hi, how do you stop spam submissions into your directories?... I need to know I'm receiving too much spam thanks
go to the bottom of your .htaccess file and add this code: <Limit GET HEAD POST> order allow,deny deny from 58.2.0.0/16 deny from 58.68.0.0/17 deny from 58.146.96.0/19 deny from 59.88.0.0/13 deny from 59.96.0.0/14 deny from 59.144.0.0/15 deny from 59.160.0.0/14 deny from 59.164.0.0/15 deny from 59.176.0.0/13 deny from 59.184.0.0/15 deny from 60.243.0.0/16 deny from 60.254.0.0/17 deny from 61.0.0.0/16 deny from 61.1.0.0/16 deny from 61.2.0.0/15 deny from 61.8.128.0/19 deny from 61.11.0.0/19 deny from 61.11.32.0/19 deny from 61.11.64.0/18 deny from 61.12.0.0/17 deny from 61.16.128.0/17 deny from 61.17.0.0/17 deny from 61.17.128.0/17 deny from 61.95.128.0/18 deny from 61.95.192.0/19 deny from 61.95.224.0/20 deny from 61.95.240.0/20 deny from 61.246.0.0/16 deny from 61.247.224.0/19 deny from 116.50.0.0/21 deny from 116.50.64.0/18 deny from 116.66.128.0/19 deny from 116.68.64.0/18 deny from 116.68.240.0/21 deny from 116.72.0.0/14 deny from 116.90.240.0/20 deny from 116.119.0.0/16 deny from 116.193.128.0/21 deny from 116.193.160.0/21 deny from 116.212.176.0/21 deny from 116.214.24.0/21 deny from 121.50.0.0/21 deny from 121.50.8.0/21 deny from 121.240.0.0/13 deny from 122.50.8.0/21 deny from 122.50.128.0/17 deny from 122.98.0.0/16 deny from 122.144.16.0/21 deny from 122.160.0.0/12 deny from 122.200.16.0/21 deny from 122.252.224.0/19 deny from 122.255.72.0/21 deny from 123.108.32.0/19 deny from 123.108.200.0/21 deny from 123.108.224.0/21 deny from 123.136.16.0/21 deny from 123.136.128.0/17 deny from 123.176.32.0/20 deny from 123.201.0.0/16 deny from 123.236.0.0/14 deny from 123.242.240.0/20 deny from 123.252.128.0/18 deny from 124.4.0.0/16 deny from 124.7.0.0/18 deny from 124.7.64.0/18 deny from 124.7.128.0/17 deny from 124.30.0.0/16 deny from 124.47.128.0/18 deny from 124.124.0.0/15 deny from 124.153.64.0/18 deny from 125.16.0.0/13 deny from 125.62.96.0/19 deny from 125.62.128.0/18 deny from 125.63.64.0/18 deny from 125.99.0.0/16 deny from 144.16.0.0/16 deny from 157.227.0.0/16 deny from 158.144.0.0/16 deny from 163.122.0.0/16 deny from 164.100.0.0/16 deny from 164.164.0.0/16 deny from 192.136.141.0/24 deny from 192.136.142.0/24 deny from 192.136.143.0/24 deny from 192.151.129.0/24 deny from 196.1.1.0/24 deny from 196.1.68.0/24 deny from 196.1.104.0/24 deny from 196.1.105.0/24 deny from 196.1.106.0/24 deny from 196.1.108.0/24 deny from 196.1.109.0/24 deny from 196.1.110.0/23 deny from 196.1.113.0/24 deny from 196.1.114.0/24 deny from 196.1.134.0/24 deny from 196.3.65.0/24 deny from 196.12.32.0/19 deny from 196.15.16.0/20 deny from 202.1.120.0/21 deny from 202.3.75.0/24 deny from 202.3.76.0/24 deny from 202.3.77.0/24 deny from 202.3.80.0/20 deny from 202.3.112.0/20 deny from 202.4.25.0/24 deny from 202.6.80.0/24 deny from 202.6.99.0/24 deny from 202.7.52.0/22 deny from 202.7.56.0/22 deny from 202.9.112.0/20 deny from 202.9.128.0/19 deny from 202.9.160.0/19 deny from 202.9.192.0/20 deny from 202.10.32.0/19 deny from 202.12.16.0/24 deny from 202.12.101.0/24 deny from 202.14.69.0/24 deny from 202.14.72.0/24 deny from 202.21.129.0/24 deny from 202.21.134.0/23 deny from 202.21.147.0/24 deny from 202.38.180.0/22 deny from 202.40.6.0/24 deny from 202.41.0.0/23 deny from 202.41.2.0/23 deny from 202.41.4.0/22 deny from 202.41.8.0/23 deny from 202.41.10.0/24 deny from 202.41.11.0/24 deny from 202.41.12.0/23 deny from 202.41.16.0/20 deny from 202.41.32.0/19 deny from 202.41.64.0/24 