Wtf is happening to the AMA section?

[Sam~]

Originally Posted by sepehr

im not a computer expert but cant you just close the AMA section for a few days until this can be fixed? no one is going to see AMA anyway now and its blocking other new posts to be seen as well

Guess if they did that, the spam would just move to another section.

Guessing it goes for ama section just because it's 1st alphabetically? Maybe should create an section called aaa and hope all spam would go there lol

If it did, would be easy to ignore / delete too

[sepehr]

Originally Posted by Samishere

Guess if they did that, the spam would just move to another section.

Guessing it goes for ama section just because it's 1st alphabetically? Maybe should create an section called aaa and hope all spam would go there lol

If it did, would be easy to ignore / delete too

maybe if its a bot :-? im not sure... but it should be fixable. how about making a hard or a system of robot checking? like captcha but harder?

[RiskyFlame]

All are very good ideas, but only the admin can make the changes. Also advanced spambot scripts can cheat the captcha or pictures. There are even paid programs (~€250) for those who want very advanced spambots without doing all the programming.

I don't think it targets the sections in alphabetical order. Spambots usually target dozens or hundreds of forums at the same time. These forums can easily be detected by search for "Powered by vBulletin" using any search engine. The same applies for forums powered by other platforms.

Closing the AMA section will result in a different section to be spammed in. Maybe even the more crowded sections: Dares, Truth, ReTorDO? The same happened when I closed certain blog entries in which the spambot posted spam comments. Closing them resulted in posting threads in the AMA section. When I allowed access to the same blog entries again, the spambot went back to these blog entries. One á two weeks went by and the spambot targets the AMA section now.

[Switch Lucy]

That almost sounds like there's nothing realistically that can be done to stop it?

Which is a shame, as I've basically given up on the forums now other than the threads that I subscribe too. So don't see any new threads now and barely go in AMA section at all, which was one of the most interesting sections which is almost dead now.

[iSpuds]

I guess having a site admin that's MIA is our biggest problem first and foremost...kinda hard to take preventative measures.

For the time being, what if we just let the AMA forum be Spambot Island and making a new AMA section for us to actually use?

[iSpuds]

Originally Posted by Cstelle

The bots are learning? Becoming self-aware?

I've noticed that the usernames come in at least three flavours: two types that end in four numbers, and at least one type comprising only random(-ish?) letters.

The thread titles also come in flavours: the ones using "medical" terminology and the one which is just random words. The latter ones are sometimes fun.

Yes, I have been bored lately...

I'd been wondering where you were lately! ;x

[Cstelle]

Originally Posted by iSpuds

I'd been wondering where you were lately! ;x

Oh, I've been busy. Bored - but busy! Busy writing the script for my (probably not) forthcoming three-minute arty-farty selfie wank porn movie (working title: "Notice Transition P" [or perhaps: "As Analysers, Altho" or "Classification Hole" or "Jarvik Cytogenic Va"]). The first script draft is almost there - I just need to tighten the second act a bit.

[RiskyFlame]

Originally Posted by Switch Lucy

That almost sounds like there's nothing realistically that can be done to stop it?

Which is a shame, as I've basically given up on the forums now other than the threads that I subscribe too. So don't see any new threads now and barely go in AMA section at all, which was one of the most interesting sections which is almost dead now.

I am currently learning a scripting language that'll automate the process of moderating the spam posts and maybe even banning the spam accounts. But I'm fairly in the basics at the moment, so I have no idea when this is done. But when it's done, it's definitely able to stop the spam. As said in a previous post (somewhere), it's just a matter to fine tune the criteria to recognise a spam post.

Other than this, temporary or permanent solutions have to come from the administrator(s).

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Creating a secondary AMA section would be a temporary solution as well, and a simple one too. I'm not sure how the algorithm of the spambot will respond to this change though.

[iSpuds]

Originally Posted by Cstelle

Oh, I've been busy. Bored - but busy! Busy writing the script for my (probably not) forthcoming three-minute arty-farty selfie wank porn movie (working title: "Notice Transition P" [or perhaps: "As Analysers, Altho" or "Classification Hole" or "Jarvik Cytogenic Va"]). The first script draft is almost there - I just need to tighten the second act a bit.

Okay you are going to have to PM me this instant and explain this to me in greater detail!!

Also, @riskyflame - I wonder if creating the section as a sub forum for the truth section, and giving it a name that isn't "AMA" will be enough to bypass the spambot algorithm?

[Lacram]

The Google CAPTCHA and reCAPTCHA would most likely solve the issue since the bot doesn't seem anywhere near intelligent enough to bypass those. It's also the easiest solution.

[Cstelle]

Originally Posted by iSpuds

Okay you are going to have to PM me this instant and explain this to me in greater detail!!

I'm trying to think of a way to publish it on my blog or elsewhere on my profile. It just needs to be reformatted and split into smaller chunks I think...

[patrick_75012]

It seems that the name of these threads is always 19 characters long for the moment. I tried to find a way to filter out the threads based on the name length (with advanced search) but couldn't do it.
But of course the spam bot could be modified later to generate a different length...

[Cstelle]

Originally Posted by iSpuds

Okay you are going to have to PM me this instant and explain this to me in greater detail!!

See today's blog (and the sidebar on my blog page)!

I'm coooool!

But I think this joke has run its course now. So what else fun can we do with the spam? Anyone? It would be fun to create a dare round the spambotic spewings...

[Red]

And now we not only have a forum spammer, but we also have a PM spammer.

Please report the PM spammer since we have no way of knowing about those without the reports.

[MasterMichaelNY]

I got the answer to the problems.

A 2 dollar or euro charge to a credit card per year. Ends the spamming accounts, the double accounts, the under 18 accounts.