New Spam Tool: Email Domain & IP Banning at Sign-Up

[Eric Suesz]

We're no fan of spam at Ning. We know it can be an annoyance, especially for Ning Creators who choose not to moderate membership. While we can't solve for every type of spam attack, we have put in place a number of spam tools in the last two years that can make a difference. If you haven't turned all of those on yet, we encourage you to take a minute to make sure you're Preventing Spam in the best ways you can.

Today, we're releasing another spam tool that allows Ning Plus and Pro to perform both email domain and IP banning. 

IP banning is a request we've had over time from people here on Creators, so we are sure that a few folks who've wanted to see this will be happy that it's now available. The feature is fairly straightforward, and it's entirely optional. You'll see a new column in Member Management for IP addresses, and you'll see the option to block in the Sign-up/Sign-in area.

Block IP addresses at sign-up

You can prevent anyone coming from a specific IP address from signing up for your site. Just enter the IP address you want to block, and no one will be able to sign up from that IP address.

Block email domains at sign-up

Similarly, you can choose email domains that you want to block from signing up for your community. If you see spam coming from an email domain like [e-mail], you can block all sign-ups that come from the @sharklasers.com domain.

Of course, these are powerful tools, so we recommend using them carefully and thoughtfully. If you ban an IP that hundreds of thousands of people potentially use, you cut off access to thousands of potential members.

• These options are only available to the Network Creator; not admins.
• You can remove the bans you put in place at any time.
• If someone is unable to sign in because of these blocks, they will see a specific message. The specific message is located in the Language Editor and can be customized.
• If someone is unable to sign in, they can still contact you, provided you have not turned off that option. That option is located in your own personal Email Settings area (Feedback and problem reports).
• The reports you receive from members having trouble includes the email and IP address, as well as whether either is blocked.

One other thing to note about this feature is that you may see that an IP record is "unavailable" in your listings. In most cases, this will be because the member joined before we were able to capture their IP address (i.e., before this tool was turned on a few weeks ago).

Want to know where an IP is geographically located? Look it up on InfoSniper

You can read all about how to Block an Email Domain or IP Address from Signing Up in the Help Center.

[mobile.ning.com]

Good Tool. Thanks.

[mobile.ning.com]

Eric. It would be a very good piece of info, if the IP of a New Members comes in the email the system generates. Doing so will alert you immediately of where the request is coming. In my case, I would include into my procedure IP verification if my my regular Google check up as well as the Rapportive Check fails.

"You have a new member to approve on"

[mobile.ning.com]

You have a new member to approve on Mobile Recruiting ✔

Name: xxxxxxx
Email: [e-mail]

IP: ?????????????????????????????

[Eric Suesz]

I will suggest it, but I don't think the product team will add it. How would you have any context for that string of numbers to really use that data? 

[mobile.ning.com]

Eric. Seeing the IP in the email will just allow anyone to recognize a potential scammer or at least get familiar with the IP's. 

As one audit the IP's of the Block spammers one will develop a sense of the numbers or a pattern. 

Having the IP will allow you to investigate even without going to admin page.

Let see if others find a need for this. Otherwise maybe an isolated need.

Thanks for droping me this note.

Regards, Justino Mora

[Eric Suesz]

But, how would you know 10.123.12.122 from 10.643.21.988? It's just a string of numbers, similar to phone numbers, but without even something as organizationally helpful as zip codes. 

[mobile.ning.com]

I will use http://www.infosniper.net/

The point is that I can take that action directly from my gmail without going to  the Members Management Page. That will save me a few seconds and some clicks.

[Apostle Solael]

I was going to try infosniper, but when I added the code to my website, it just had my IP address.  Therefore, how does it exactly work, for me to see the IP address of all who visit, peek, or are members of?

Also, CloudFlare is excellent as well, in which it tells you exactly who is a threat, who is known to spam other websites, and who is not able to pass the captcha.

