How are spambots handled?

Sslaxx · Sun 30/01/2011 21:25:36

I'm curious, because I've noticed (at least) three spambot accounts listed on the front page - EthanTaylor, pretty_heather (reported this one anyway) and danilogarcia2787 - but none of them have been active (apparently) since the day they registered.

I presume the accounts are disabled, then? Spambot accounts aren't removed?

InCreator · Sun 30/01/2011 21:59:37

AFAIK, most spam "users" never do anything. Bots register automatically, but since it's automated, nothing ever happens.
And only way to avoid them is to use secret question and/or hi-level captcha.

Icey · Sun 30/01/2011 22:06:25

What do spam bots do?

Matti · Sun 30/01/2011 22:39:44

Quote from: Studio3 on Sun 30/01/2011 22:06:25
What do spam bots do?

Let me google that for you.

monkey0506 · Sun 30/01/2011 23:32:01

Spambots post messages in forums, exactly like these, with nothing but the text, "What do spam bots do?"

There's actually quite a lot of users who have registered but never posted anything, or only posted once or twice. I think the biggest reason for not purging these users is simply that username, password, post count, etc. doesn't constitute a huge amount of serialized data to be stored, so even for hundreds of users this wouldn't really put any real bulk or strain into the database..and the forum software is reliant on integer-based unique IDs for each user, but that uID is automatically increased and the next index used (by the database itself). So even if a particular user were purged from the database, the software wouldn't search for an unused uID lower than the current user count, it would just tell the database to create a new entry..and there would essentially just be a bunch of gaps in the database.

There's no practical loss from leaving them there, and no practical gain from removing them.

Ali · Mon 31/01/2011 10:26:05

Plus, when the robot revolution comes it'll be good to have a few on our side.

Anian · Mon 31/01/2011 10:54:38

Quote from: Ali on Mon 31/01/2011 10:26:05
Plus, when the robot revolution comes it'll be good to have a few on our side.

Damn right, see how thrilled T-100 will be after it recieves a thousand "Do you want to enlarge your pe***?" and "I'm prince of Nigeria, give me your bank account" emails.

Tuomas · Mon 31/01/2011 11:02:20

I'm a bot, and all I've ever said has been either random words or drunken rant. It's 1 PM, so this would be a drunken rant.

Akatosh · Mon 31/01/2011 11:17:51

Quote from: Tuomas on Mon 31/01/2011 11:02:20
I'm a bot, and all I've ever said has been either random words or drunken rant. It's 1 PM, so this would be a drunken rant.

This just raises further questions!

For example, "What does a bot use to get drunk?" and, perhaps more importantly, "Can I have some?".

Sslaxx · Mon 31/01/2011 11:37:59

Quote from: Akatosh on Mon 31/01/2011 11:17:51
Quote from: Tuomas on Mon 31/01/2011 11:02:20
I'm a bot, and all I've ever said has been either random words or drunken rant. It's 1 PM, so this would be a drunken rant.

This just raises further questions!

For example, "What does a bot use to get drunk?" and, perhaps more importantly, "Can I have some?".

If you could make your way to the Red Dwarf, I'm sure Kryten has some.

m0ds · Mon 31/01/2011 14:05:22

If there is evidence they're bots they're deleted and banned, I believe.

Unfortunately although they may not post here, they do often mess about & wreck the wiki. See the recent abuse here:
http://americangirlscouts.org/agswiki/Special:RecentChanges

Also we can determine if it's a previous/current AGSer using a new account and take action on both accounts.

Snake · Mon 31/01/2011 15:23:09

QuoteAlso we can determine if it's a previous/current AGSer using a new account and take action on both accounts.

Oh...

*Snake steps out the back door

Ponch · Mon 31/01/2011 15:36:45

Quote from: Mods on Mon 31/01/2011 14:05:22
Also we can determine if it's a previous/current AGSer using a new account and take action on both accounts.

Damn. There go my elaborate plans for the sudden appearance of dozens (possibly hundreds) of new AGSers demanding that "Barn Runner Deserves An AGS Award" just in time for voting to start.

You win this round, Mods! But I'll be back!

Dualnames · Tue 01/02/2011 08:23:49

Quote from: Ponch on Mon 31/01/2011 15:36:45
Quote from: Mods on Mon 31/01/2011 14:05:22
Also we can determine if it's a previous/current AGSer using a new account and take action on both accounts.

Damn. There go my elaborate plans for the sudden appearance of dozens (possibly hundreds) of new AGSers demanding that "Barn Runner Deserves An AGS Award" just in time for voting to start.

You win this round, Mods! But I'll be back!

This is me, Ponch, from my other account. m0ds pmed me informing me, this had to be done. So here. I AM PONCH.

Chicky · Tue 01/02/2011 09:22:10

I call bullshit, you can't draw like BarnRunner Dual

Akatosh · Tue 01/02/2011 14:01:44

While we're making admissions, I'm secretly c.leksutin.

m0ds · Tue 01/02/2011 16:07:29

The admins have agreed to ban Dualnames, Ponch and Sslaxx - on the grounds that they're not studio3.