Anti Spam-Bot Bot

Killswitch · Post by **Killswitch** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 8:40 pm

A couple of weeks ago I finished my A-Level exams and since then I've been attempting to get some extensive coding done in PB - but for some reason I've been unable to get enthused by a project. Anyway, I was searching for a problem which I could actually solved and then I thought about the (occasional) Spam Bots we get here.

I've managed to write a Python script which can read the forums and get information from it (topic names, poster, replies...). I hope to be able to use this to combat spam and perhaps even abusive users.

As for spam bots they're usually quite easy to spot. Their first post will be full of links and/or certain keywords - so finding them will be easy. I'm less sure of how to detect abusive users (basic things like excessive swearing/large image posting is, again, very easy) or what to do once my bot encounters either.

I'd quite like to get this bot an account and allow it to have a certian level of interaction with the forums i.e. deleting suspicious posts and then PMing the poster with an explaination just incase. However, I know that giving a bot such privilidges may not be possible or practical.

Even so I'm still interested in approches to the problems I've outlined. Any suggestions?

Nik · Post by **Nik** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 9:42 pm

Maybe in the beginning he could be reading and then sending an E-Mail to you or an Admin.

pdwyer · Post by **pdwyer** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 12:51 am

You could call the account "Guest-A-Po"

Dare · Post by **Dare** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 1:29 am

Hi Killswitch

If you are talking about having your spambot used on this forum then - no offence - but that is not something I would feel comfortable with.

Especially as it would be proactive in removing messages.

Regardless, it is probably easier to build it into the forum script that handles posts and have that check each message as the message is posted. Like the rude word filters.

Tipperton · Post by **Tipperton** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 12:12 am

Dare wrote:If you are talking about having your spambot used on this forum then - no offence - but that is not something I would feel comfortable with.

Especially as it would be proactive in removing messages.

I would agree, if I were to write something like that for my forums, it would be designed only to notify me of suspected spam messages, no automated spam detection system is perfect and I wouldn't want it to delete a falsely flagged message.

Dare wrote:Regardless, it is probably easier to build it into the forum script that handles posts and have that check each message as the message is posted. Like the rude word filters.

Very true, it shouldn't be that hard to insert code to do a spam check on any new post and if it suspects the message is spam, post it anyway but mark it as hidden, then send a notification of the post to the admins. If it's not spam it can be marked as visible, if it is spam it can be deleted without anyone ever seeing it. Especially nice for spam like that xxx one that got posted here....

For one thing since it would have access to the post's data it wouldn't have to know how to navigate the forums, nor would it need any special account.