Improved Spam Catcher

Hey Gang,

So tonight we had a slight spam spike but we quelled the attack. We have added some extra anti-spam support to our system. We are now using Akismet, Antispam, and a new improved in-house spam catcher. We are continuously making improvements to our spam catcher to avoid further issues. If you are still experiencing any spam shoot us a message @ help@disqus.com .

Sorry for any inconvience,

Giannii

Community Manager

Giannii on November 21st 2008 in disqus

  • Let's see... do I have the ability to tag things as SPAM yet?

    Oh, nope. Of course not.

    Because that couldn't be remotely valuable whatsoever.

    --Kyle
  • Kyle,

    We are working on the function to tag spam within the admin section. Don't worry, we are on it!

    Giannii
    Community Manager
  • "working on it"?

    How long does it take to make a link, some quick JS, a small script that changes what's most likely a boolean value in a db?

    You could do it in under 30 minutes, and even have a rollover image setup for it.

    So you want to explain to me how this is a "work in progress" rather than "oh, right... here it is!" situation?

    --Kyle
  • So you want to explain to me how this is a "work in progress" rather than "oh, right... here it is!" situation?


    Sure. This is how Disqus handles spam: we filter contents ourselves then pass them through a few different anti-spam providers. This requires a little more finesse than what you wrote above. Otherwise, I agree, it's a seemingly minor addition.

    The issue is around improving our handling of comment states in our system for future development. This is being done right now, as well as working in an improved interface that makes it clear for most people.

    I can go into more detail, but I hope this provides some insight.
  • I see, that makes more sense as to why it wasn't a feature launched from day 1.

    Not that I like *not* having one, but I appreciate the details. Being a programmer myself, knowing why something doesn't work like you think it should is always nice ;-)

    Thanks
    --Kyle
  • thanks for your commnet
  • I got hit pretty hard: http://i38.tinypic.com/2a4o9c5.jpg :-(
    I'll let you know if it continues. Thanks.
  • Let's see... do I have the ability to tag things as SPAM yet?

    Oh, nope. Of course not.

    Because that couldn't be remotely valuable whatsoever.

    --Kyle
  • Kyle,

    We are working on the function to tag spam within the admin section. Don't worry, we are on it!

    Giannii
    Community Manager
  • thanks for all explains
  • Hey Dave, I received your Twitter DM about it. Definitely let us know if it continues.
  • thanks for all explains
  • I'm getting hammered by AdultFriendFinder - I keep adding them to the Spam filter, and they keep finding a way around it. Anything you can do would help!
  • CaptainDigital,

    I just checked both of your sites and it seems pretty clean. Have you been deleting them manually? Also which site is receiving the spam?

    Giannii
    Community Manager
  • I've been deleting them manually, on a daily basis.
    www.captaindigital.netis getting the brunt of the spam. Interestingly,
    the spammers are hitting
    older posts almost exclusively - not the new stuff (I try to post to my
    blogs on a daily basis).
    Here's a question for you - even though I've got Disqus installed on both,
    some of the comments I get are on the blog comments - not through Disqus. Is
    there a way I can force EVERYTHING to go through Disqus?

    Thanks!

    - Brad
  • I'm getting hammered by AdultFriendFinder - I keep adding them to the Spam filter, and they keep finding a way around it. Anything you can do would help!
  • CaptainDigital,

    I just checked both of your sites and it seems pretty clean. Have you been deleting them manually? Also which site is receiving the spam?

    Giannii
    Community Manager
  • I've been deleting them manually, on a daily basis.
    www.captaindigital.netis getting the brunt of the spam. Interestingly,
    the spammers are hitting
    older posts almost exclusively - not the new stuff (I try to post to my
    blogs on a daily basis).
    Here's a question for you - even though I've got Disqus installed on both,
    some of the comments I get are on the blog comments - not through Disqus. Is
    there a way I can force EVERYTHING to go through Disqus?

    Thanks!

