Registration Validator
Version
1.3.3 (last update on Sep 15, 2010)
Rating
Compatibility
Votes
Favoured
110
License
GPLv2 or later
Non-Commercial
Type
Views
103922
Date Added
4 February 2009
Editor's Note
- This extension requires registration to download.
Captcha is annoying for users, and also has accessibility issues. This plugin prevents unwanted signups without needing captcha or any additional user verification. It reduces rogue signups by a huge amount due to numerous checks made on the IP and email address of the originator.
- Block disposable email addresses (internal list and check against undisposable.net).
- Block domains and/or subdomains.
- Block usernames.
- Block IPs or IP ranges.
- Block bots by checking against BotScout database.
- Perform DNS lookup on email domains.
- Perform Spamhaus lookup on IP addresses (SBL, XBL)
- Reject contact submissions containing URLs.
- Reject contact submissions based on Undisposable, BotScout, StopForumSpam.
- Optionally creates a log of all activity - you can see what it is doing: who was blocked, and who was passed.
If the email address passes the internal check, it is still checked against undisposable.net. Registration is allowed if either undisposable.net is unavailable (which seems to be constantly, at the moment) or the address does not come back as invalid.
If you require Kunena support (blocking spam forum postings), look for Registration Validator 2 (which is commercial - v1 isn't).
1.3.2
- Fixed logging issue (unnecessary logs were being generated).
1.3.1
- Fixed Spamhaus check which could result in false positives depending upon the client IP address.
1.3.0
- Fixed issue with Virtuemart whereby logged in users may be blocked from purchase when asked for billing information.
1.2.9
- Minor bugfix.
1.2.8
- Fixed bug whereby if StopForumSpam Reject if only IP AND email match was enabled, all registrations would be rejected (by default RV is not configured this way).
1.2.7
- Fixed issue whereby an error would occur if an invalid log-file is specified in parameters. Depending upon the PHP error-handling set-up, this could cause fatal error.
1.2.6
- BUGFIX: due to the multi-add update in 1.2.1, the list parameter saving was broken. This is now resolved.
1.2.5
- Fixed DNS lookup bug. The DNS validation would fail domains that accepted mail, but didn't have an A record for the domain. This check has now been changed to an MX lookup for the email domain - so any mail-enabled domain will now be validated.
1.2.4
- Fixed StopForumSpam check - it was only checking email, not IP address.
- Fixed invalid email domain check - this check was not working properly, and all domains were being passed whether valid or not.
1.2.3
- Optimised logging to prevent multiple fopens.
- Added extra timeout check for HTTP requests (the timeout now applied to connection and request).
- Updated Undisposable check as wasn't checking properly for error being returned from request (though this shouldn't have caused any issues, as the second check would have caught the lack of data).
If you would like to publish an extension, and you want registration on your site before downloading. Then make sure that your registration process WORK atleast. I have registered on your site, But it is now 2 weeks later and I still have not received my activation email. VERY POOR
Owner's reply
Considering the number of people that sign up on the site every day, I know that there is nothing wrong with the activation process or indeed the email system. It is more likely that your provider has blocked the activation message, so I would advise checking your spam settings then your email provider.
From past week some specific site users make spam registers daily and i m afraid from it but i found this tool installed it and tried and successfully working for me i like it and very happy with it , Give 5+ to this team keep it up.
Installed and working within a few minutes. Minimised spam registrations straight away. Thank you for this, we were being swamped.
I installed this extension on my 1.5.9 system a few days ago. My spambot nuisance mail has almost been eliminated.
I setup the log file to see how it was doing. I can see that the spambot databases and the dnsbl sites are working to block the attempts.
Installation was mostly straight-forward. A couple of quirks I worked through were:
o The log file had to be created by hand first and its name had to be preceded with a slash to be found.
o Curl needs to be installed and enabled for it to function. If your system does not have curl active (you can see with php -m from the command line or use the Joomla System Info menu) it will crash.
I would highly recommend this extension. Ideally it would be combined with something like captcha for maximum protection.
Great effort guys.
I setup the log file to see how it was doing. I can see that the spambot databases and the dnsbl sites are working to block the attempts.
Installation was mostly straight-forward. A couple of quirks I worked through were:
o The log file had to be created by hand first and its name had to be preceded with a slash to be found.
o Curl needs to be installed and enabled for it to function. If your system does not have curl active (you can see with php -m from the command line or use the Joomla System Info menu) it will crash.
I would highly recommend this extension. Ideally it would be combined with something like captcha for maximum protection.
Great effort guys.
Thank you very much for this plugin. I have been bothered by bots for months with a huge increase recently. I don't understand why they would bother but it is annoying.
Recommend this to anyone who has bots or spammers registering at their Joomla site.
Recommend this to anyone who has bots or spammers registering at their Joomla site.
