WARNING !!! Gizmo detected

[Shade]

OK? All the spam got deleted ...who?
And why are all the spambots still there and reading the user profiles?

Serious hackers usually don't spam. Let's say, these ones just wanted to delete their own hack trail.
Maybe it was just a test, or they just wanted to get the uncrypted database.

Since the server and even phpBB has logfiles, it's impossible to delete any access-trails which were laid previously.

[sektor2111]

When this has been started I was almost to read some mapping topic and then first one distracted me "new guy". After a couple of minutes I saw a mess driving me to idea that forum will get in overload and will be unreadable. I thought that reason of their presence is to load until boundaries and then good night and good luck with accessing/cleaning. Once I've tested a forum script but not very deeply, so I apology if I do wrong presumptions. When more connections are open then perhaps database access might go down as well, right ? In that moment I did not know how to call an admin able to stop them because all were like "missed the party" - what I was witnessing was far from term party after all... Too bad, it could turn in a nasty thing this so called "party". At a moment I've checked a link posted by one of them (the first) and some memories were brought back "win3x.org" or such - old win games, old machines, heh, I spent a nice time in those days... I was surprised to see people still having a forum around win3x, cough... but in french so... is not a go for me.

[sektor2111]

Last time a Bot spamming crap is happily subscribed but nobody bothers to remove that account - 5 Admins. Can I ask why ?

The fact is I could see members subscribed from 2008 and ZERO activity also claiming Web-Pages - I doubt to see all of them active. Do you need a vacuum cleaner ?
These should be deleted automatically with a plugin. 5-8 Years without activity = Account Removal. Why not ? For sure they are not remembering passwords and then will create another account charging the board without purpose.

[Chamberly]

Were the account got hacked during the breach? If so it may be a new one because the recent breach forced a password change I think.

[papercoffee]

Last time a Bot spamming crap is happily subscribed but nobody bothers to remove that account - 5 Admins. Can I ask why ?

Which account?

[sektor2111]

Still here ? Spammer ? You should see what was posting 2 days ago.

CheckOutThisSpammer.PNG

If this is a hacked account I don't think it should not be removed then, leaving this inside I don't find a good idea.

[Gustavo6046]

But the real question is - does Paper still have the keys to the bathroom? :V

[papercoffee]

But the real question is - does Paper still have the keys to the bathroom? :V

Yes.

And no I won't lend them to you... go use the guest bathroom.

@ALL
If you detect a spam-post, use the exclamation mark in the top right of that post to report this.
Thank you very much.

[sektor2111]

Already done but measures were not taken neither after two days. Said: "Already reported" but spammer was there even one week after.
Does it worth bothering then ? Also there are tens of ancient accounts without any posting. Why are still here ?

[papercoffee]

Also there are tens of ancient accounts without any posting. Why are still here ?

We doesn't delete accounts just because they are inactive.

But some of them which have 0 posts ...hm ...maybe worth a discussion.
I doubt that the account creator still knows that they have one here at our forum.

But that's off-topic.

[sektor2111]

Me one I don't see them as "off-topic", those accounts having the same "no use" as spammers = Gizmos type. After 12 years without any posting I doubt to see a future activity there. There are communities where accounts unused a long time are removed automatically - after sending an e-mail at user in order to see if user wants that account or... it might be even dead. But I think it's about "members" number for looking as a fancy place instead of a clean state.

[gargul2]

I agree, ghost accounts are like fake players in servers, they just artifically boost number of players / members.

[papercoffee]

There are communities where accounts unused a long time are removed automatically - after sending an e-mail at user in order to see if user wants that account or... it might be even dead.

So your suggestion is to mass-mail those maybe over 2000 people?
Like a spammer would do?

But I think it's about "members" number for looking as a fancy place instead of a clean state.

one should not conclude from oneself to others.

Maybe there is an add-on that could only count the active members.
We have to research.

[sektor2111]

Maybe you want to see what I see... or... how do I see things...

AnyHint.PNG

2008 ? When was that... 10 minutes ago ?
I'm not sure if in admin section there aren't many other options doable with a few clicks...

[Dr.Flay]

Considering I often see members resurfacing in forums with gaps of over 15-20 years, I do not think it is reasonable to delete accounts due to inactivity.
Spammers, we will happily get rid of.

Whether we have a clean slate or lots of dormant members does not affect anyone's ability to use this site, as this site is not a directory of people.
It also makes no difference to us if we have X amount of users. There is no Unreal site league or prize or glory for the most members.
Having more members does not make us appear higher in search results.
We do not publish or compare our site user numbers at any point.