    - Brad
  • You can definitely enable Disqus on every post, including old ones.
  • i agree you
  • Is there any way to add "nofollow" tag, incase a visitor leaves his url in the comment ?
  • Hi guys, sorry for the offtopic. I was wondering: Is there any chance to edit comments, like the spam ones. Let's say that a person leaves a spam comment. What I want is to modify his comment, by eliminating the link, and to write something in his comment like "edit by admin: Spam is not allowed on this blog" If this service doesn't exists yet, I think it would be a great job to activate it. It is very usefull for an admin.
  • Is there any way to add "nofollow" tag, incase a visitor leaves his url in the comment ?
  • it would be nice to have an option to add nofollow as I'm getting a lot of worthless comments just for spammers to add their links.
  • Hi guys, sorry for the offtopic. I was wondering: Is there any chance to edit comments, like the spam ones. Let's say that a person leaves a spam comment. What I want is to modify his comment, by eliminating the link, and to write something in his comment like "edit by admin: Spam is not allowed on this blog" If this service doesn't exists yet, I think it would be a great job to activate it. It is very usefull for an admin.
  • "working on it"?

    How long does it take to make a link, some quick JS, a small script that changes what's most likely a boolean value in a db?

    You could do it in under 30 minutes, and even have a rollover image setup for it.

    So you want to explain to me how this is a "work in progress" rather than "oh, right... here it is!" situation?

    --Kyle
  • thanks for your support on this, I did a few messages but I easily removed them and blocked them, with a great plugin like this it wont take long to build a great whitelist...
  • thanks for your support on this, I did a few messages but I easily removed them and blocked them, with a great plugin like this it wont take long to build a great whitelist...
  • thanks i agree you
  • thanks
  • thanks
  • thanks for your supports
  • <quote>So you want to explain to me how this is a "work in progress" rather than "oh, right... here it is!" situation?</quote>

    Sure. This is how Disqus handles spam: we filter contents ourselves then pass them through a few different anti-spam providers. This requires a little more finesse than what you wrote above. Otherwise, I agree, it's a seemingly minor addition.

    The issue is around improving our handling of comment states in our system for future development. This is being done right now, as well as working in an improved interface that makes it clear for most people.

    I can go into more detail, but I hope this provides some insight.
  • You can definitely enable Disqus on every post, including old ones.
  • I see, that makes more sense as to why it wasn't a feature launched from day 1.

    Not that I like *not* having one, but I appreciate the details. Being a programmer myself, knowing why something doesn't work like you think it should is always nice ;-)

    Thanks
    --Kyle
  • thanks for your supports
  • Wow, the image's pretty scary. I guess the Disqus team will fix it eventually.
  • serrena
    how can i usubscrive to your blog i hate it
  • serrena
    how can i usubscrive to your blog i hate it
  • This is a check of the XSS filtering this system does. So far I have found lots of holes in the comment system. Lets see if it works on this site too.

    Hacking tests to follow (not cracking).

    <b onClick="javascript:alert('hello');">Click me or Just let the script load without any help.
    <IMG SRC="javascript:alert('XSS');">
    <IMG SRC=javascript:alert('XSS')>
    <IMG SRC=JaVaScRiPt:alert('XSS')>
    <IMG SRC=javascript:alert("XSS")>
    <A HREF="javascript:document.location='http://www.google.com/'">XSS
  • Hmm... that is a relief. ;)

    However, JavaScript is NOT FILTERED out of comments from MY site. Why? Is there something I need to do to fix this?
  • This is a check of the XSS filtering this system does. So far I have found lots of holes in the comment system. Lets see if it works on this site too.

    Hacking tests to follow (not cracking).

    <b onClick="javascript:alert('hello');">Click me or Just let the script load without any help.
    <IMG SRC="javascript:alert('XSS');">
    <IMG SRC=javascript:alert('XSS')>
    <IMG SRC=JaVaScRiPt:alert('XSS')>
    <IMG SRC=javascript:alert("XSS")>
    <A HREF="javascript:document.location='http://www.google.com/'">XSS
  • Hmm... that is a relief. ;)

    However, JavaScript is NOT FILTERED out of comments from MY site. Why? Is there something I need to do to fix this?

