Cep
Board Pirate
I am a Galactor.
Registration Date: 22-01-2004
Posts: 2514
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Bots attack a site by going from form to form looking for the registration, then they apply to the registration by creating bogus email accounts on the server they are launched from.
The current registration system requires you to respond to the two activation notices sent when a new registration is set up. However the newer bots have learnt how to auto respond themselves to these messages and so I have further installed an anti robot code which only a human can complete.
A bot will create multiple accounts and keep doing so, some even auto posting a spam message in every, thread, forum that it can find.
Think of an infection and thats what a bot is.
The new site does have a lot of protection against bots but the old site was attacked last night and had already created 23 new bogus accounts in the thirty minutes before I saw it.
This consumes resources.
I already know that we have a spy/troll registered who has already registered under another name the exact same day they were told their old account would be blocked and to be honest I can't be doing with that kind of hassle.
Which is exactly why the times for response are short. Months and weeks is far too long and if the troll keeps registering when their account is blocked does it really prevent it? No.
If that troll is forced to keep creating email accounts, forced to create new registrations they will get bored of it and leave or get banned whichever comes first.
In the last two weeks we have had nearly 7 new members of which 4 have actively posted at least once and of those 4 only 2 have posted more then once.
So you see the need for short deadlines.
Blocking an account basically takes your account to the level of a guest with a bit more freedom. You can't do anything except read topics, so its possible to lurk all you like.
Your account remains unchanged, you dont loose your post counts, pms, rpg stuff, topscores or forum enhancements. All that happens is as mentioned you can look but nothing else.
Since the site opened we have had 12 bots, three hackers attempts and 1 troll.
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Thanks Cep
Gatchamania.net Administrator 
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01-05-2004 16:16
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Buffy
Boardie
0 fics uploaded
Registration Date: 25-07-2001
Posts: 382
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| quote: | Originally posted by Cep
Hmm I see so its not so much the restrictions themselves its the fact they are there........well alright but I need ideas on how to combat the problem makers... so gimme gimme gimme 
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Well, that's not quite what I'm saying. Yes, they are there and affect all members. That bothers me. Yes, the restrictions are too much in my opinion. I stand by my concerns stated earlier on how it might affect membership in X way, but you're expressing the desire for Y membership, so that is not a concern for what you want out of the site.
Yes, having newbie policies in place is reasonable. Other sites have them: Usually "Post once please within a week or so and follow the rules of conduct...and if you are inactive beyond X time (usually 60-90 days), you may get your newbie account deleted."
Once a member has established themselves, then what I've seen at most is a reminder after 6 months of inactivity that their account is about to close.
So I have no problem with reasonable controls. I just didn't see the proposed controls as reasonable. If you lower the 'full membership' requirements, or grandfather in old loyal members, I've got much less of a concern.
And let me test my limited tech understanding. You are most concerned about trolls who get an account and don't post, but through that account may hack the system and cause damage. Or more likely, set up a base account that gives porn bots and the like a platform to proliferate? You also mentioned that you know of a specific troll who is constantly working on this site through I will assume is a personal agenda. You have no way to get his/her IP banned through proper channels I take it? As well, automatically banning any membership that comes from that IP. A more extreme approach, but it sounds like you are open to extreme suggestions.
(Note: This took a while to write, so the last post I read was the one I quoted....will read what follows now. Ignore any of my questions that were addressed in the posts I missed while I was typing)
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"Spider sense....tingling."
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01-05-2004 16:21
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