SMF Security and Spam Prevention

[ekev]

I've looked all around and can't seem to find any information and thought I would ask here (especially since this is the website that initially put me on to Simple Machines).

Does anyone know how this forum set up the Newbie settings?  (post a certain number of posts, etc, etc, then get out of Newbie mode)

I thought at first it was connected to the Stop Spammer mod but the more I read the more it isn't.

Any thoughts from other forum admins?

.. my latest forum is a smashing success.. for spammers.  In two weeks I have 2 legit accounts and 756 spam accounts (and that's with blocking numerous IP addresses, ie 128.*.*.*).

[ekev]

Ignore my question... I just figured out how to install mods (installed Stop Spammers Mod) and lock down the forum.  Super easy and it wiped out all the spammers from CN, Russia, etc.  I love it!

[theymos]

Newbie restrictions can actually be done without any modifications using board permissions if you don't mind promoting users based only on post count. I don't recommend this, though. For promoting users using special conditions, I just disabled the native SMF auto-promote, and I have a cron job that does the promotions.

[ekev]

Ah okay, thanks.

I really like how it's done here and imagine there are a lot less spammers (which is how I would rather do it).  I installed the Stop Spammer mod and it has blocked 799 spammers. 

btw my forum is not bitcoin related so I'm not attempting to steal visitors in any way

[ekev]

I just exceeded 1001 spammers this week, lol. 

[ekev]

Thanks to Stop Spammers mod and ZB Blocker.. no more spam accounts in the past 24 hours.  Final total according to Stop Spammers, 1177 spammers stopped and deleted.

I'd really like to know how you set up your newbie system, that's really slick.  Either way, thanks for the previous info.