Comments on: Using .htaccess to minimise comment and referrer spam http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/ Tom Raftery, social media consultant, speaker, blogger and podcaster Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:05:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Kim Steinhaug http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/comment-page-1/#comment-378115 Kim Steinhaug Tue, 07 Apr 2009 12:39:45 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/views/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/#comment-378115 Might be the thread from the grave, however a great thread and interesting use of .htaccess. I did some google and this is what i got, a great article. I especially liked the SetEnvIfNoCase method which seems very clean endeed! Might be the thread from the grave, however a great thread and interesting use of .htaccess. I did some google and this is what i got, a great article. I especially liked the SetEnvIfNoCase method which seems very clean endeed!

]]> By: Brian Layman http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/comment-page-1/#comment-366988 Brian Layman Mon, 23 Mar 2009 13:29:23 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/views/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/#comment-366988 wow... the thread from beyond the grave! 4 years later and I'm still getting comment notifications :) We'll I'm just stopping by because this thread seems like an old friend. Cheers all! wow… the thread from beyond the grave! 4 years later and I’m still getting comment notifications :) We’ll I’m just stopping by because this thread seems like an old friend. Cheers all!

]]> By: Json http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/comment-page-1/#comment-360937 Json Sun, 15 Mar 2009 06:22:23 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/views/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/#comment-360937 I am new to .htaccess and have to ask… Q1: Can I use this for any page that is posting data? Q2: If Q1 is YES, my page is one folder deep, ie:comments/page.php Do I do this: <code>RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} .comments/page.php\.php*</code> Or this: <code>RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} .comments\page.php\.php*</code> Or this: <code>RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} .http://www/example.com/comments/page.php\.php*</code> Or this: <code>RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} ./var/htdocs/web/comments/page.php\.php*</code> Any help would be great. Cheers I am new to .htaccess and have to ask…
Q1: Can I use this for any page that is posting data?
Q2: If Q1 is YES, my page is one folder deep, ie:comments/page.php
Do I do this:
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} .comments/page.php\.php*
Or this:
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} .comments\page.php\.php*
Or this:
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} .http://www/example.com/comments/page.php\.php*
Or this:
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} ./var/htdocs/web/comments/page.php\.php*

Any help would be great.
Cheers

]]> By: Json http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/comment-page-1/#comment-360202 Json Sat, 14 Mar 2009 10:08:35 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/views/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/#comment-360202 How does it work when "page.php" is in one, two, three level deep folder? Is it like this: RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} .folder1/folder2/folder3/page\.php* RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} .folder1/folder2/page\.php* RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} .folder1/page\.php* OR just like this: RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} .page\.php* Cheers How does it work when “page.php” is in one, two, three level deep folder?
Is it like this:
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} .folder1/folder2/folder3/page\.php*
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} .folder1/folder2/page\.php*
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} .folder1/page\.php*

OR just like this:
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} .page\.php*

Cheers

]]> By: greeningreen.com http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/comment-page-1/#comment-116655 greeningreen.com Mon, 12 May 2008 16:49:43 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/views/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/#comment-116655 Our referer info is almost always showing up stripped in the logs now... any ideas? Otherwise, very useful here. Our referer info is almost always showing up stripped in the logs now… any ideas? Otherwise, very useful here.

]]> By: nyfiken blog » arkiv » Blogg-spam, .htaccess igen http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/comment-page-1/#comment-113753 nyfiken blog » arkiv » Blogg-spam, .htaccess igen Mon, 07 Jan 2008 22:18:20 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/views/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/#comment-113753 [...] Tom Rafterys lösning pÃ¥ problemet med bloggspam hade hjälpt mig mycket. Nu har jag implementerat hans lösning igen, och även om jag inte säkert kan säga hur mycket kommentars-spam som har försvunnit, sÃ¥ [...] [...] Tom Rafterys lösning pÃ¥ problemet med bloggspam hade hjälpt mig mycket. Nu har jag implementerat hans lösning igen, och även om jag inte säkert kan säga hur mycket kommentars-spam som har försvunnit, sÃ¥ [...]

]]> By: Fight Blog Spam with Apache http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/comment-page-1/#comment-109419 Fight Blog Spam with Apache Mon, 13 Aug 2007 22:09:33 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/views/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/#comment-109419 [...] http://www.garnetchaney.com/htaccess_tips_and_tricks.shtml http://www.tomrafteryit.net/htaccess.txt http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/ [...] [...] http://www.garnetchaney.com/htaccess_tips_and_tricks.shtml http://www.tomrafteryit.net/htaccess.txt http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/ [...]