deny from 202.41.65.0/24 deny from 202.41.66.0/24 deny from 202.41.67.0/24 deny from 202.41.68.0/24 deny from 202.41.69.0/24 deny from 202.41.70.0/24 deny from 202.41.71.0/24 deny from 202.41.72.0/22 deny from 202.41.76.0/22 deny from 202.41.80.0/24 deny from 202.41.81.0/24 deny from 202.41.82.0/24 deny from 202.41.83.0/24 deny from 202.41.84.0/24 deny from 202.41.85.0/24 deny from 202.41.86.0/23 deny from 202.41.88.0/22 deny from 202.41.92.0/22 deny from 202.41.96.0/19 deny from 202.41.128.0/24 deny from 202.41.129.0/24 deny from 202.41.130.0/24 deny from 202.41.131.0/24 deny from 202.41.132.0/24 deny from 202.41.133.0/24 deny from 202.41.148.0/22 deny from 202.41.192.0/24 deny from 202.41.204.0/22 deny from 202.41.224.0/20 deny from 202.44.56.0/22 deny from 202.44.137.0/24 deny from 202.45.6.0/23 deny from 202.45.10.0/23 deny from 202.46.19.0/24 deny from 202.46.22.0/23 deny from 202.46.192.0/20 deny from 202.46.208.0/20 deny from 202.47.124.0/24 deny from 202.47.127.0/24 deny from 202.52.2.0/23 deny from 202.53.8.0/21 deny from 202.53.64.0/19 deny from 202.53.96.0/20 deny from 202.54.0.0/22 deny from 202.54.4.0/22 deny from 202.54.8.0/21 deny from 202.54.16.0/20 deny from 202.54.32.0/19 deny from 202.54.64.0/18 deny from 202.54.128.0/17 deny from 202.55.0.0/19 deny from 202.56.0.0/22 deny from 202.56.96.0/19 deny from 202.56.192.0/19 deny from 202.56.224.0/19 deny from 202.57.0.0/22 deny from 202.58.132.0/22 deny from 202.59.2.0/23 deny from 202.60.128.0/19 deny from 202.60.208.0/20 deny from 202.62.64.0/19 deny from 202.62.116.0/23 deny from 202.62.224.0/20 deny from 202.62.252.0/24 deny from 202.63.96.0/19 deny from 202.63.160.0/20 deny from 202.63.176.0/20 deny from 202.63.252.0/23 deny from 202.65.128.0/19 deny from 202.67.4.0/22 deny from 202.68.128.0/19 deny from 202.70.192.0/20 deny from 202.71.128.0/19 deny from 202.72.248.0/22 deny from 202.75.192.0/20 deny from 202.77.137.0/24 deny from 202.78.160.0/20 deny from 202.78.232.0/21 deny from 202.79.248.0/22 deny from 202.80.48.0/20 deny from 202.81.128.0/19 deny from 202.81.192.0/20 deny from 202.83.16.0/20 deny from 202.83.32.0/19 deny from 202.86.4.0/22 deny from 202.86.251.0/24 deny from 202.87.32.0/19 deny from 202.88.128.0/19 deny from 202.88.160.0/20 deny from 202.88.176.0/20 deny from 202.88.208.0/20 deny from 202.88.224.0/20 deny from 202.88.240.0/20 deny from 202.89.64.0/20 deny from 202.90.96.0/20 deny from 202.91.64.0/19 deny from 202.91.132.0/22 deny from 202.91.136.0/21 deny from 202.92.8.0/21 deny from 202.92.224.0/20 deny from 202.95.251.0/24 deny from 202.122.16.0/21 deny from 202.122.134.0/23 deny from 202.123.32.0/20 deny from 202.124.248.0/21 deny from 202.131.96.0/19 deny from 202.131.128.0/19 deny from 202.133.48.0/20 deny from 202.134.144.0/20 deny from 202.134.160.0/20 deny from 202.134.176.0/20 deny from 202.134.192.0/20 deny from 202.136.248.0/22 deny from 202.137.208.0/20 deny from 202.137.232.0/21 deny from 202.137.248.0/22 deny from 202.138.96.0/19 deny from 202.140.32.0/20 deny from 202.140.48.0/20 deny from 202.140.128.0/19 deny from 202.141.0.0/24 deny from 202.141.1.0/24 deny from 202.141.2.0/23 deny from 202.141.4.0/22 deny from 202.141.8.0/21 deny from 202.141.16.0/20 deny from 202.141.32.0/19 deny from 202.141.64.0/18 deny from 202.141.128.0/19 deny from 202.141.224.0/19 deny from 202.142.0.0/22 deny from 202.142.4.0/22 deny from 202.142.64.0/19 deny from 202.142.96.0/19 deny from 202.143.0.0/23 deny from 202.143.4.0/22 deny from 202.144.0.0/19 deny from 202.144.32.0/19 deny