Access Blocker Support Thread
This is the support thread for the soon-to-be-published Access Blocker plugin. This drop-in plugin provides some captcha-like blocking of accesses to your store's contact_us, create_account and login pages' processing.
Unlike other captcha-type handling, Access Blocker works behind the scenes to determine whether the IP address, email-address and/or contact-us comments should result in an action (e.g. creating a contact-us message or creating an account) being blocked. The plugin can be configured to use the API provided by https://ipdata.co, which provides additional information associated with an IP address (like its country-of-origin and whether it's been previously reported as a threat).
The plugin has been validated on Zen Cart 1.5.5 and 1.5.6 variants, using the built-in notification points for the possibly-blocked pages. I've been using it on my website for the past couple of months, with a significant drop in spam.
I'll update this thread once I've posted the plugin to the Zen Cart plugins for review.
Re: Access Blocker Support Thread
Once reviewed, here's the plugin's Zen Cart download link: https://www.zen-cart.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=2237
You can get a sneak peek by downloading from the plugin's GitHub repository: https://github.com/lat9/access_block...ses/tag/v1.0.0
Re: Access Blocker Support Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
lat9
That was fast (thanks @swguy!); the plugin is now available for download from its Zen Cart download link.
Re: Access Blocker Support Thread
Will this plugin have any effect on site performance. I installed it and obtained a key. I am not sure though how to know if it is working or not. Is there a way to test it to see if it is actually working
Re: Access Blocker Support Thread
I figured it out
As an example I used https://api.ipdata.co?api-key=XXXXXXXXXXXXX taken from the signup email from ipdata.com.
Though I just installed it and click on my example url it has a count of 450 and rising.
Hmm sees a little too fast if that number is correct.
Re: Access Blocker Support Thread
Well i installed the plugin. 10 minutes later I get a spam email. As mentioned before i obtained the key. Does this module really block spam or is just a means gathering ip's.
I am having a hard time understanding how this plugin is supposed to work
Re: Access Blocker Support Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
chadlly2003
Well i installed the plugin. 10 minutes later I get a spam email. As mentioned before i obtained the key. Does this module really block spam or is just a means gathering ip's.
I am having a hard time understanding how this plugin is supposed to work
The plugin, using the ipdata.co information returned, will block known 'threats'. There are additional configuration settings where you can also block the access by country-code (as returned by ipdata.co), an ip-address range ... and more.
The approach I use for my installation of the plugin is, when I receive a rogue email, determine whether to totally block the access (via separate edit of the site's .htaccess file) or to simply block the contact-us/create-account/login pages' access by updating the plugin's configuration.
Re: Access Blocker Support Thread
I've just submitted v1.0.1 of Access Blocker for review and will post back when it's available for download.
This release contains changes associated with the following GitHub issues:
#1: Added missing license.
#3: Correct log, indicating the IP address that was denied.
#4: For site performance, only request the ipData information on pages being filtered.
#5: Modify configuration settings to use a textarea box (allows admins to see what's been previously entered).
Re: Access Blocker Support Thread
v1.0.1 is now available for download.
Re: Access Blocker Support Thread
Thanks for the plugin.
Just wondering if there would be a way to block by the Company name field, in account creation?
Eg. My 1000+ fake accounts all use 'google' as the company name.