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[GlowHost] Spam-O-Matic - Spam Firewall stops forum spam Details »
[GlowHost] Spam-O-Matic - Spam Firewall stops forum spam
Mod Version: 2.1.2, by GlowHost.com (Coder) GlowHost.com is offline
Developer Last Online: Sep 2022 I like it Show Printable Version Email this Page

vB Version: 4.x.x Rating: (557 votes - 4.79 average) Installs: 4739
Released: 05 Aug 2010 Last Update: 28 May 2013 Downloads: 23934
Not Supported DB Changes Uses Plugins Auto-Template Additional Files Translations External Content  

If you install this mod, please mark this as "Installed."

VERSION 2.1.2 RELEASED 5/28/2013!


About Spam-O-Matic 2.x:
Spam-O-Matic 2.x (SOM) is a spam firewall for your vBulletin Forums version 4.x and later. It prevents known spammers from registering on your forums. If they can't register, they can't spam!

Languages Packs Available
English
German - Courtesy of Alex@bulletin (included in zip)
Romanian - Courtesy of Teascu Dorin's (included in zip)
Spanish - Courtesy of vbluis (included in zip)

How it Works
This data responsible for blocking user registrations comes from the stopforumspam.com (SFS) spammer database. After the user who is trying to register passes the built-in vBulletin registration checks which you have configured in your vBulletin settings, SOM then checks the SFS database to see if the IP, username, or email address that the user is trying to register with has been recently tagged as a known spam source on other forums around the Internet. Also can be configured to check the Akismet service for known comment spam.

This is without a doubt, one of the most important mods that you will be using on your forum.

Other Notable Stuff
It also does a ton of other cool stuff like moderating posts automatically if the post is found in the Akismet database, or if it contains words on your "Bad Words" keyword list which can be configured within the mod itself.

The mod WORKS with vBulletin's new Facebook integration.
This module works with all of the Facebook functions that are built into the vB4 series.
Similar mods do not handle Facebook integration completely.

This module has the ability to submit new spammer details to the StopForumSpam or Akismet databases automatically, all without any new templates or manual template modifications!

This means other forums that are running Spam-O-Matic will not have the same spammer on their forums if you have (automatically) reported the spammer to the SFS database.

Just install the product in the product manager, upload a few files, configure the system and you are done. (Estimated time: 5-10 minutes)

What's new in 2.1.0:
  • Fixed a problem with MySQL engine selection to make mod more compatible with different types of servers.
  • When SOM "Newbies Group" is activated + vB's native option to "Verify Email address in Registration" is activated at the same time, "Users Awaiting Email Confirmation" must click the verification link to become a newbie.
  • Added remove user, post, ban to user profile options in admincp under "Quick User Links"
  • Added German Language Pack
  • Optimized default settings to work with the needs of most forums
  • Added a new coupon for GlowHost (available after you submit a spammer)
  • Several other performance tuning options

Feature List:
  • Optional Public Statistics. Show off to the world how many bad guys you have automatically prevented from posting junk on your forum.
  • Auto-Moderation moderates posts that have links, bad words, and other configurable settings.
  • Auto-Moderation ignores your RSS posts.
  • Registration / Denial Logs available from Admincp > Statistics and Logs
  • Optional "Newbies" Manager! After registration, newly registered users can be placed in a "Newbies" group which has more limited permissions as compared to your regular "Registered Users" group. Newbies will graduate to your Registered Users group based on your required post count settings.
  • Auto-Submit Spammers from the moderation tools menu on each postbit.
  • Remove Posts, threads, PMs, Calendar Events from your spammer in one easy wizard. No double logins needed.
  • Shows other users who signed up with the same IP. (Sleeping Spammers)
  • Optional Affiliate System
  • ~50 customizable settings to fine-tune Spam-O-Matic to your exact needs.


A) StopForumSpam:
The StopForumSpam Module lets you:
  • Check a registrant's IP address.
  • Check a registrant's email address.
  • Check a registrants Username.
  • Disable or enable any of the above checks.
  • Block and log, or, allow and log known spammers.
  • All registration attempts are logged for your viewing pleasure.
  • Several other performance tuning options
If a user (or bot) tries to register on your forum and they pass the built-in vBulletin registration system. (Human verification, email verification, etc), their registration details are then passed to the Spam-O-Matic firewall for further checking.

