BattleMaster Community
BattleMaster => Marketing => Wiki => Topic started by: Indirik on September 21, 2011, 04:35:50 PM
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So... The wiki is now a target for wiki spammers. They create an account, upload a single graphic, then create one new page with it. We've blocked 13 of them so far this month. 10 of them in the past week or so.
Anything we can do to block this kind of thing?
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By the looks of it, the BadBehaviour extension we were using before won't cut it, either, as they also create a user page for themselves.
It seems almost like we need to restrict Wiki account creation to those with BM accounts :-\
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Cast a hex upon the unholy aberrations! >:(
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I've updated Bad Behaviour to the latest version and also add the Nuke extension so we can get rid of the crap easier and more completely.
Let's see if the new Bad Behaviour cuts this down. Otherwise... I don't know.
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I've updated Bad Behaviour to the latest version and also add the Nuke extension so we can get rid of the crap easier and more completely.
Let's see if the new Bad Behaviour cuts this down. Otherwise... I don't know.
Every player of BM has an application key in their player data. Why not make it a requirement for creating a wiki acount? After all, who else but BM players would need a wiki account?
Sure, they could go to all the trouble of creating a BM account, and then get a key and then create a wiki account, but that would be quite a bit more of a mission.
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Sure, they could go to all the trouble of creating a BM account, and then get a key and then create a wiki account, but that would be quite a bit more of a mission.
Most importantly, it can't be automated that easily. But it means messing with the MediaWiki code, probably writing another extension. There should be an easier way.
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Most importantly, it can't be automated that easily. But it means messing with the MediaWiki code, probably writing another extension. There should be an easier way.
Easier but far more time consuming would be having only the Admins making new accounts? Guessing its out of the options anyways.
Maybe more Wiki admins to help deal with the threat from the abomina.... errr... Spammers?
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Locking/deleting them at the current pace is no big deal. Delete a page, an image, and lock an account. It's just repetitive and annoying. Better to prevent them from doing it in the first place.
It used to not be a problem In the first eight months of this year, we locked, I think, 11 accounts. Now there are 13 more so far this month alone. Hopefully the updated plugins will fix it.
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Can we tell if the spamming is automated or not?
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We can pretty much guarantee that it is. All the spammer account names are two real names followed by a number (f.ex. FrankSmith4), they upload one graphic with a characteristic name appended with random numbers (f.ex. solar panels 4453.jpg), then create a page that *looks* real and has phrases relating to the supposed topic with links to their advertised site. Almost guaranteed to be automated.
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Something as simple as a captcha extension might do the job.
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It might. But captchas have been broken, too. Let's hope Bad Behavior fixes it.
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Captchas are broken, though they still offer some defense.
The best bet really would be to do something during account creation that is specific to the BM wiki. If anyone finds an extension that does that, I'll be more than happy to install it. Something simple like "you need to enter your family name so we can link it" would do. Or the other option would be to move account creation into the game and disable account creation in MediaWiki. But that needs someone who researches how to script account creation in MediaWiki because I really don't have time for that right now.
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remove TMP and i'll stop, if you don't i'll keep adopting new methods to anoy your asses to death! ha!
::)
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sorry, Nos, this is not funny. Spammers deserve the death penalty and I don't want to hear jokes about these life-sucking, time-wasting parasites.
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don't worry i hate them as much as you do, it's a very sad way of earning money.
I found it especially bizarre to see them active on BM wiki.
Why would they come and bug a non profit game community?
Is there any way you can track down the source?
everything leaves a trace right?
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don't worry i hate them as much as you do, it's a very sad way of earning money.
I found it especially bizarre to see them active on BM wiki.
Why would they come and bug a non profit game community?
Is there any way you can track down the source?
everything leaves a trace right?
Unfortunately there's nothing you could do--they are probably using a compromised computer, or they are using an internet cafe or starbucks, or they are in some country that doesn't care.
And even if you did get one to stop, that's just one--there's a million others out there.
Unless, of course, you buy my patent-pending AntiSpammer Spray! Just spray your server and keep the spammers away! Only $19.95US plus $300.25AU shipping and handling!
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I thought that one needed to create a user page before doing other edits? Yet they don't seem to be creating any.
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I thought that one needed to create a user page before doing other edits? Yet they don't seem to be creating any.
sometimes they just create the "talk" part of their user page. I've seen some of the non-spammers do the same.
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sometimes they just create the "talk" part of their user page. I've seen some of the non-spammers do the same.
This counts?
Maybe if this was changed, it could help? If they truly are automated bots, that is.
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This counts?
Maybe if this was changed, it could help? If they truly are automated bots, that is.
As I said: Find me some MediaWiki expansion that limits registering of new accounts. A simple free-form question would be enough. Something like "name one realm on the East Island" would be something that spam bots can't answer.
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The wiki update does not seem to have slowed down the spammers.... :(
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The wiki update does not seem to have slowed down the spammers.... :(
Then go and find me an extension to ask questions, query the BM database, anything. I don't have time to search right now, but I will gladly add an extension that helps us.
