Tag: spam

Spamming Tactic: Exploiting Search Engines

It’s nothing new, but I see it happening right now. Spammers are searching for “leave a comment” on Google, and using those results to feed into spam bots that go and do the work. Google, please stop letting spammers search for “leave a comment”. Just block that string from being searched, as it won’t ever affect an actual user. Nobody would just be searching for “leave a comment” and not have  malicious intentions.

Software doesn’t have insight like this, and that’s why programmers must remain in the business. To help the software learn.

Thank you Akismet, redoux.

Hey everyone, this is Deathgleaner speaking. Kudos to the people behind AKISMET for creating the world’s best spam-fighting tool. I use it on my blog and it does a great job of catching spam comments from advertisers and low-lifes, and it still lets good comments through. My blog would probably be a hate box if not for Akismet.

Akismet has netted about 150 spam comments. It’s scary that spam comments out-rival normal ones.

Thanks again,
Deathgleaner

Spam, spam, spam

Spam is always a problem. It’s a problem for everyone. Blocking it is also a problem. You can lots of the time have false positives. Which gets annoying. Also when your anti-spam doesn’t block enough. Or when it gets in your way. Maybe it doesn’t even work with your specific software.

I have spam problems too. SpamAssassin is the most well known open source mail-based anti-spam solution. The developers behind SpamAssassin need your help. They need you to submit “ham” and “spam” mail in order to teach SpamAssassin to recognize new spammer techniques.

Check the project out at this wiki page.

Open Source Solutions for WordPress spam comments

You probably don’t know, but I’m working with some other Fedora contributors on a Fedora install of WordPress MU. The thing is, for a spam solution, all of it has to be open source, so Akismet or reCAPTCHA won’t work. So I ask you, Fedora users and contributors. Firstly, is spam an issue on  your blogs? If so, what do you use for anti-spam on your self-hosted WordPress blog? Leave a nice little comment.