    :Update:
    Tests were run from a "localhost" machine. The IFRAME that is loaded by the JS request doesn't seem to process comments. Why not? Is this only for localhost or once I put the site live will I still have the same problems?
  • Andrew B.
    It's probably not working correctly because it's locally hosted. Give it a shot live and let us know if there are any problems.
  • i agree you
  • It's probably not working correctly because it's locally hosted. Give it a shot live and let us know if there are any problems.
  • oh, you're right. Azkimet really works it prevent spams but it also prevent the ability to do comment.
  • joemel
    Can I use it already? I should try that to find out if it is effective.
    female libido supplements
  • yeah... say good by to spammers karma. get participate with discussion. comments... errrrr disqus with a smartest way...
  • yeah... say good by to spammers karma. get participate with discussion. comments... errrrr disqus with a smartest way...
  • Spams are irritating. Is there other good anti-spam systems ? Thanks for the update.
  • Spams are irritating. Is there other good anti-spam systems ? Thanks for the update.
  • Spams are irritating. Is there other good anti-spam systems ? Thanks for the update.
  • i think so too
  • i think so too
  • We are already seeing improvements in our spamming problems since implementation of Disqus on our blog. In the past, we receive spam comments every single day but since Disqus came into the picture, we manage to reduce it to once every few weeks.
  • We are already seeing improvements in our spamming problems since implementation of Disqus on our blog. In the past, we receive spam comments every single day but since Disqus came into the picture, we manage to reduce it to once every few weeks.
  • thanks for your commnet
  • Good, we all hate spammer and scammers etc etc
  • Good, we all hate spammer and scammers etc etc
  • Good riddance to spam.
  • i agree you
  • Rif Chia
    Automated spamming is the problem which we are trying to overcome. Disqus has worked pretty well for us.
  • Jeanine R Brown
    Excellent, entertaining, useful reading, Thanks !!
  • Yes, good riddance to spammers!
  • it would be nice to have an option to add nofollow as I'm getting a lot of worthless comments just for spammers to add their links.
  • Spam is really a nuisance. Keep watching over them and outsmart them.
  • Cathleen Ross
    When we were writing The Power of Nice, we uncovered many facts on how nice behavior can benefit your life.
  • Brian Ashton
    nice article dude
  • Jasmine Lim
    spams are annoying. It's good that you are having it under control now.
  • replicaloh
    It's infuriating to receive spams every now and then. Good to have it improved.
  • replicaloh
    It's infuriating to receive spams every now and then. Good to have it improved.
  • Duple Ang
    Agree to what replica has said. Glad that you have taken a step up in maintaining it.
  • ezditto
    Anti-spamming software is really important. I hope I don't experience it that often
  • ezditto
    Anti-spamming software is really important. I hope I don't experience it that often
  • Thanks! Spamers have no chance now!
  • jonaw
    A good anti-spam support is essential as users who are badly affected by it, will definitely not hesitate to change their comment systems immediately and hence the bad reputation. I am new to Disqus and felt that spams are of moderate rate or close to none. Worth the praise by other commenters.
  • jonaw
    A good anti-spam support is essential as users who are badly affected by it, will definitely not hesitate to change their comment systems immediately and hence the bad reputation. I am new to Disqus and felt that spams are of moderate rate or close to none. Worth the praise by other commenters.
  • Ryan Low
    Are the spam under control now?Would you all mind to share like what type of comments are rated as spams so that we can avoid falling into the spam category?My friend has been commenting recently and was being treated as spams.
  • Annie
    Thanks for the explanation, It's good that there are constant updates or explanations provided to put us users at ease on certain issues. Especially for those who relies greatly on the comments system.Anything goes wrong they will definitely go wild about it.Great job.
  • ryanlow
    Are the spam under control now?Would you all mind to share like what type of comments are rated as spams so that we can avoid falling into the spam category?My friend has been commenting recently and was being treated as spams.
  • Annie
    Thanks for the explanation, It's good that there are constant updates or explanations provided to put us users at ease on certain issues. Especially for those who relies greatly on the comments system.Anything goes wrong they will definitely go wild about it.Great job.
  • Thanks for the explanation, It's good that there are constant updates or explanations provided to put us users at ease on certain issues. Especially for those who relies greatly on the comments system.Anything goes wrong they will definitely go wild about it.Great job.
  • thanks i agree you
  • i agree you
  • thanks i agree you
  • i agree you
  • Hope it catches spam well. I love disqus by the way.
  • Hope it catches spam well. I love disqus by the way.
  • Hope it catches spam well. I love disqus by the way.
  • Hope it catches spam well. I love disqus by the way.
  • reklam
  • wallace530
    great post sir..
    thanks for sharing. really helped a lot here.
    --------------------------------------------------
    Ugg Boots | Uggs
  • I aggree you.
  • I got hit pretty hard: http://i38.tinypic.com/2a4o9c5.jpg :-(
    I'll let you know if it continues. Thanks.
  • Hey Dave, I received your Twitter DM about it. Definitely let us know if it continues.
  • Wow, the image's pretty scary. I guess the Disqus team will fix it eventually.
  • i think so too
blog comments powered by Disqus