NOTE: You should use some sort of human verification checking in vBulletin's built-in options to limit the number of requests to the already heavily-loaded StopForumSpam database servers. This will also prevent additional load because SOM will not have to do anything if the bot/spammer fails preliminary registration validation which is built-into vBulletin itself.

It is completely invisible to humans who are registering that this process is taking place. Bots are stopped dead in their tracks.

If a spammer is able to sneak past the first line of defense, and manages to post, then there are secondary, tertiary, and, uh...4th level protections too!

B) Auto-Moderation:
Auto Moderation lets you:
  • Define how many URLs a new member can post before being sent to moderation.
  • Define keywords that will send a post to Auto-moderation (viagra, porn, more here)
  • Define minimum post count to avoid Auto-moderation.
  • Excludes admin and moderators from Auto-moderation.
  • Completely disable Auto-moderation if you don't want it.
C) Akismet Service
Spammers that make it past the StopForumSpam and Auto-Moderation will be checked against the Akismet service. If they manage to make a post, and then are found on Akismet, they can be auto-moderated.

The Akismet settings let you:
  • Set the number of posts that Akismet will check from each user. After this number is exceeded, Akismet checking will be disabled for that user.
  • Auto-Submit spammers that post on your boards back to the Akismet service so that other forums and blogs do not do not receive the same spam.
  • Completely disable the Akismet service.
D) Newbies Manager
Should you decide to enable this option, you can create a new usergroup and then tell Spam-O-Matic about it. Once SOM knows about this usergroup, and once enabled, all new users will be part of the Newbies group. The idea here is that you make a Newbies group that has limited forum permissions. For example, no signatures, no BB code, no images, and etc. This group is created completely in the vB admincp. Spam-O-Matic simply makes it the graduation process to the normal Registered Users group, automatic.
Learn More and Discuss the Newbies Manager here.

Punitive Actions:
If you find a spammer has made it past your 4 front-lines of defense, and has managed to post on your forum, then you can help the community...

The spammer's details can be sent to the Stop Forum Spam and Akismet databases automatically, preventing them from registering or posting on other forums. When other forums do the same, the protection is reciprocated.

Simply moderate a post and choose the option to "Delete Posts As Spam..." an then choose the option to "Ban User." Banning the user sends their details to either Akismet, StopForumSpam, (or both) depending on how you set it up.

API Keys:
API Keys are not required for this system to stop spammers on your forums. But you should obtain them so that your forum can contribute to the real-time block lists.

A StopForumSpam API key is required if you want to contribute to the StopForumSpam blacklists by adding your spammers to their database. By submitting spammers you help keep other forums and blogs clean.

An Akismet API key is required if you want to enable any Akismet auto-moderation features in this module. Akismet API key is not required for all Auto-Moderation functions.

You can obtain a Stop Forum Spam API key which is free from stopforumspam.com.

Get your StopForumSpam API Key Here

You can obtain an Akismet API key from Akismet.com.
Akismet offers free and paid API keys so choose your version based on your situation.

Get your Akismet API Key Here

Why it is better than the other anti-spam solutions on vBulletin.org:
  • Works with all of vBulletin 4 functions including Facebook automatic registration.
  • Report spammers that you find to the Stop Forum Spam Database.
  • Report spammers that you find to the Akismet Database.
  • Built-in Auto-moderation.
  • Auto-moderation rules based on post count.
  • Auto-moderation rules based keywords.
  • Auto-moderation rules based Akismet results.
  • Enable or disable any actions that you do not want.
  • Customizable "Registration Rejected" message.
  • Consolidates 4 popular methods of spam prevention into one product.
  • No Manual Template Modifications!
  • Lots of community support!
======================
Compatibility:
vBulletin 4.0.x

Server Requirements:
Curl or allow_url_fopen must be compiled/enabled into PHP. Ask your web host to enable curl or allow_url_fopen if it is not already available on your server's PHP configuration. (Or just host with GlowHost.com, where it already is

=====================
Donations:

If you like this mod, sure, you can donate!

Donations can be all sorts of things:
1) The "Give Thanks" option in your settings is an optional link back to GlowHost Web Hosting.
2) Tell your friends and others about this mod.
3) If you are in need of web hosting, please consider ordering it from the hosting and development professionals at GlowHost.com who were able to develop this mod to you.
4) Help others who are having trouble with this mod by posting tips and suggestions in this forum thread.
5) Cash! Use the "Support Developer" option on the top right of this page.