Example of what they show me in my dashboard on a daily basis:

Alerts

Show all

With any status

Visiting any zone

• • block
  • trust
  • dismiss
  UNIDENTIFIED THREAT

  0
  Thu Nov 15 2012
  IP: 173.252.110.112
  CHALLENGED
• • block
  • trust
  • dismiss
  WEB SPAMMER

  29
  Wed Nov 14 2012
  IP: 111.73.45.185
  CHALLENGED
• • block
  • trust
  • dismiss
  WEB SPAMMER

  37
  Wed Nov 14 2012
  IP: 216.244.65.109
  CHALLENGED
• • block
  • trust
  • dismiss
  WEB SPAMMER

  40
  Tue Nov 13 2012
  IP: 222.186.128.18
  CHALLENGED
• • block
  • trust
  • dismiss
  WEB SPAMMER

  41
  Tue Nov 13 2012
  IP: 112.101.64.221
  CHALLENGED
• • block
  • trust
  • dismiss
  UNIDENTIFIED THREAT

  0
  Tue Nov 13 2012
  IP: 173.252.101.113
  CHALLENGED
• • block
  • trust
  • dismiss
  UNIDENTIFIED THREAT

  1
  Tue Nov 13 2012
  IP: 157.56.229.189
  CHALLENGED
• • block
  • trust
  • dismiss
  WEB SPAMMER

  38
  Tue Nov 13 2012
  IP: 91.237.249.65
  CHALLENGED
• • block
  • trust
  • dismiss
  UNIDENTIFIED THREAT

  1
  Tue Nov 13 2012
  IP: 173.252.101.117
  CHALLENGED
• • block
  • trust
  • dismiss
  WEB SPAMMER

  49
  Tue Nov 13 2012
  IP: 125.216.144.199
  CHALLENGED
• • block
  • trust
  • dismiss
  WEB SPAMMER

  23
  Mon Nov 12 2012
  IP: 198.143.160.94
  CHALLENGED
• • block
  • trust
  • dismiss
  WEB SPAMMER

  35
  Mon Nov 12 2012
  IP: 91.201.64.24
  CHALLENGED
• • block
  • trust
  • dismiss
  UNIDENTIFIED THREAT

  0
  Mon Nov 12 2012
  IP: 1.202.218.21
  CHALLENGED
• • block
  • trust
  • dismiss
  WEB SPAMMER

  44
  Mon Nov 12 2012
  IP: 91.236.74.2
  CHALLENGED
• • block
  • trust
  • dismiss
  WEB SPAMMER

  50
  Mon Nov 12 2012
  IP: 199.15.234.3
  CHALLENGED
• • block
  • trust
  • dismiss
  WEB SPAMMER

  51
  Mon Nov 12 2012
  IP: 208.115.111.69
  CHALLENGED
• • block
  • trust
  • dismiss
  UNIDENTIFIED THREAT

  1
  Mon Nov 12 2012
  IP: 198.15.113.106
  CHALLENGED
• • block
  • trust
  • dismiss
  WEB SPAMMER

  20
  Mon Nov 12 2012
  IP: 117.26.225.179
  CHALLENGED
• • block
  • trust
  • dismiss
  UNIDENTIFIED THREAT

  1
  Mon Nov 12 2012
  IP: 38.101.148.120
  CHALLENGED

• LOAD MORE

[mobile.ning.com]

https://www.arin.net/

[mobile.ning.com]

http://lanic.utexas.edu/

[Josh Hall]

A domain block list -

@muchomail.com
@spamherelots.com
@lavabit.com
@hushmail.com
@gawab.com
@techemail.com
@yopmail.com
@fastmail.fm
@mail2world.com
@notmailinator.com
@sogetthis.com
@suremail.info
@mailinator2.com
@sendspamhere.com
@spamhereplease.com
@mailinator.com
@dayrep.com
@teleworm.us
@guerrillamail.de
@guerrillamail.org
@guerrillamail.biz
@guerrillamail.net
@guerrillamail.com
@guerrillamailblock.com
@sharklasers.com

[mobile.ning.com]

FastMail.fm belongs to Opera. You may end up blocking  some potential users.