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Spam Bots

Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 8:47 am
by Hatsune_Neko
We have had a recent influx of spam bots.

We are removing them as fast as we can. so please do not click on any of their links in case we cant get to them in a timely matter.


Thank you
Kenshi Admin.

Re: Spam Bots

Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 3:07 pm
by Abek
Hatsune_Neko wrote:We have had a recent influx of spam bots.

We are removing them as fast as we can. so please do not click on any of their links in case we cant get to them in a timely matter.


Thank you
Kenshi Admin.
Wait, you're saying we should click all the links as fast as we can before they disappear?

Re: Spam Bots

Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 4:44 pm
by Hatsune_Neko
Abek wrote:Wait, you're saying we should click all the links as fast as we can before they disappear?

Early Bird gets the viruses first!!!

Re: Spam Bots

Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2016 4:25 pm
by Hatsune_Neko
There might be a slight access delay in the Forums soon. as we try and get some new extensions added to combat the Spam Bots.

Just in case the Forums go down for a short bit, everyone will know why.

Re: Spam Bots

Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2016 8:43 pm
by Hatsune_Neko
Due to the flood of spam bots we have had to disable the use of bbc code url

For now you will have to copy a given http link into your url bar in your browser.

we are sorry for the inconvenience but we would rather keep yuor computer virus free.

Re: Spam Bots

Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2016 3:31 pm
by Butta
Hatsune_Neko wrote:Due to the flood of spam bots we have had to disable the use of bbc code url

For now you will have to copy a given http link into your url bar in your browser.

we are sorry for the inconvenience but we would rather keep yuor computer virus free.
I was just trying to link something in another thread and was wondering why it suddenly isn't working anymore..

Hatsune always trying to spoil the fun!

:P

Re: Spam Bots

Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2016 5:59 pm
by Hatsune_Neko
i saw

Sorry to spoil your fun.
hopefully the Devs will add a module or modules that will cut down on the bots again.
But for now, im been banning 20 plus bots a day sicne march 1st when this all started.

Re: Spam Bots

Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2016 6:27 pm
by dimzki
hmmmm... is it possible to make a confirmation tick box before you post to stop the spam bots ?
like "confirm if you are not a bot" tick box

Re: Spam Bots

Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2016 7:09 pm
by Hatsune_Neko
there is actually a way
we have the option to make people wait to confirm a post, but its not currently enabled.
Its a nice tool but not great either as only Admin can confirm a post. and right now i'm pretty much the only active Admin who comes in all the time.

Re: Spam Bots

Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2016 6:23 pm
by Hatsune_Neko
Update

We have found a repository of known spam bot address, IP's and user names.
We are now aggressively removing known spam bots that match up onto that list before they can post into the forums.

Some will still post before i can get to them thou.

Now what happens if we accidentally ban a person on accident?

Contact me on Steam via my user profile or via raptr. My Raptr profile is included in my signature line.
include your user name so that i can make an exception in the ban listings.

Re: Spam Bots

Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2016 7:14 pm
by Brettflan
For my own clarity, why have the spammers who are sending spam advertisement PMs not being dealt with?

Each time I receive a spam PM I get an e-mail notification, so I've reported them. Like everyone else I naturally don't appreciate receiving spam and thought you might like to be informed, since most people don't bother reporting anything. Yesterday I got notices indicating my reports were closed, which I assumed meant the spammer accounts had been dealt with.

However, earlier today I received another spam advertisement message from one of the same Russian speaking spammer accounts which had sent me one of the earlier ones that I had reported, so obviously they weren't dealt with. I then came here and read this topic, and figured that maybe you had simply cleared all old reports in the assumption that your recent measures had dealt with them.

So, I reported this new spam PM from today, and just now received a notice that the report had been deleted this time rather than closed.
Are you actually doing anything about these people? Or do I just need to go into my profile and disable notification of PMs so that I stop receiving spam?

Re: Spam Bots

Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2016 7:38 pm
by Hatsune_Neko
they are being delt with as i do get the reports and promptly ban them.

i been banning 20 to 30 bots a day or more now with the new IP, e-mail Address, and alias lookup
sadly i dont have a way to stop them from messaging people. thats something the Devs have to come up with a way to deal with it.

Think this requires them to contact the Forum providers directly.

Re: Spam Bots

Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2016 2:36 pm
by Abek
Hatsune, I had to see the words. "tits", " booty", and "dvd". I'm twelve. Do you know how upsetting those word were to read?

I don't know what you're doing with your "mod time", but ohmygod, do it better.

Or imma take away your gold stars and your favorite feline. You have been warned.

Re: Spam Bots

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2016 1:28 pm
by Mattk50
these bots are getting brutal. I feel like maybe changing the forum registration questions around might stop the spammers who have manually input each new answer for at least a little bit. Also require a captcha for the registration though, right now we have just the questions rather than captcha and question.

Re: Spam Bots

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2016 3:27 pm
by Hatsune_Neko
we are trying to get them out of the forum.
just waiting on new security to be added.
and thanks for the reports.
Bots love to come in when im asleep.

Re: Spam Bots

Posted: Sun Apr 10, 2016 11:26 am
by TotallyRandomPerson
Hatsune_Neko wrote:Update
Contact me on Steam via my user profile or via raptr. My Raptr profile is included in my signature line.
It'd be better if you just made a custom steam URL and gave us that.

Although it is a suspicious link, I'm not sure I should be clicking it.

Re: Spam Bots

Posted: Sun Apr 10, 2016 5:27 pm
by Hatsune_Neko
TotallyRandomPerson wrote: It'd be better if you just made a custom steam URL and gave us that.
Added.

Re: Spam Bots

Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2016 8:07 am
by bk3000
Yeah it is annoying I saw when I logged on that I had all these messages in my PM from bots. I didn't even click on any messages though. Also annoying that I have to disconnect from my VPN(PIA) to even access the site. I get the message that I've been banned for bot or spam whatever. Of course that's based off the IP address - more likely I'd guess the address range. That would mean the bots are also using PIA.

Now that falls under the "abuse" category per PIA's terms, so if you have IP addresses and times of when they're posting their spam, you might be able to contact PIA and get the bot owner's account banned on that end. They'd get no refund but loose their service. I'm not sure that would have a huge effect, but hey stick it too them if/where you can. It might be enough to make the forums more trouble than they're worth. And hey I'd be nice to not have to disconnect from my VPN anymore, if possible.

Re: Spam Bots

Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2016 5:56 pm
by Hatsune_Neko
we seam to have mostly fixed the bot issue with a new verification process.
The new spam is mostly from bots in hiding that where here before the new process was added.

Hopefully soon we should be able to turn URL's back on.

Re: Spam Bots

Posted: Tue May 03, 2016 1:15 am
by Kaeroku
I have been affected by spam bots - today. Please delete my account. I have been through the user control panel and there is no way that I can find for me to delete my account manually, so I'm formally requesting that it be deleted here.

I haven't used this forum in years, and the account has been inactive which is normally fine; except, now, I'm being impacted by exposure to spam-bots on this forum. I realize it's a problem you're dealing with, that's fine and all, I just do not wish to be subjected to it, and would like to exercise my option to opt-out.

Thank you.