Super, lovely, excellent, worked out of the box. Definitley a 5 star. Blocked out most of my persistent spammers. I have used most registration security plugins, but i have had the same spam emails getting registered over and over again. This plugin so far does what it says. Thanks
I have added a number of tools to a site I created for a client without success. Bot after bot after bot, even though they could not validate, registered for the site. Some made it in far enough to post their ad on a forum (although few and far between). I received email upon email that a new user registered, even though they didn't make it all the way in, it still was a pain in the you-know-what!
I found this plugin via the botscout site. What a freakin' godsend!! In installed this 3 or days ago and I have not had one registration that wasn't legit and a log of many who tried (I was averaging 3-4 daily for the last two months)...this has saved me a plethora of aggravation and rushes to login and delete the records and ban the ip addies before they post their crap.
Cedit, you folks are to be commended on many levels. Let me say that I thank you! I am going to approach my client and insist they purchase the commercial plugin if nothing else, but to thank you and support this development!
Thanks again!!!!!
I found this plugin via the botscout site. What a freakin' godsend!! In installed this 3 or days ago and I have not had one registration that wasn't legit and a log of many who tried (I was averaging 3-4 daily for the last two months)...this has saved me a plethora of aggravation and rushes to login and delete the records and ban the ip addies before they post their crap.
Cedit, you folks are to be commended on many levels. Let me say that I thank you! I am going to approach my client and insist they purchase the commercial plugin if nothing else, but to thank you and support this development!
Thanks again!!!!!
This extension does what it says on the tin. Installed quickly and easily and started working right away. It is free if you select version 1, will look into version 2 and what extra benefits it may offer before possibly buying that version.
One problem I encountered was with the log file which is enabled by entering a text file with path from the site root to log into. The component is supposed to adde the path to the root to the file name you enter. I had problems with this and had to "hardwire" the site root path into the php file. Once done the component worke a treat. The site I have installed it on doesn't get many legit registrants, but was getting 6 to 10 bots/spammers etc per day. The log file shows these are being rejected, primarily by the check against botscout. The undisposible connection doesn't seem to link at the moment. A typcical rejection log:
22/10/2010 00:47:19 Registration Validator Start
22/10/2010 00:47:19 Email = ua-teens@hotel-zk.lviv.ua, IP = 91.201.66.131, username = fesfreedo
22/10/2010 00:47:19 Checking local IP blocklist
22/10/2010 00:47:19 Finished checking local IP blocklist
22/10/2010 00:47:19 Checking Spamhaus blocklist
22/10/2010 00:47:19 Finished checking Spamhaus blocklist
22/10/2010 00:47:19 Checking local username blocklist
22/10/2010 00:47:19 Finished checking local username blocklist
22/10/2010 00:47:19 Checking local email blocklist
22/10/2010 00:47:19 Checking Undisposable blocklist
22/10/2010 00:47:20 Error in connection:
22/10/2010 00:47:20 Finished checking local email and Undisposable blocklist
22/10/2010 00:47:20 Checking Botscout blocklist
22/10/2010 00:47:20 Registration blocked by Botscout
22/10/2010 00:47:20 Finished checking Botscout blocklist
22/10/2010 00:47:20 REGISTRATION BLOCKED: IP and/or email blocked by BotScout
22/10/2010 00:47:20 Redirecting to http://www.sfo.gov.uk/
This logging could create a pretty large file pretty quickly but is certainly invaluable when first using the component to give confidence that it's not rejecting valid registrants.
I also want to note that I use this in conjunction with xi_adminapproval plugin without any problems.
One problem I encountered was with the log file which is enabled by entering a text file with path from the site root to log into. The component is supposed to adde the path to the root to the file name you enter. I had problems with this and had to "hardwire" the site root path into the php file. Once done the component worke a treat. The site I have installed it on doesn't get many legit registrants, but was getting 6 to 10 bots/spammers etc per day. The log file shows these are being rejected, primarily by the check against botscout. The undisposible connection doesn't seem to link at the moment. A typcical rejection log:
22/10/2010 00:47:19 Registration Validator Start
22/10/2010 00:47:19 Email = ua-teens@hotel-zk.lviv.ua, IP = 91.201.66.131, username = fesfreedo
22/10/2010 00:47:19 Checking local IP blocklist
22/10/2010 00:47:19 Finished checking local IP blocklist
22/10/2010 00:47:19 Checking Spamhaus blocklist
22/10/2010 00:47:19 Finished checking Spamhaus blocklist
22/10/2010 00:47:19 Checking local username blocklist
22/10/2010 00:47:19 Finished checking local username blocklist
22/10/2010 00:47:19 Checking local email blocklist
22/10/2010 00:47:19 Checking Undisposable blocklist
22/10/2010 00:47:20 Error in connection:
22/10/2010 00:47:20 Finished checking local email and Undisposable blocklist
22/10/2010 00:47:20 Checking Botscout blocklist
22/10/2010 00:47:20 Registration blocked by Botscout
22/10/2010 00:47:20 Finished checking Botscout blocklist
22/10/2010 00:47:20 REGISTRATION BLOCKED: IP and/or email blocked by BotScout
22/10/2010 00:47:20 Redirecting to http://www.sfo.gov.uk/
This logging could create a pretty large file pretty quickly but is certainly invaluable when first using the component to give confidence that it's not rejecting valid registrants.
