I had a similar problem with a guestbook (a basic form) on a site I was maintaining for a patient support group. The links were pornographic and the group was getting quite upset about them. I had to explain to them that there was no way to prevent this if they wanted to keep the guestbook, since by definition it was for guests :)
However, I was able to at least temporarily solve the problem by changing the url of the guestbook. Since I have moved on to other things, I am not sure whether the problem has recurred, but last I heard it hadn't. Dana On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 13:17:48 -0500, Jim Davis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Others have suggested a CAPTCHA which would work, but in this case it seems > like you could just return an error if you find any HTML in the comments > field. > > I doubt it's a human doing it so this would, I think, effectively derail the > bot. > > If you are going to a CAPTCHA you could go simple and see if that solves > your problem first. You don't have to do full images and everything to deal > with simple (and occasional) bots (in other words bots that won't bother > customizing themselves for you). > > Create a short list of simple questions. Ask one as a validation of > humanity. For example "Is there a circle in our logo?", "Does our logo have > a bird in it?", "How many letters does our name have?" and so forth. > > If it is a stray bot it won't bother figuring it out. If it is (an > obviously insane) human then they will - and you know you have to go to > further lengths. > > But just checking for HTML seems the easiest way to start - it doesn't > change your user experience and would, with luck, stop the problem. > > Jim Davis > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Mike Kear [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Sent: Saturday, December 11, 2004 7:45 AM > > To: CF-Talk > > Subject: Spammer fills out my order form - how to stop > > > > This goes in the category of annoyance rather than anything else, but > > I have a spammer filling out one of my clients' order forms and > > submitting it - does anyon else have this problem? And any > > suggestions how I can stop it? > > > > THe order form will have such gems as "poker" in every field, with the > > comments field completed with a whole bunch of html with the visible > > part of the url stating something like > > http://www.best-deals-texas-hold-em.info/, but the link points to a > > non-existent site, ending up at http://www.outreach.psu.edu/g,/. > > > > It isnt costing us anything and there is no credit card processing on > > this form- its all processed manually, but these orders are going into > > my clients inbox and into the database as orders, and they have to be > > deleted again. It's damned annoying. > > > > Any else having this? > > > > I can't imagine what's the point. I'm sure not going to follow > > whatever link is there, and I know my 72year old yoga teacher client > > isnt. And anyway the links are pointing to non-existent domains. > > What is this idiot hoping to gain by submitting this form all the > > time? Anyone have any guesses? > > > > I can nstop the orders processing by just doing some validation that > > prevents the word "poker" or stripping out html from the comments > > field, but it's only annoyances for us - all the form does is mail the > > submitted info to my client and me so I dont really know if it's worth > > it just to save a few deletes. > > > > What do you guys think? > > > > -- > > Cheers > > Mike Kear > > Windsor, NSW, Australia > > AFP Webworks > > http://afpwebworks.com > > .com,.net,.org domains from AUD$20/Year > > > > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Special thanks to the CF Community Suite Gold Sponsor - CFHosting.net http://www.cfhosting.net Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:187212 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.4 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
