Problem Users - Banning Not Resolving Issue

[Sharon]

Hey guys,

First off I'd like to say sorry if I am posting this in the wrong board - moderators please feel free to move to correct board if that's the case.

OK so in our forum we seem to be experiencing a series of problem users - we've banned multiple users in less than a week. I am thinking this is the same person doing this and somehow find great joy in being a menace.

Is there anything more we can do besides banning each member and blocking each and every IP address?

We are trying to create an educational, enjoyable, and learning-friendly environment but these "problem users" who seem to make it a goal in life to push staff members' buttons is getting out of hand.

Any suggestions?

 

[R44]

Do a trace of the IP and report it to the ISP responsible for being a nuisance.

 

[int0x10]

Or you could just make it so the first few posts require approval from a moderator, that would probably stop them 😉

 

[R44]

Or you could just make it so the first few posts require approval from a moderator, that would probably stop them 😉

That has the same issue as banning does. Higher mod workload.

 

[int0x10]

Well, that's true, but can't you just promote people that you trust to be moderator? A lot of people would jump at the chance to do something like that 😛

 

[R44]

Not on my site, no.

 

[VirusZero]

Contrary to what people oft say... simply hiring more staff isn't always an option. It's hard to find good staff that want to do the job. And even if you do manage to find someone who states they'll help, that still doesn't mean they'll actually help out. (Too many times people state they'll help then just vanish. Or they're just more interest in the title of staff than actually doing anything.)

---

For your actual issue though... I presume you're banning them by IP, email and username right?

If so they're likely using proxies to get by your IP blocks. One way to slow them down if nothing else would be to install this bit of code in your .htaccess file:

# BLOCK PROXY VISITS
# PerishablePress.com: http://bit.ly/12k6Uo
<ifModule mod_rewrite.c>
 RewriteEngine on
 RewriteCond %{HTTP:VIA}                 !^$ [OR]
 RewriteCond %{HTTP:FORWARDED}           !^$ [OR]
 RewriteCond %{HTTP:USERAGENT_VIA}       !^$ [OR]
 RewriteCond %{HTTP:X_FORWARDED_FOR}     !^$ [OR]
 RewriteCond %{HTTP:PROXY_CONNECTION}    !^$ [OR]
 RewriteCond %{HTTP:XPROXY_CONNECTION}   !^$ [OR]
 RewriteCond %{HTTP:HTTP_PC_REMOTE_ADDR} !^$ [OR]
 RewriteCond %{HTTP:HTTP_CLIENT_IP}      !^$
 RewriteRule .* - [F]
</ifModule>

You may also want to add to your index.php:

<?php if(@fsockopen($_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'], 80, $errstr, $errno, 1))
die("Proxy access not allowed"); ?>

source

These methods may not be a perfect option... Might not even block 50% of those users. But if it manages to even block 20% of them (without affecting a single legitimate user) then it's still worth it. (Anything to make it harder for troublemakers to cause problems while minimally affecting legitimate users is good.)

Beyond that though, keep banning them and eventually they'll get bored and go away.

 

[R44]

Too many times people state they'll help then just vanish. Or they're just more interest in the title of staff than actually doing anything

Moreso when they come from here... :L

 

[Sharon]

Contrary to what people oft say... simply hiring more staff isn't always an option. It's hard to find good staff that want to do the job. And even if you do manage to find someone who states they'll help, that still doesn't mean they'll actually help out. (Too many times people state they'll help then just vanish. Or they're just more interest in the title of staff than actually doing anything.)

---

For your actual issue though... I presume you're banning them by IP, email and username right?

If so they're likely using proxies to get by your IP blocks. One way to slow them down if nothing else would be to install this bit of code in your .htaccess file:

# BLOCK PROXY VISITS
# PerishablePress.com: http://bit.ly/12k6Uo
<ifModule mod_rewrite.c>
 RewriteEngine on
 RewriteCond %{HTTP:VIA} !^$ [OR]
 RewriteCond %{HTTP:FORWARDED} !^$ [OR]
 RewriteCond %{HTTP:USERAGENT_VIA} !^$ [OR]
 RewriteCond %{HTTP:X_FORWARDED_FOR} !^$ [OR]
 RewriteCond %{HTTP:PROXY_CONNECTION} !^$ [OR]
 RewriteCond %{HTTP:XPROXY_CONNECTION} !^$ [OR]
 RewriteCond %{HTTP:HTTP_PC_REMOTE_ADDR} !^$ [OR]
 RewriteCond %{HTTP:HTTP_CLIENT_IP} !^$
 RewriteRule .* - [F]
</ifModule>

You may also want to add to your index.php:

<?php if(@fsockopen($_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'], 80, $errstr, $errno, 1))
die("Proxy access not allowed"); ?>

source

These methods may not be a perfect option... Might not even block 50% of those users. But if it manages to even block 20% of them (without affecting a single legitimate user) then it's still worth it. (Anything to make it harder for troublemakers to cause problems while minimally affecting legitimate users is good.)

Beyond that though, keep banning them and eventually they'll get bored and go away.

Thank you everyone for your thoughts. ...and thanks to you VirusZero for your detailed solution - we will definitely consider doing this.