Slowing down the SPAM

I have come in for some quite harsh criticism in my effort to expose the problem of SPAM, and the amateurish way some Websites are run by their respective owners.

Some of this criticism may even be justified, but as someone who has being in the IT industry for a very long time and have trained to be a professional, I find it wrong the way one of the most important technologies is being abused, not only by the abusers (SPAMMERS), but also by the amateurs who are setting up Websites just for the fun of it without any real knowledge as to what they are doing.

This blasé approach will only damage the technology and its usefulness.

In one case I was Banned from an Irish Forum accused for Spamming this Website although I had a Thread relating to the problem and had one link to the site. It was an active thread until one of the Moderators accused me of being a Bad Parent. I of course defended myself, but soon after this incident I was banned, and the Administrator for the section I was banned from is an Internet Marketing Company.

Any way here are some tips for people who are running phpBB Forums to help them make their Forum a bit more secure.

http://www.nightbluefruit.com/blog/?p=3
and
http://www.net-security.org/article.php?id=988

As someone who knows this technology as well as being a realest I know that SPAM is not something that can be stopped all the time, but good housekeeping can stop at least 90% of the pest. The other 10% is up to the vigilance of the person responsible for the Website.

Also do keep an eye on the provider of the Software to see if any new versions have being made available as these will normally have security updates as well a functional enhancements.