Persistent Spammers

[Hermiod]

It seems my blog does have some readers, just none of them human.

When I opened it I started getting spam comments, so I changed the setting to require my approval for comments containing more than one link.

Then the comments reduced the links to just one, so I said no links. Then the comments stopped including links at all and just unlinked addresses.

After that, I decided to use the option whereby anyone posting a comment must have a previously approved comment. I ended up with 3,000 comments requiring my approval - all spam.

I finally got fed up with that and set it so only people with an account can comment, but anyone can register. I've just had a bounced e-mail from my webhost telling me that someone with an obviously fake e-mail address just tried to create an account. The confirmation link e-mail bounced!

Does anyone else have a blog ? What measures do you take to prevent this nonsense ?

 

[Omnius]

Can't you filter out the bots using CAPTCHA?

 

[Hermiod]

Can't you filter out the bots using CAPTCHA?

That's not built in to Wordpress but there might be a plug-in.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

^^^ Here's one:

http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/01/25/wordpress-spam-filter-plugin-adds-captcha-to-akismet/

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Is it hosted by Wordpress.com, or are you running the software on your own hosting service?

Edit: Mine's hosted on Wordpress.com, and it runs Askimet. It's pretty effective.

 

[Hermiod]

Is it hosted by Wordpress.com, or are you running the software on your own hosting service?

It's on my own webspace.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Go for that plugin, then. I've had almost no spam comments, even when one entry got nearly 2,000 hits.

 

[Hermiod]

Okay, I've installed the plug-in and made it possible for unregistered users to post again. I'll see what happens.

 

[Omnius]

Okay, I've installed the plug-in and made it possible for unregistered users to post again. I'll see what happens.

Testing 123, damn I can still post comments

 

[Hermiod]

Great news, hopefully the "Infect commenters computers with virus" plugin works too.

 

[blablover5]

Just threaten them all with large metal tins. Should work great.

I'm so glad to be with blogspot sometimes. It may not be the easiest to deal with but the only few spammers are very ingenious in hiding links inside of possible real comments.

 

[Hermiod]

Just threaten them all with large metal tins. Should work great.

I'm so glad to be with blogspot sometimes. It may not be the easiest to deal with but the only few spammers are very ingenious in hiding links inside of possible real comments.

My blog is hosted on a paid hosting site. I've got loads of space and bandwidth and nothing to do with it.

My bandwidth and disk space goes up every month - I've now got 7.8tb of bandwidth and 391gb of disk space.