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Anaris mentioned this one: http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:SimpleAntiSpam
I did a quick check the other day and seem to remember seeing one that might help. I'll go back and check again.
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Anaris mentioned this one: http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:SimpleAntiSpam (http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:SimpleAntiSpam)
installed
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it doesnt seem to have worked.
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spammers have probably evolved from when that was written.
So, find me a better extension, and I'll install it. I just don't have the time to hunt for anti-spam extensions right now.
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If I even knew where to Look O Almighty Tom, I would ;) (am guessing its on that mediawiki thingy)
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http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:ConfirmEdit
This might work, implements CAPTCHA techniques including Math ones, images ones and question ones. I think it can even be configured to only bother people when an external link is detected in the edit.
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http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:QuestyCaptcha
Question: Name one of the two Testing Islands.
Would be simple enough anyone who plays Battlemaster I think.
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I hope CAPTCHA would only apply to account creation, and not edits. These things are dreadful...
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I think that one option is to only use a captcha if the edit includes external links. I agree that random captchas or on every edit would only piss off the regular users.
I do like the idea of the question about the game created by us, rather than random words or math problems. You could create something blindingly obvious to all BattleMaster players that a non-player would not really be able to answer.
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sounds like a good solution. I'll keep it in mind. I would want for it to have a bit more intelligence, like stopping to ask users after the 10th time or so. But it's definitely a good start.
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also if they uplaod pics would be awesomesauce
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I think that one option is to only use a captcha if the edit includes external links. I agree that random captchas or on every edit would only piss off the regular users.
I do like the idea of the question about the game created by us, rather than random words or math problems. You could create something blindingly obvious to all BattleMaster players that a non-player would not really be able to answer.
Yes the one I linked to can target only posts that contain external links. If Tom wants some other options, I could certainly look at updating the existing extension to suit. It also allows for the Captcha to be a series of questions set by the wiki admin, so none of those dreadful images that make me think my eye sight must be deteriorating
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Basically, what I think would be perfect is something that affects only new accounts on their first 5-10 edits. After that, the extension should assume that he's ok because if he wouldn't, we'd have locked him by then.
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I feel sorry Indirik who I notify asap when I find a bot, he must be tired of Bot killing by now :D
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Meh, it's pretty quick with that new Nuke extension Tom put in. Bedwyr gets some of the, too.
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so for starters, should I add that extension and set it to account creation only? See what effect it has?
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Better start small and increase from there, I figure, so as to minimize nuisances to users.
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ok, added. please test. should work with mostly the default settings, i.e. only trigger on account creation or adding a URL and not for users who confirmed their e-mail.
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I may be jinxing things here, but this appears to have worked. We have not had a case of spamming in the past 7 days.
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I may be jinxing things here, but this appears to have worked. We have not had a case of spamming in the past 7 days.
/me does the anti-jinxing ritual JiC
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Looks like a new bot has gotten around the system.
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Huh. Bots are capable of learning?
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Huh. Bots are capable of learning?
Have you never watched the documentaries "Terminator" and "The Matrix"??
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http://wiki.battlemaster.org/wiki/User:Wowo123
New spambot.
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http://wiki.battlemaster.org/wiki/User:Wowo123
New spambot.
Indeed, and from the looks of the pages it created, it could have been tailored against our wiki specifically. Of course given that it is only 1 user so far, it is possible it is a manual spammer too.
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all deleted and blocked
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They are back.
(Block log); 14:51 . . Indirik (Talk | contribs) blocked Crienx033 (Talk | contribs) with an expiry time of infinite (account creation disabled, autoblock disabled) (Spamming links to external sites)
(Block log); 14:51 . . Indirik (Talk | contribs) blocked Kioxer673 (Talk | contribs) with an expiry time of infinite (account creation disabled, autoblock disabled) (Spamming links to external sites)
(Block log); 14:51 . . Indirik (Talk | contribs) blocked Niwer389 (Talk | contribs) with an expiry time of infinite (account creation disabled, autoblock disabled) (Spamming links to external sites)
(Block log); 14:51 . . Indirik (Talk | contribs) blocked Garex289 (Talk | contribs) with an expiry time of infinite (account creation disabled, autoblock disabled) (Spamming links to external sites)
(Block log); 14:51 . . Indirik (Talk | contribs) blocked Rinax840 (Talk | contribs) with an expiry time of infinite (account creation disabled, autoblock disabled) (Spamming links to external sites)
:'(
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Looks like more are popping up again.
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I've updated Bad Behaviour to the current version (2.2.1 instead of our very old 2.0.45).
Let me know if this changes anything.
Another quick fix would be to disallow numbers in usernames. I don't think anyone with a real username uses them anyways.
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We do have a couple of legitimate users with numbers in their username.
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We do have a couple of legitimate users with numbers in their username.
But nobody would die if we disallow it for new registrations, right?
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Probably not.