains multiple links to sites outside of Scratch, and those sites can potentially be dangerous. These topics are usually deleted (moved to the dustbin).

College student studying Communication and Fire Technology, communication lab tutor, guitar and piano player, perfectionist, and just some guy who regularly eats and trains physically to stay healthy.

ScratchJC

We might be in trouble. I didn't know that this many spambot topics existed.

When life gives you lemons, don't take the lemons. Get mad. Demand to see life's manager!

Deerleg

davidkt wrote:
Never seen a spam topic…

I guess you never ran into one. I did once but then someone else reported it.
I guess the number of vigilant reporters is still in pace with the spam topics.

they-might-be-cats

I like CAPTCHA Images

Check out my new game series. The Detective.
Are they cats?

davidkt

joshuaho wrote:
davidkt wrote:
Never seen a spam topic…
SUPERBOWL THIS SUNDAY!!! DON'T MISS IT!!
(spam link to dangerous sites)
(spam link to dangerous sites)
(spam link to dangerous sites)
(spam link to dangerous sites)
^^^^ This is an example of what a spam topic would look like. Spam topics contains multiple links to sites outside of Scratch, and those sites can potentially be dangerous. These topics are usually deleted (moved to the dustbin).

Yeah, I know. I just haven't seen one on Scratch below.
Edit: *before

Last edited by davidkt (Feb. 4, 2014 21:30:25)

Remember when I looked like this? I still do.

Float, my Scratch 2.0 mod | My (somewhat under-construction) blog

cheddargirl

davidkt wrote:
joshuaho wrote:
davidkt wrote:
Never seen a spam topic…
SUPERBOWL THIS SUNDAY!!! DON'T MISS IT!!
(spam link to dangerous sites)
(spam link to dangerous sites)
(spam link to dangerous sites)
(spam link to dangerous sites)
^^^^ This is an example of what a spam topic would look like. Spam topics contains multiple links to sites outside of Scratch, and those sites can potentially be dangerous. These topics are usually deleted (moved to the dustbin).
Yeah, I know. I just haven't seen one on Scratch below.
Edit: *before

That's a good sign - if less Scratchers see spam, it means the mods are getting to them faster.

SuperBowl was a bit of a doozy, I have this suspicion that spam might increase once the Olympics comes around, so remember to keep an eye out, guys.

Sadly, my forum signature was eaten by an evil kumquat.

joshuaho

cheddargirl wrote:
That's a good sign - if less Scratchers see spam, it means the mods are getting to them faster.

SuperBowl was a bit of a doozy, I have this suspicion that spam might increase once the Olympics comes around, so remember to keep an eye out, guys.

When is Olympics? (I want to know ahead of time so I will know when to look for the spam -bots)

College student studying Communication and Fire Technology, communication lab tutor, guitar and piano player, perfectionist, and just some guy who regularly eats and trains physically to stay healthy.

Mickey_Fan

I think the site is open to all ages, and the Scratch Team decided young children couldn't handle a spambot test. How about something like asking them to type a number between nothing and 10 or click on an animal? Honeypots seem good.

Last edited by Mickey_Fan (Feb. 7, 2014 03:24:04)

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