Comments on: Using timestamps to reduce WordPress comment spam http://www.ardamis.com/2007/12/15/using-timestamps-to-reduce-wordpress-comment-spam/ Ardamis is a tiny web development studio specializing in high-quality, handmade web sites. Thu, 11 Mar 2010 04:19:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Steve http://www.ardamis.com/2007/12/15/using-timestamps-to-reduce-wordpress-comment-spam/#comment-18138 Steve Wed, 27 May 2009 16:54:32 +0000 http://www.ardamis.com/2007/12/15/using-timestamps-to-reduce-wordpress-comment-spam/#comment-18138 Another way is to pass the timestamp in the form and as a session var, then check when the form is processed to see if they are equal. Another way is to pass the timestamp in the form and as a session var, then check when the form is processed to see if they are equal.

]]> By: Web Design Bangkok http://www.ardamis.com/2007/12/15/using-timestamps-to-reduce-wordpress-comment-spam/#comment-17236 Web Design Bangkok Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:08:33 +0000 http://www.ardamis.com/2007/12/15/using-timestamps-to-reduce-wordpress-comment-spam/#comment-17236 Great. I literally get bombarded with comment spam every day, in the thousands. I will implement your ideas right away. Thanks. Great. I literally get bombarded with comment spam every day, in the thousands. I will implement your ideas right away. Thanks.

]]> By: Dave Child http://www.ardamis.com/2007/12/15/using-timestamps-to-reduce-wordpress-comment-spam/#comment-16362 Dave Child Sun, 20 Jul 2008 12:09:02 +0000 http://www.ardamis.com/2007/12/15/using-timestamps-to-reduce-wordpress-comment-spam/#comment-16362 I wrote something similar for my bblog installation and now I'm moving to WP I'm looking to do the same - so thanks for your work. There is one problem, easily corrected, with this approach. Spam bots that save the form and just keep re-sending the same form data will always appear to have been viewing the page for some time (they'll have saved the hidden form field with an old time stamp). The way to fix this is to add a config variable - a very large (6 digit minimum) number that is added to the hidden field timestamp and then subtracted before the comparison is made. You also need to add a check to ensure the hidden timestamp isnt in the future. You can add a further check to ensure the page wasn't loaded more than, say, 24 hours before the comment was posted. Then, change that variable periodically, by a large degree (at least 86400). Any "saved data" bots (which I found the majority giving me grief were) won't be able to keep up. I wrote something similar for my bblog installation and now I’m moving to WP I’m looking to do the same – so thanks for your work. There is one problem, easily corrected, with this approach.

Spam bots that save the form and just keep re-sending the same form data will always appear to have been viewing the page for some time (they’ll have saved the hidden form field with an old time stamp).

The way to fix this is to add a config variable – a very large (6 digit minimum) number that is added to the hidden field timestamp and then subtracted before the comparison is made.

You also need to add a check to ensure the hidden timestamp isnt in the future. You can add a further check to ensure the page wasn’t loaded more than, say, 24 hours before the comment was posted.

Then, change that variable periodically, by a large degree (at least 86400). Any “saved data” bots (which I found the majority giving me grief were) won’t be able to keep up.

]]> By: spam botter http://www.ardamis.com/2007/12/15/using-timestamps-to-reduce-wordpress-comment-spam/#comment-16355 spam botter Sat, 19 Jul 2008 18:53:38 +0000 http://www.ardamis.com/2007/12/15/using-timestamps-to-reduce-wordpress-comment-spam/#comment-16355 Well that's great .. now I'll just set my spam bot to wait longer than 60 seconds if it gets an error with posting under 60 seconds... Well that’s great .. now I’ll just set my spam bot to wait longer than 60 seconds if it gets an error with posting under 60 seconds…

]]> By: Regilda http://www.ardamis.com/2007/12/15/using-timestamps-to-reduce-wordpress-comment-spam/#comment-15606 Regilda Sun, 15 Jun 2008 06:06:34 +0000 http://www.ardamis.com/2007/12/15/using-timestamps-to-reduce-wordpress-comment-spam/#comment-15606 Vivato peplos! The codas sites en vero interesto! Perfecto guide! Idealte buke into me programmato. Cuesta code PHP: $submitted_timestamp - $comment_timestamp < 60 Recoomendo more - uppetto 300 Steppo-bu-steppo commentare - graciate Autore! Regarte graciate! Vivato peplos!
The codas sites en vero interesto! Perfecto guide! Idealte buke into me programmato.
Cuesta code PHP:
$submitted_timestamp – $comment_timestamp < 60
Recoomendo more – uppetto 300
Steppo-bu-steppo commentare – graciate Autore!
Regarte graciate!