When you choose to donate, you are contributing to the product development, bug fixes and new releases for SOM and are helping to feed our hungry developers and their families! In other words, your donations helps to cover the time and money spent to develop this system.

The entire team at GlowHost thanks you for your help and support!

We hope you enjoy the mod!

=====================
Installation:

1) Download the attached file
2) Mark As Installed
3) SOM 2.x does not support updates from the v1.x series.
When upgrading to version 2.x, please, be sure to remove any other existing version of SOM 1.x from the product manager before installing v2.x series. Also make sure to remove /forum/includes/xml/bitfield_glowhostspamomatic.xml from version 1 if you had it installed.

4) Extract the zip file, and view the readme file for the rest of the instructions.

=====================

Original concept credits go to the authors of vBStopForumSpam, MonkeyStop.

Download Now

Only licensed members can download files, Click Here for more information.

Screenshots

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Show Your Support

  • To receive notifications regarding updates -> Click to Mark as Installed.
  • If you like this modification support the author by donating.
  • This modification may not be copied, reproduced or published elsewhere without author's permission.
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  #556  
Old 07 Feb 2011, 15:43
Boofo's Avatar
Boofo Boofo is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Real name: Rob
Did anyone ever figure out the sesssion_start() errors? This is what I am receiving now when a member makes a post:
Attached Images
File Type: jpg iamerror.jpg (22.0 KB, 23 views)
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  #557  
Old 07 Feb 2011, 21:17
GlowHost.com's Avatar
GlowHost.com GlowHost.com is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Originally Posted by MGSteve View Post
A new user got blocked because he used the same username as a spammer 'fox', but that was all that matched. Surely the mod should not block someone just becuase they choose the same username as a spammer?

Sure, if the email address matches then it should be an automatic rejection, but if any of the other checks return positive alone, then it shouldn't reject the registration?
If you don't want it to examine usernames when considering to block a user or not, then you can simply change the settings to not check username.

Or, you can turn the "StopForumSpam: Remote Expiry" down to something lower than the default value.
__________________
GlowHost.com - vBulletin Web hosting and managed dedicated servers since 2002.
Hot Deal! Free vBulletin License with Hosting
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  #558  
Old 07 Feb 2011, 22:12
Hornstar's Avatar
Hornstar Hornstar is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Real name: Matt
Version 2 looks truly amazing. You have done a fabulous job!

Is it possible that version 2 might work in vb 3.8.x ?
or would you consider back porting version 2 for vb 3.8.x users?
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  #559  
Old 07 Feb 2011, 22:32
GlowHost.com's Avatar
GlowHost.com GlowHost.com is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Thanks

Version 2 definitely will not work in the 3.x forums. We probably will not be able to backport it because many of the functions in SOM 2.0 won't work with the old vB3.x hooks system.
__________________
GlowHost.com - vBulletin Web hosting and managed dedicated servers since 2002.
Hot Deal! Free vBulletin License with Hosting
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  #560  
Old 07 Feb 2011, 22:40
Hornstar's Avatar
Hornstar Hornstar is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Real name: Matt
Thanks for the answer. Hopefully one day I will be on vb 4 so I can use this fantastic product.
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  #561  
Old 07 Feb 2011, 22:41
The_Head The_Head is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Hi there Glow , Just wanted to say SUPERB MOD , Thx a bunch. Ive installed the latest version but when i select a post to test the Spam-O-Matic Moderation Tools , im getting this error at the top of the page :

Warning: fetch_template() calls should be replaced by the vB_Template class. Template name: navbar in [path]/includes/functions.php on line 4007

Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_ENCAPSED_AND_WHITESPACE, expecting T_STRING or T_VARIABLE or T_NUM_STRING in /home/*MYSITE*/public_html/tf1s_forum/includes/functions_ghsom.php(571) : eval()'d code on line 4

Warning: fetch_template() calls should be replaced by the vB_Template class. Template name: glowhostspamomatic_bsc in [path]/includes/functions.php on line 4007
Any ideas how to resolve ??

Many thanks.

Gray , The Head
__________________
www.TF1S.com - The Home of Formula One Motor Racing
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  #562  
Old 07 Feb 2011, 23:01
john h john h is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
After uninstalling the old version and installing V2, I get this error when trying to create a new usergroup

Unknown column 'akvbghsfs_akismet_permissions' in 'field list'
I checked the xml from v1.2 and this bit is in it but is missing in the V2 xml


Block Disabled:      (Update License Status)  
Suspended or Unlicensed Members Cannot View Code.


