A strange Refferer recorded first time...

Discussion in 'PHP' started by rajnikant, Apr 17, 2007.

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  1. #1
    Hello

    I am recording refferer by using $_SERVER['HTTP_REFERER'] in my site. It has been recorded perfectly so far... but today It came up with a strange referrer for one of site visitors and that is :

    XXXX:+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    As per my knowledge it should be like (for ex.) :

    http://refferer-site/querystring...bla bla

    Why so? Can anyone please explain me?

    Thanks
     
    rajnikant, Apr 17, 2007 IP
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  2. Subikar

    Subikar Active Member

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    #2
    XXXX:+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    is actually web spider ip.
     
    Subikar, Apr 17, 2007 IP
  3. TwistMyArm

    TwistMyArm Peon

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    #3
    ... plus, the referer string is entirely client browser side code. Anyone can decide what they want to tell you their referer string is, so it doesn't really have to match any 'form'.
     
    TwistMyArm, Apr 18, 2007 IP
  4. rodney88

    rodney88 Guest

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    #4
    I've seen it set to +++ by users wanting to be difficult and highlight poorly designed scripts. Referrer is commonly checked against either a certain domain/URL or not being sent at all - if it is set and does not the match the domain, the coder thinks its safe to automatically assume the user has come from another site. By having the referrer set to +++, it will show up in access logs as an invalid request that was denied (or whatever the script is doing) when it shouldn't have been.
     
    rodney88, Apr 18, 2007 IP
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