]]> By: Белая Церковь http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/comment-page-1/#comment-103193 Белая Церковь Mon, 26 Mar 2007 20:19:47 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/views/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/#comment-103193 Alfenet, i saw some example for joomla .htaccess here - http://forum.joomla.org/. try use a search Alfenet, i saw some example for joomla .htaccess here - http://forum.joomla.org/. try use a search

]]> By: Alfenet http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/comment-page-1/#comment-23405 Alfenet Fri, 01 Sep 2006 14:45:25 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/views/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/#comment-23405 How can I create a .htaccess file for joomla cms? How can I create a .htaccess file for joomla cms?

]]> By: Gedanken am Balkon über den Balkon » Blog Archive » Kommentare von Maschinen http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/comment-page-1/#comment-19485 Gedanken am Balkon über den Balkon » Blog Archive » Kommentare von Maschinen Mon, 17 Jul 2006 20:33:20 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/views/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/#comment-19485 [...] Zusätzliche Links: http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/ bloggen, sideblog, spam, wordpress tricks [...] [...] Zusätzliche Links: http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/ bloggen, sideblog, spam, wordpress tricks [...]

]]> By: tobto http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/comment-page-1/#comment-17482 tobto Fri, 30 Jun 2006 14:59:33 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/views/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/#comment-17482 thanks Brian for comment! ok. I have everyday spamming: - ip is different everytime - text the SAME, but antispam-bad-words-list doesn't filter it. things like: -0-XXX-0, -0 XXX 0 -, etc. I can't even imagine how to prevent spam, besides send *** kind words to spammers :) I suppose to use referrer check for spam-machine - if it isn't yoursite.com that is badguy-goodbye.com 8) thanks Brian for comment!

ok. I have everyday spamming:
- ip is different everytime
- text the SAME, but antispam-bad-words-list doesn’t filter it.
things like: -0-XXX-0, -0 XXX 0 -, etc.

I can’t even imagine how to prevent spam, besides send *** kind words to spammers :)

I suppose to use referrer check for spam-machine - if it isn’t yoursite.com that is badguy-goodbye.com 8)

]]> By: Brian Layman http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/comment-page-1/#comment-17463 Brian Layman Fri, 30 Jun 2006 12:59:12 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/views/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/#comment-17463 There are two BIG limitations of your method. The first big problem is with referrer checking in general. The problem is that many of today's browsers and firewalls now strip the referrer information. It's a privacy thing. Therefore if you implement that check, you will block a lot of legitmate traffic that comes to you with a blank referrer. Likewise, if you allow blanks, you will let in all of the spam bots that don't send a referrer. Additionally, if you did something like: < order deny,allow deny from all allow from yoursite.com </Limit> How would the people get to your site initially? If they browsed straight to it, they would get permission denied error. This might work in some limited office environment on a subdirectory that should only be accessed from the site and using the company approved browser. Then you could consider all traffic without a reffer ilegitimate. Basically, if you have control over some of the variables in the situation, YMMV. There are two BIG limitations of your method.

The first big problem is with referrer checking in general. The problem is that many of today’s browsers and firewalls now strip the referrer information. It’s a privacy thing.

Therefore if you implement that check, you will block a lot of legitmate traffic that comes to you with a blank referrer. Likewise, if you allow blanks, you will let in all of the spam bots that don’t send a referrer.

Additionally, if you did something like:

<
order deny,allow
deny from all
allow from yoursite.com
</Limit>

How would the people get to your site initially? If they browsed straight to it, they would get permission denied error.

This might work in some limited office environment on a subdirectory that should only be accessed from the site and using the company approved browser. Then you could consider all traffic without a reffer ilegitimate. Basically, if you have control over some of the variables in the situation, YMMV.

]]> By: tobto http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/comment-page-1/#comment-17357 tobto Thu, 29 Jun 2006 22:56:52 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/views/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/#comment-17357 If I would use htaccess with this: ----- Allow from yoursite.com ----- Will it work as antispam / badreferer filter? If I would use htaccess with this:
—–
Allow from yoursite.com
—–
Will it work as antispam / badreferer filter?

]]> By: Gloria Weblog » Blog Archive » http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/comment-page-1/#comment-7664 Gloria Weblog » Blog Archive » Sat, 15 Apr 2006 01:32:24 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/views/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/#comment-7664 [...] Based on various highly technical posts I found on various sites, I came up with a number of different ways that it could be done. But try as I might with my limited technical skills, I couldn’t keep the “listenernetwork” hits away. And so I brooded for the better part of two days about how I could save my bandwidth and keep the visits from artificially inflating my hit count. [...] [...] Based on various highly technical posts I found on various sites, I came up with a number of different ways that it could be done. But try as I might with my limited technical skills, I couldn’t keep the “listenernetwork” hits away. And so I brooded for the better part of two days about how I could save my bandwidth and keep the visits from artificially inflating my hit count. [...]