Last edited by john h; 07 Feb 2011 at 23:09.
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  #563  
Old 08 Feb 2011, 01:29
Boofo's Avatar
Boofo Boofo is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Real name: Rob
Originally Posted by Boofo View Post
Did anyone ever figure out the sesssion_start() errors? This is what I am receiving now when a member makes a post:
Is this fixed in version 2.0.1?
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  #564  
Old 08 Feb 2011, 01:32
dandanch dandanch is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
I'm getting the same error as The Head..help please
Warning: fetch_template() calls should be replaced by the vB_Template class. Template name: navbar in [path]/includes/functions.php on line 4055

Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_ENCAPSED_AND_WHITESPACE, expecting T_STRING or T_VARIABLE or T_NUM_STRING in /home/****/domains/c*******.org/public_html/includes/functions_ghsom.php(571) : eval()'d code on line 14

Warning: fetch_template() calls should be replaced by the vB_Template class. Template name: glowhostspamomatic_bsc in [path]/includes/functions.php on line 4055
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  #565  
Old 08 Feb 2011, 02:56
ccampo's Avatar
ccampo ccampo is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Real name: Cesar
Excellent MOD, I was using the previous version but after installing 2.0 I was getting MySQL errors while trying to add a new usergroup

MySQL Error : Unknown column 'akvbghsfs_akismet_permissions' in 'field list'

To fix this I had to remove an old file called :
?/forum/includes/xml/bitfield_glowhostspamomatic.xml
So make sure you remove this file if you are upgrading, this file is not included in the new 2.0 version.
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  #566  
Old 08 Feb 2011, 03:57
coffeelover coffeelover is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
SOM rocks! Thanks so much!

I uninstalled the old version and installed the new. Everything seems to be working properly -that is, I can configure the SOM control panel in the vBulletin Admin. The problem is that no one can post messages. This error appears when you try to post a new message on the forum:

Fatal error: Call to undefined function clean_options_list() in public_html/forum/includes/functions_newpost.php(443) : eval()'d code on line 8

I probably have an old file left over - but I don't know where to look or find it. Can anyone shed some light on the problem? For now, I have to disable SOM until I can figure it out.

UPDATE: I figured out what the problem was and fixed this issue.

Last edited by coffeelover; 09 Feb 2011 at 14:44.
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  #567  
Old 08 Feb 2011, 05:30
maokaang maokaang is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Thumbs up

Originally Posted by ccampo View Post
I was getting MySQL errors while trying to add a new usergroup

MySQL Error : Unknown column 'akvbghsfs_akismet_permissions' in 'field list'

To fix this I had to remove an old file called :
?/forum/includes/xml/bitfield_glowhostspamomatic.xml
So make sure you remove this file if you are upgrading, this file is not included in the new 2.0 version.
Thanks! Had the same problem modifying a usergroup. Removed the file as suggested and problem now solved.

@GlowHost. Version 2, big thumbs up! Many thanks.
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  #568  
Old 08 Feb 2011, 07:33
john h john h is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Originally Posted by maokaang View Post
Thanks! Had the same problem modifying a usergroup. Removed the file as suggested and problem now solved.

@GlowHost. Version 2, big thumbs up! Many thanks.
Thanks, I missed that bit. Now working fine.
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  #569  
Old 08 Feb 2011, 08:19
pushpullbar pushpullbar is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Originally Posted by ccampo View Post
To fix this I had to remove an old file called :
?/forum/includes/xml/bitfield_glowhostspamomatic.xml
So make sure you remove this file if you are upgrading, this file is not included in the new 2.0 version.
Thank you, that solved my problem too.

Just wondering, with the new 'Newbie' usergroup, at the moment there are no one in it. Does it automatically (like running some counter updates or something) that would move the existing registered but eligible newbies into the new usergroup?

*edit* ok i think the answer is to use the USER>PRUNE/MOVE function and choose the number of post counts
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  #570  
Old 08 Feb 2011, 10:25
Lover1 Lover1 is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Originally Posted by dandanch View Post
I'm getting the same error as The Head..help please
Same here.


Block Disabled:      (Update License Status)  
Suspended or Unlicensed Members Cannot View Code.

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