Web site spam
Web spam has become more sophisticated as the control methods improve. I closed down some sections on this web site because I couldn’t be bothered fighting the battle.
Some examples here and on other sites that I run include:
1) My former links directory kept getting automated spam submissions, even though approval was required before links were added.
2) My former guestbook kept getting spam entries, even though it included a verification step.
3) Two contact forms were spammed mercilessly. This was very frustrating because contact forms were introduced to stop email addresses being harvested and abused.
4) A private forum that I maintained for a client’s internal communications kept having spammers try to sign up as new members, even though requests were queued for admin approval.
5) An FAQ site I run for web hosting keeps getting spam questions.
My first experience with this nasty intrusion was on my former Pivot blog, where comment spam drove me wild. At that time there were limited solutions.
Switching to Word Press, I’ve had success here preventing comment spam through the verification code process. That’s worked well so far.
I’ve had some spammers register for my family history site, but that’s been limited; I think because not only do they get held for approval, they don’t show up as new members (unlike the private forum referred to above).
There are solutions to the web contact form problem. Coders will have to tighten up their scripts. Meanwhile, I’m sure the spammers will keep searching for ways through.
Before concluding this article I checked my SpamArrest email log. It has so far blocked 785 emails, or 46 percent of those sent to my primary address.
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