]]> By: Twelve Mile Circle » Blog Archive » Blessed Relief - maps, geography, travel http://www.ardamis.com/2007/12/15/using-timestamps-to-reduce-wordpress-comment-spam/#comment-11424 Twelve Mile Circle » Blog Archive » Blessed Relief - maps, geography, travel Sun, 30 Mar 2008 12:16:31 +0000 http://www.ardamis.com/2007/12/15/using-timestamps-to-reduce-wordpress-comment-spam/#comment-11424 [...] I came across a very elegant and simple solution on Ardamis.com that involved time stamps. It works on the basic principal that bots want to stuff as many comments [...] [...] I came across a very elegant and simple solution on Ardamis.com that involved time stamps. It works on the basic principal that bots want to stuff as many comments [...]

]]> By: lattyb http://www.ardamis.com/2007/12/15/using-timestamps-to-reduce-wordpress-comment-spam/#comment-10970 lattyb Mon, 17 Mar 2008 20:31:57 +0000 http://www.ardamis.com/2007/12/15/using-timestamps-to-reduce-wordpress-comment-spam/#comment-10970 i think this is awesome. i've just installed it and in 15minutes, have noticed a massive decrease in spam. thank you kindly. i think this is awesome. i’ve just installed it and in 15minutes, have noticed a massive decrease in spam.

thank you kindly.

]]> By: 12 ways to utterly crush spambots on your blog http://www.ardamis.com/2007/12/15/using-timestamps-to-reduce-wordpress-comment-spam/#comment-10609 12 ways to utterly crush spambots on your blog Fri, 07 Mar 2008 09:01:57 +0000 http://www.ardamis.com/2007/12/15/using-timestamps-to-reduce-wordpress-comment-spam/#comment-10609 [...] Use a timestamp to reduce spam.  Robots can post faster than people.  This plugin helps determine how rapidly a post was [...] [...] Use a timestamp to reduce spam.  Robots can post faster than people.  This plugin helps determine how rapidly a post was [...]

]]> By: One Fab Fit Mom - Weight Loss Success! | How to stop spam in wordpress blogs http://www.ardamis.com/2007/12/15/using-timestamps-to-reduce-wordpress-comment-spam/#comment-10428 One Fab Fit Mom - Weight Loss Success! | How to stop spam in wordpress blogs Fri, 01 Feb 2008 13:49:00 +0000 http://www.ardamis.com/2007/12/15/using-timestamps-to-reduce-wordpress-comment-spam/#comment-10428 [...] Use TimeStamps to Reduce Spam. This prevents rapid-fire posting. However, if the person mistypes the Captcha, she or he will have [...] [...] Use TimeStamps to Reduce Spam. This prevents rapid-fire posting. However, if the person mistypes the Captcha, she or he will have [...]

]]> By: Jonathan Bailey http://www.ardamis.com/2007/12/15/using-timestamps-to-reduce-wordpress-comment-spam/#comment-10295 Jonathan Bailey Mon, 17 Dec 2007 18:22:40 +0000 http://www.ardamis.com/2007/12/15/using-timestamps-to-reduce-wordpress-comment-spam/#comment-10295 I answered your comment on my site about this but also wanted to post here and say that I really like this idea. It makes a lot of sense and would be almost impossible for a spam bot to duplicate. This is a great idea. I'd love to hear more about how this is working out for you as you use it. I'm going to look at it for my own site. I answered your comment on my site about this but also wanted to post here and say that I really like this idea. It makes a lot of sense and would be almost impossible for a spam bot to duplicate. This is a great idea.

I’d love to hear more about how this is working out for you as you use it. I’m going to look at it for my own site.

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