from 202.144.64.0/18 deny from 202.146.192.0/20 deny from 202.148.192.0/20 deny from 202.149.32.0/19 deny from 202.149.192.0/20 deny from 202.149.208.0/20 deny from 202.151.128.0/19 deny from 202.153.32.0/20 deny from 202.154.160.0/20 deny from 202.157.64.0/19 deny from 202.159.192.0/18 deny from 202.160.160.0/20 deny from 202.162.48.0/20 deny from 202.162.224.0/19 deny from 202.164.32.0/20 deny from 202.164.48.0/20 deny from 202.164.128.0/19 deny from 202.172.7.0/24 deny from 202.174.5.0/24 deny from 202.177.44.0/22 deny from 202.177.128.0/20 deny from 202.177.144.0/20 deny from 202.177.160.0/19 deny from 202.177.224.0/19 deny from 202.179.64.0/19 deny from 202.183.64.0/20 deny from 202.189.224.0/19 deny from 202.191.64.0/19 deny from 203.12.222.0/23 deny from 203.13.168.0/22 deny from 203.14.18.0/24 deny from 203.18.26.0/24 deny from 203.19.3.0/24 deny from 203.21.7.0/24 deny from 203.24.87.0/24 deny from 203.27.235.0/24 deny from 203.31.8.0/23 deny from 203.32.4.0/23 deny from 203.32.221.0/24 deny from 203.33.198.0/23 deny from 203.34.69.0/24 deny from 203.34.116.0/24 deny from 203.34.117.0/24 deny from 203.34.246.0/24 deny from 203.55.173.0/24 deny from 203.56.241.0/24 deny from 203.62.172.0/22 deny from 203.76.128.0/20 deny from 203.76.176.0/20 deny from 203.77.177.0/24 deny from 203.77.192.0/20 deny from 203.78.4.0/24 deny from 203.78.128.0/19 deny from 203.78.208.0/20 deny from 203.82.4.0/22 deny from 203.82.248.0/23 deny from 203.82.250.0/23 deny from 203.86.96.0/19 deny from 203.88.0.0/19 deny from 203.88.128.0/19 deny from 203.89.4.0/24 deny from 203.90.4.0/23 deny from 203.90.64.0/19 deny from 203.90.96.0/22 deny from 203.90.100.0/22 deny from 203.90.104.0/21 deny from 203.90.112.0/20 deny from 203.91.192.0/19 deny from 203.92.32.0/19 deny from 203.92.192.0/20 deny from 203.94.192.0/20 deny from 203.94.208.0/21 deny from 203.94.216.0/22 deny from 203.94.220.0/22 deny from 203.94.224.0/19 deny from 203.98.96.0/19 deny from 203.99.40.0/21 deny from 203.99.192.0/19 deny from 203.100.64.0/20 deny from 203.101.0.0/17 deny from 203.104.16.0/21 deny from 203.105.160.0/19 deny from 203.109.64.0/19 deny from 203.109.96.0/19 deny from 203.110.80.0/20 deny from 203.110.208.0/20 deny from 203.110.240.0/21 deny from 203.112.128.0/19 deny from 203.115.64.0/20 deny from 203.115.80.0/20 deny from 203.115.96.0/19 deny from 203.119.49.0/24 deny from 203.119.50.0/24 deny from 203.122.0.0/18 deny from 203.123.32.0/20 deny from 203.123.128.0/18 deny from 203.124.16.0/21 deny from 203.124.128.0/20 deny from 203.124.144.0/20 deny from 203.124.160.0/20 deny from 203.124.192.0/19 deny from 203.124.224.0/19 deny from 203.129.192.0/20 deny from 203.129.208.0/21 deny from 203.129.216.0/21 deny from 203.129.224.0/19 deny from 203.132.128.0/19 deny from 203.132.208.0/20 deny from 203.134.192.0/19 deny from 203.134.224.0/21 deny from 203.134.248.0/22 deny from 203.143.176.0/20 deny from 203.144.96.0/19 deny from 203.145.128.0/21 deny from 203.145.136.0/21 deny from 203.145.144.0/20 deny from 203.145.160.0/19 deny from 203.153.32.0/20 deny from 203.158.64.0/19 deny from 203.163.128.0/24 deny from 203.163.129.0/24 deny from 203.163.130.0/23 deny from 203.163.132.0/22 deny from 203.163.136.0/21 deny from 203.163.144.0/20 deny from 203.163.160.0/19 deny from 203.163.224.0/19 deny from 203.171.240.0/21 deny from 203.187.192.0/20 deny from 203.187.208.0/20 deny from 203.187.224.0/20 deny from 203.187.240.0/20 deny from 203.188.224.0/21 deny from 203.189.5.0/24 deny from 203.189.176.0/21 deny from 