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Message board abuse/security

 
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Message board abuse/security
matt-the-mash
12 Dec, 2006 - 08:52 AM
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Im running a basic message board on one of my websites but have just started getting somebody who thinks it would be funny to fill up the boxes with B*ll**ks!!! mad.gif

I need to put some kind of security in place. Can anybody make some suggestions of the best way of achieving this. I dont really want the site visitors to go through a long process of registering to use the message board.

This post has been edited by matt-the-mash: 12 Dec, 2006 - 08:52 AM
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skyhawk133
RE: Message Board Abuse/security
12 Dec, 2006 - 09:28 AM
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What message board software are you using?

If it doesn't have a CAPTCHA of some sort, you should start there. Then, look at renaming your fields to different names (username->gobblegobble).
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MathewS
RE: Message Board Abuse/security
12 Dec, 2006 - 10:32 AM
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You could also put in a 'timeout?' feature, where you are only allowed to post every x seconds
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callumj
RE: Message Board Abuse/security
13 Dec, 2006 - 04:29 AM
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Are you using email activation during the registration process?
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matt-the-mash
RE: Message Board Abuse/security
13 Dec, 2006 - 09:47 AM
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The message board i am running is a basic php script using mysql database to retrieve the posts.

The entries that are being made, start with 'nice look site this...' Then the rest of the box is full of foriegn characters.

Because of the type of site it is on, i did'nt really want a registration process, i did'nt think there was any great need! How Naive crazy.gif

Im thinking, is it possible to log IP addresses and then ban them if abuse originates from them?

Or is it best to have short registration process to confirm the email address and then send a password?

Er, by the way, incase you havent guessed yet, im not a full-time programmer, but my php is getting better, so im looking for a quick fix if possible?
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skyhawk133
RE: Message Board Abuse/security
13 Dec, 2006 - 09:50 AM
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An existing CAPTCHA script would be best. You won't stop humans that are gonna spam anyway, but you'll stop the bots which is probably what that is.
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alpha02
RE: Message Board Abuse/security
28 Dec, 2006 - 09:37 PM
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To be simpler, I made this little piece of code a while ago, it's an anti-flood feature but it works with sessions. Example:

CODE

/////some code before here

if ($_SESSION["antiflood"] < time() - 30) //replace 30 by the anti-flood time, in seconds
{
  //it is OK
  $_SESSION["antiflood"] = time();
  /*
  //Process post here...
  */
}
else
{
  //too early!
  echo "It is too early to post! Wait 30 seconds!";
}


Does this help?

EDIT: time() returns a timestamp, same as Date("U") which returns the number of seconds since the Unix Epoch. It increments of one each second. Use this for antiflood, timeout...

This post has been edited by alpha02: 28 Dec, 2006 - 09:48 PM
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