I also want to note that I use this in conjunction with xi_adminapproval plugin without any problems.
It's a great little plugin. We use it on our main site and the Joomailer site and it has cut spam and bad signups drastically to none.
We especially recommend it in our forum to our users because by eliminating bad signups you also keep your mailing lists cleaner, which reduces the amounts of bounces you get.
Keep up the good work guys!
A cool feature would be to integrate with Nick's Admintools to be able to add IP addresses to the blacklist automatically.
We especially recommend it in our forum to our users because by eliminating bad signups you also keep your mailing lists cleaner, which reduces the amounts of bounces you get.
Keep up the good work guys!
A cool feature would be to integrate with Nick's Admintools to be able to add IP addresses to the blacklist automatically.
This extension is listed as non-commercial, I went through the hassle of registering on the site, verifying my registration via e-mail, logging in to the site to be told that I need to pay for a subscription.
IF IT'S NOT FREE PLEASE LIST YOUR EXTENSION AS COMMERCIAL
IF IT'S NOT FREE PLEASE LIST YOUR EXTENSION AS COMMERCIAL
Owner's reply
It is free, you were obviously looking at the wrong page. Shouting about it won't change the fact.
This is a great plugin. It does exactly what I needed it to. I have a site that requires registration in order to post to the forum. I kept getting member registration from the same email domain, and would have spam posted in the forum. Once I installed Registration Validator, I added the domain to the blocked domain list. Now I get no more spammers registering. I didn't even have to add the domain to the list, because according to the log file, it is flagged by undisposable.net. Thanks for an invaluable plugin. Would rate it six stars if I could.
This is fantastic and works great - only wish is that you could have an "allow" domain where you could put a domain that was only allowed to register.
However, the above is just a wish! This plugin is brilliant and the support on their forum is second to none! Good work!
However, the above is just a wish! This plugin is brilliant and the support on their forum is second to none! Good work!
Owner's reply
RV2 (the commercial version) does support a domain whitelist so that only emails from that domain can be used to register. RV1 will not be developed further unless others choose to add extra features (which I will happily publish).
I'm really happy with this extension, installation went smooth, checked everything looked good, enabled it and done. To make sure it was doing it's job copied some trash e-mail from BotScout tried to register on my joomla 1.5, vm1.1.5, contact and all came back with not here spam! Just love it, thank you very much for the good work.
I manage a number of non-profit Joomla sites and all were getting spam registrations on a daily basis. It was driving my clients crazy. The busier sites were getting dozens per day. Some of the sites use Virtuemart, some run Kunena, and some are pretty basic sites without many extensions.
Registration Validator is the answer I was looking for. It installed cleanly and easily on every site.
The documentation on the site is clear and configuration was quick and easy. The support forum looks like it's not that busy, but that's because the extension works so well, I think.
I had a couple of questions about configuring logging, but they were answered in the forum.
I've been running the extension for several days now, and it has been catching 99.9% of the spam registrations. Those it hasn't caught have been because the cloud spam registries were unreachable when the particular user tried to register, and were no fault of the extension. Using the logs, I was able to add the problem domains to the local blocklist and will catch them next time around without the need of the external spammer lists.
One of the most entertaining aspects of Registration Validator is the ability to redirect the blocked registrations to anywhere you want. That offers some interesting possibilities.
Thanks for a great extension!
Registration Validator is the answer I was looking for. It installed cleanly and easily on every site.
The documentation on the site is clear and configuration was quick and easy. The support forum looks like it's not that busy, but that's because the extension works so well, I think.
I had a couple of questions about configuring logging, but they were answered in the forum.
I've been running the extension for several days now, and it has been catching 99.9% of the spam registrations. Those it hasn't caught have been because the cloud spam registries were unreachable when the particular user tried to register, and were no fault of the extension. Using the logs, I was able to add the problem domains to the local blocklist and will catch them next time around without the need of the external spammer lists.
One of the most entertaining aspects of Registration Validator is the ability to redirect the blocked registrations to anywhere you want. That offers some interesting possibilities.
Thanks for a great extension!
Excellent extension doing exactly whats promised.
Easy install with no problem.
Saves hours of work blocking users each week.
Good work CEDIT...
// Stefan Lind
Easy install with no problem.
Saves hours of work blocking users each week.
Good work CEDIT...
// Stefan Lind
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