Solution to Minimize Bots

[LutiChris]

I got bored and decided to help out...somehow
...noticing there was a bot banned i decided to look it up...

Bots fill in all the text fields on the sign-up sheet, right?
since they fill in all parts of the form...
a good way of detecting whether or not a bot has subscribed is to add a dummy text field to the form and hide it from general view using CSS...
The Dummy Text is supposed to be filled out by the Bot and not the reader...
you then just check to see if there is any content in the hidden field....
If there is then ya, it's most likely a bot...

idk if this will help but i found a Dummy Text Generator: click here

The only problem is that if a visitor uses text only browsers...
they can see the fake field, you need to make sure they do not fill it in.
The best way to do this is to use the alt attribute of the image to tell the user not to fill it in.

The form field - It is called 'check'

Code:

<p id='checkfield'>
<input id='check' name='check' type='text' size='20' />
<label for='check'><img src='whatever.gif' alt='Do Not Fill This Field In' /></label>
</p>

The CSS used to hide the field:

Code:

p#checkfield{
  position: absolute;
  left:-2000px;
}

If you don't believe me check my reference...
Source: click here

[MH-Razen]

thanks for your researches, but I`m a bit sceptic - all I see is the html-code for a input-box with "decorations" and the css-code to hide it, but no php-stuff? how whouls this still work? I`m confused...

Will still try it out when I got a bit more time.

[Som1Lse]

If Im not mistaken that code wasnt meant for MyBB only but for pretty much any system.
Thus you will need to edit the PHP code yourself.

Would be something like:

PHP-Code: if($_POST['check'] != ''){ //some code to block registering maybe also log the ip or block it }else{ //the original register code here }

[MH-Razen]

someone else, are you versed in php? I could send you the register.php and you can give it a try ...

[Silverthorn]

Implemented.

[LutiChris]

glad to be of service...
im sorry i could not find a php version, i was just looking for a general solution to the problem...
hope it helps in the future...

[Silverthorn]

glad to be of service...
im sorry i could not find a php version, i was just looking for a general solution to the problem...
hope it helps in the future...

Don't worry, I myself have started to pick up on PHP; and it starts to become useful :P
We will see how effective this will be...

[MH-Razen]

Implemented.

erm, i hope you tested that the registrations for humans still work...!?

[LutiChris]

i checked, i think it works cuz i don't see it....
but tht doesn't mean tht it still works once u register...
so i can only confirm tht it's not seen by the general public...

[Silverthorn]

Implemented.

erm, i hope you tested that the registrations for humans still work...!?

I permanently disabled the registration for humans, thus making this a closed community to help the community spirit grow

This was OBVIOUSLY a joke. Thingy works flawlessly.