203.190.128.0/20 deny from 203.190.144.0/20 deny from 203.190.248.0/24 deny from 203.191.34.0/23 deny from 203.192.192.0/20 deny from 203.192.208.0/20 deny from 203.192.224.0/19 deny from 203.193.128.0/19 deny from 203.193.160.0/19 deny from 203.194.96.0/20 deny from 203.196.128.0/20 deny from 203.196.144.0/20 deny from 203.196.160.0/19 deny from 203.196.192.0/19 deny from 203.196.224.0/19 deny from 203.197.0.0/16 deny from 203.199.0.0/16 deny from 203.200.0.0/16 deny from 203.201.192.0/18 deny from 203.212.64.0/24 deny from 203.212.65.0/24 deny from 203.212.66.0/23 deny from 203.212.68.0/22 deny from 203.212.72.0/21 deny from 203.212.192.0/18 deny from 210.7.64.0/19 deny from 210.18.0.0/17 deny from 210.18.128.0/19 deny from 210.18.160.0/19 deny from 210.56.96.0/19 deny from 210.89.32.0/19 deny from 210.210.0.0/17 deny from 210.211.128.0/17 deny from 210.212.0.0/16 deny from 210.214.0.0/17 deny from 210.214.128.0/17 deny from 218.248.0.0/16 deny from 219.64.0.0/15 deny from 219.83.128.0/17 deny from 219.90.96.0/20 deny from 219.91.128.0/18 deny from 219.91.192.0/19 deny from 219.91.224.0/19 deny from 220.156.184.0/21 deny from 220.224.0.0/14 deny from 221.120.104.0/21 deny from 221.128.128.0/18 deny from 221.128.192.0/18 deny from 221.134.0.0/18 deny from 221.134.64.0/18 deny from 221.134.128.0/17 deny from 221.135.0.0/16 allow from all </LIMIT> Code (markup): This will solve 99% of the SPAM problems you have.
Like mikey1090 told you, you need a MOD that can allow you to ban IP addresses and domains from submitting to your directories. I noticed two of your directories implement Captcha as a security measure. That's fine. The third one needs to follow suit, though I didn't get get to see it's final stage of submission.
Actually Mikes phplb mod replaces the default captcha with a math version, I installed it weeks ago and have not had a single spam submission since - excellent.
Charging works well - it stops spam dead! If spammers know it will cost them $$$$ each time - they will be reluctant to spam. This is the best way if you don't mind charging, but if you want to keep offering freebies, then a simple captcha system is good.
CAPTCHA can be cracked, hence the reason my anti-spam mod uses a mathamatical question/answer system. Changing to paid submissions wouldn't solve anything. Most directory software would still leave the link as unpaid & pending.
Ban IP address can't help too much, because the spammers keep changing the IP. Most of the spam submissions to my directory with the IP started with 7x.xxx.xxx.xxx.
Sorry I forgot that many people use random IP addresses given to them by their ISPs, which changes every time they connect to the Internet. I totally agree with you.
I haven't received any spam with the Captcha as yet but will re-enforce security with Mikey's simple-yet-complex mathematical anti-bot feature - installing as we speak. Thanks for this Mikey
If you already have a Captcha implemented, do you have to uninstall it first before applying Mikey's new method? Or do you have to fuse the two?
I personally would use both just to annoy the spammers - though it may hinder real submitters time and they may give up with the submission. I don't know if they would work together - depends on the script and how Mikey's coded it. Best to PM him I suppose.
Jmirghel, I had wanted to ask you this question before. What made to single out those listed IP addresses?
As for me, I'm using Spamfighter Pro and I love the hassle-free and effective services that I got from it!