Simplified Spambot Registration Process

[beltguy]

I have simplified the anti-spambot process in the hopes that the improved security of our upgraded platform will help catch fake registration applications.

This is only involves new membership registration applications. 

In the past with our old software, we would get a huge number of fake applications.  We have had almost no fake applications in the past few months.  Unfortunately, we made two changes that could have affected the low fake count.  First we changed the spambot question to a rather complicated format and about the same time we upgraded the software platform.  Both could have affected the results.  That said, my experience suggests it is the platform that has helped significantly.  As a test, I have changed the qualifying question to a much simpler format.  Time will tell if  we will need to go back to a more complicated question.

As background information, there are several methods of screening out fake (bot) applications.  One of the most popular today is what is called "reCAPCHA" where they ask you to click on the box that says "I am not a robot".  Seems simple enough, but it is very complex and relies of a huge Google database to detect the characteristics of the application information entry process.  On top of that, there is a significant of "back-end" on my part to make it operational for our site.

Most "experts" favor the "Q and A" process which we use today.  It is pretty simple to set up (and maintain) and can be very effective based on the question.  Over the past few months our question has been rather complicated and has "turned off" a few applicants.  We have used multiple questions that alternate for each application.  I have reduced that to one rather simple question. 

Jim

[rusty]

I was unable to get on the site for a  couple of days said I used wrong password to many time. I did enter the wrong password but I thought I only did it once or twice. Then when I answered the recapture thing it said it was wrong.  Your tweaking of the process must have made the computer feel sorry for me and let back on.
Thank you Jim for all you do to keep things going g around here
Wayne 

[beltguy]

Hi folks

Well it has been over two weeks since I simplified the registration spambot question.  I am absolutely blown away that we have not had one spam application.  With our very outdated software version, I would often get 10-20 fake applications per day!

I did a quick test application (took maybe 3 minutes) and it came through just fine.

Apparently, the updated platform has some sort of spam detection process that works in the background.

Jim