Access Blocker Support Thread

Philibel:

FYI for EU-based webshop:

find in .../includes/classes/ipData.php on line 24:

    curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, "https://api.ipdata.co/" . $ip_address . $api_key);

> 
> and replace by:
> 
> ```php
        curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, "https://eu-api.ipdata.co/" . $ip_address . $api_key);

This way you aren't in violation with EU rules about privacy.
Thanks for that, @Philibel. I'll get an update going where you'll be able to specify which of the ipdata.co endpoints you want to use for your store.

GitHub tracking issue: https://github.com/lat9/access_blocker/issues/12

lat9:

I'm seeing logs from January and February. Maybe you've scared them all off.:smile:

Following up to this. I just got shown the answer by a developer that is helping me with my site.

FTP you might not see the logs because the server limits how many files in a directory can be shown.
But if you look at the logs folder with cPanel's file manager you can see them.

The logs that I thought were missing in FTP were indeed visible in Cpanel and were being created each month the whole time.

angst:

Following up to this. I just got shown the answer by a developer that is helping me with my site.

FTP you might not see the logs because the server limits how many files in a directory can be shown.
But if you look at the logs folder with cPanel's file manager you can see them.

The logs that I thought were missing in FTP were indeed visible in Cpanel and were being created each month the whole time.
If you've got that many logs in the /logs directory, you might want to also consider the*** Log Manager*** (https://www.zen-cart.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=2123). Although if there are that many log-files present, there are some serious issues going on!

Access Blocker v1.5.0 is now available from the Zen Cart downloads (https://www.zen-cart.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=2237).

This release contains changes associated with the following GitHub issues:

#12: Added a configuration setting to enable the use of the EU-based endpoint.
#13: Added a configuration setting to force accesses after a threat was detected to an HTTP 410 (Gone) response.
#14: Use zen_cfg_read_only as the setting function for the plugin's version.

Documentation suggestion: If might make sense if you're using Access Blocker to turn off Admin > Modules > Payment > PayPal Express Checkout > Express Checkout Shortcut Button.

swguy:

Documentation suggestion: If might make sense if you're using Access Blocker to turn off Admin > Modules > Payment > PayPal Express Checkout > Express Checkout Shortcut Button.
Why is that?

Bad guys could use it to buy things without logging in (and getting blocked by access blocker).

Hi
Can I use this plugin to 1.5.4
One of my client wanted to use it on this version.
Pls advise.
Thanks
Balaji

Balaji:

Hi
Can I use this plugin to 1.5.4
One of my client wanted to use it on this version.
Pls advise.
Thanks
Balaji
While I don't *think *that the plugin would cause issues on Zen Cart 1.5.4, it might not provide all the features desired since many of the notifications that are used were not introduced until the 1.5.6 (or later) Zen Cart base.

I'm also unsure regarding its operation on the version of PHP in use, as I'm guessing that it's at most PHP 5.6 ... which I've not tested with.

lat9:

While I don't *think *that the plugin would cause issues on Zen Cart 1.5.4, it might not provide all the features desired since many of the notifications that are used were not introduced until the 1.5.6 (or later) Zen Cart base.

I'm also unsure regarding its operation on the version of PHP in use, as I'm guessing that it's at most PHP 5.6 ... which I've not tested with.

please do not help this deadbeat.

Balaji:

Hi
Can I use this plugin to 1.5.4
One of my client wanted to use it on this version.
Pls advise.
Thanks
Balaji

pay your bill.

zc158;PHP8.1
Access blocker is almost like a miracle cure by keeping all the p-o-r-n pedlars etc out. Use of the Contact Us pages are logged when a user is blocked.
In the filters I have included tor servers and tor exits etc.

Is it possible to also log when the Create Account and the Login pages are blocked. This would allow identification of 'real' potential customers who are using anonymous VPNs (eg Avast) which use the tor network.

OldNGrey:

zc158;PHP8.1
Access blocker is almost like a miracle cure by keeping all the p-o-r-n pedlars etc out. Use of the Contact Us pages are logged when a user is blocked.
In the filters I have included tor servers and tor exits etc.

Is it possible to also log when the Create Account and the Login pages are blocked. This would allow identification of 'real' potential customers who are using anonymous VPNs (eg Avast) which use the tor network.
On every path that the Access Blocker observer takes when it detects that an access is blocked (for whatever reason), the blocking condition is logged.

lat9:

On every path that the Access Blocker observer takes when it detects that an access is blocked (for whatever reason), the blocking condition is logged.

Whoops! Sorry, you are correct of course, my mistake. I missed the one valid customer on a VPN trying to create an account, among all the other blocked entries.

v1.5.1 of the Access Blocker is now available for download: https://www.zen-cart.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=2237.

This release contains changes associated with the following GitHub issues:

#15: Ensure that all class properties are predefined, required for PHP 8.2.
#16: Account for "rolling" session IP addresses.
#17: organization property no longer returned, now in company->name and/or asn->name.

v1.5.2 of Access Blocker is now available for download: https://www.zen-cart.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=2237.

This release contains corrections associated with the following GitHub issues:

#19: Don't send ipdata.co requests for internal IP addresses.
#20: Add commentary to blocked_accesses.php, identifying its purpose and how to use.
#21: Don't block cron-jobs when Totally restrict access on threats is active.
#22: Enable whitelisted IP addresses to regain access after having been found to be a threat.

Thanks lat9! Have a guess as to what kind of percentage reduction on hits to ipdata.co this made? If its significant I may need to try this again.

gothstone:

Thanks lat9! Have a guess as to what kind of percentage reduction on hits to ipdata.co this made? If its significant I may need to try this again.
No clue as to the percentage reduction.

Curious, when I get anon emails like the one below, is it a good practice to add the IP (24.186.216.227) to the blocker or is it possible the IP is spoofed and I could be blocking potential customers?

From: Augustntq
Mail: ataylorrubottom######################
Telephone: 86377851622

---

secular brotherhoods of scribes.

---

Office Use Only:
From: Augustntq
Mail: ataylorrubottom######################
Login Name: Not logged in
Login Email: Not logged in
Telephone: Not logged in
IP Address: 24.186.216.227 - 24.186.216.227
Host Address: ool-18bad8e3.dyn.optonline.net
Date and Time: Wed Sep 18 2024 17:41:40 UTC

If you're uncertain about the IP address, you could always add more keywords to the contact-us blocking setting.

ZC158a PHP8.2.20 Access Blocker 1.52 (AB) in production
The access blocker plugin was working perfectly with the last entry being on 28 Oct 3:57AM GMT. Since then it has stopped blocking.
I have the same code running on zc158a in test on my inhouse test machine and it is good. The same is running on zc210 test with PHP8.3.4 and AbuseIPDB with results as expected.
I have deleted all relevant AB files from my production server and uploaded fresh files from the latest GitHub version. Deleted all message keywords, email addresses and started from the beginning but it still is not working.

Would you have any insight of where else to start looking?