Comment spam

I see several attempts every day to register and leave comment spam. I have blocked several IP blocks, like someuser@mail.ru, someuser@clubua.com, someuser@gawab.com, and several others.

They can not be registered because they forge a fraudulent address. They can not get the double opt-in activation email, so their accounts remain inoperable. Because I check each and every new member, if I get a 'No reverse DNS' or any of a number of other indicators -- RIPE.NET is a huge offender -- then I simply nuke and ban that user and his originating ISP. So far it hasn't affected anyone in the US, but I'm sure there are a large number of frustrated Ukrainians, Russians, North Koreans, Romanians, and Chinese who wasted their time signing up to register, only to be removed a couple of hours later.

Recently, I deleted 683 comment spam messages, (and almost that many bogus users) in one wild two day weekend orgy of spam commenting. I have been applying some simple rules, and blacklisting entire ISPs and national Top Level Domain IP blocks.

Should any legitimate Ukrainian or Russian seller of Viagra, Cialis, or other pharmaceuticals, natural breast or penis enhancements, offshore gambling, or travel and real estate bargains actually want to contribute something on the subject of sourdough, or baking, they can send me an email, easily obtainable in the users list, with particulars to include a legitimate email address, to ask to be allowed to register. Because I think the chances of that happening are something between slim and none, I'll just continue with incrementing my growing list of off-shore SPAM enabling ISP's

What set this rant off was what I found spidering the latest bogus registrant, and finding a website with this single line.

"<html><body><h1>It works!</h1></body></html> A bogus website using a forged and stolen IP address, from a block that is not assigned by IANAN. I guess it is time to add RIPE.net to my blacklist.

It's a good thing I have lots of time! Just keeping the bad guys out could be a full time job.