]]> By: Tom Raftery http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/comment-page-1/#comment-4241 Tom Raftery Sat, 28 Jan 2006 12:47:51 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/views/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/#comment-4241 D'Oh! Thanks for the heads up Brian - hope that hasn't been missing too long. I put it back in now (and I'm hardly a master - I just read up on that stuff when I was having spam problems - I've forgotten a lot of it now :-( ), Cheers, Tom. D’Oh!

Thanks for the heads up Brian - hope that hasn’t been missing too long.

I put it back in now (and I’m hardly a master - I just read up on that stuff when I was having spam problems - I’ve forgotten a lot of it now :-( ),

Cheers,

Tom.

]]> By: Brian Layman http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/comment-page-1/#comment-4212 Brian Layman Sat, 28 Jan 2006 01:34:44 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/views/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/#comment-4212 Oh- I meant to tell you this a month ago but you dropped the RewriteEngine On line from your .htaccess file. As I understand it, that line is somewhat important for the rest of the file to work right on most apache servers... http://www.apacheref.com/ref/mod_rewrite/RewriteEngine.html "By default, rewrite configurations are not inherited. Thus you need a RewriteEngine directive to switch this configuration on for each virtual host in which you wish to use it. " But then again most all I know about .htaccess files, I learned from you so why should the student question the master! Oh- I meant to tell you this a month ago but you dropped the

RewriteEngine On

line from your .htaccess file.

As I understand it, that line is somewhat important for the rest of the file to work right on most apache servers…

http://www.apacheref.com/ref/mod_rewrite/RewriteEngine.html
“By default, rewrite configurations are not inherited. Thus you need a RewriteEngine directive to switch this configuration on for each virtual host in which you wish to use it. ”

But then again most all I know about .htaccess files, I learned from you so why should the student question the master!

]]> By: Johan Adler http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/comment-page-1/#comment-4195 Johan Adler Fri, 27 Jan 2006 21:25:58 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/views/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/#comment-4195 Sorry Tom, last comment was mine. I am a bit tired. Maybe you could put my name on it and delete this one? Sorry Tom, last comment was mine. I am a bit tired. Maybe you could put my name on it and delete this one?

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/comment-page-1/#comment-4192 Anonymous Fri, 27 Jan 2006 21:23:07 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/views/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/#comment-4192 Clarification: I have thought of using ReferrerCops regular expressions blacklist, but putting their regexes in your .htaccess. I have not switched to Akismet, have not bothered to get the needed API. Inspired by you, I got the key (and a wordpress.com blog that will be unused, waste of space) and activated Akismet. It might not have much work to do either. ;-) Clarification: I have thought of using ReferrerCops regular expressions blacklist, but putting their regexes in your .htaccess.

I have not switched to Akismet, have not bothered to get the needed API. Inspired by you, I got the key (and a wordpress.com blog that will be unused, waste of space) and activated Akismet. It might not have much work to do either. ;-)

]]> By: Tom Raftery http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/comment-page-1/#comment-4064 Tom Raftery Thu, 26 Jan 2006 13:47:56 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/views/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/#comment-4064 Great Johan - glad it was of some use to you (and apologies for my lack of Swedish!). By the way, I have started using <a href="http://akismet.com/">Akismet</a> recently and I find it is the best anti-spam tool i have come across yet! Great Johan - glad it was of some use to you (and apologies for my lack of Swedish!).

By the way, I have started using Akismet recently and I find it is the best anti-spam tool i have come across yet!

]]> By: Johan Adler http://www.tomrafteryit.net/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/comment-page-1/#comment-4063 Johan Adler Thu, 26 Jan 2006 13:42:43 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/views/using-htaccess-to-minimise-comment-and-referrer-spam/#comment-4063 What my blog says in Swedish is that using your .htaccess leaves SpamKarma out of work. I have hardly had any spam (usually caught by SK) since I modified my .htaccess with your code. I also write about having considered to exchange your list of known spammers for the compact optimized regex version of <a href="http://referrercop.org/blacklist.php">ReferrerCops blacklist</a>. It might give Apache and the server a harder time, with all those regular expressions, but there should be few spammers passing by that test. I also mention <a href="http://chongqed.org/">Chongqed</a>'s <a href="http://blacklist.chongqed.org/">blacklist</a>, no regex, quite long. You are quite right in your comment on my site, I am positive. :-) Regards, Johan Adler Sweden What my blog says in Swedish is that using your .htaccess leaves SpamKarma out of work. I have hardly had any spam (usually caught by SK) since I modified my .htaccess with your code.

I also write about having considered to exchange your list of known spammers for the compact optimized regex version of ReferrerCops blacklist. It might give Apache and the server a harder time, with all those regular expressions, but there should be few spammers passing by that test.

I also mention Chongqed’s blacklist, no regex, quite long.

You are quite right in your comment on my site, I am positive. :-)

Regards,
Johan Adler
Sweden

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