Bug #21806
closedPost-migration comment spam
0%
Description
I've heard from two users about an influx of spammy comments after the migration. See the email notifications they received below. I think we can work with these users case-by-case to change settings and better protect their sites, but I'm creating a ticket in case others get similar reports and in case this is indicative of a wider spam problem.
Regarding the first email, the admin of aapcappe.commons.gc.cuny.edu mentioned that they have no posts on their site, which probably why the comment is only on the Hello World post. Perhaps I could tell them to delate that post and make sure comments are disabled globally and they'll be ok. Let me know if they should try anything else.
In the second email, the admin of newsliteracymatters.com which points to newsliteracymatters.commons.gc.cuny.edu just made me an admin too so I'm looking under the hood. They had many posts, comments enabled and being published by default, so that's low-hanging fruit to address this. I've already changed the setting so comments must be approved by a moderator. I can work with them to delete comments, see if they want to disable comments entirely on all/certain posts, etc. but didn't want to change anything more before reporting here.
FIRST EMAIL
From: The Audio-Aligned and Parsed Corpus of Appalachian English (AAPCAppE) <cuny-academic-commons@gc.cuny.edu>
Sent: Sunday, January 19, 2025 8:53 AM
To: Christina Tortora <christina.tortora@csi.cuny.edu>
Subject: [The Audio-Aligned and Parsed Corpus of Appalachian English (AAPCAppE)] Please moderate: "Hello world!"
A new comment on the post "Hello world!" is waiting for your approval
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://aapcappe.commons.gc.cuny.edu/2017/03/09/hello-world/__;!!Jg5O23S-og4!7AdE7ZjqNOmTNdeEjIc1P-4aorgxSOjRf5yw-8U7bfsWJsYh3VGR2iUCMtmW8_EAxBHOOrS6PgYFvVI4JEeEb2mXjM3IfteExocIcVrWDg$
Author: 100 USDT (IP address: 106.127.142.21, 106.127.142.21)
Email: 75604372@outlook.com
URL: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.binance.info/en-IN/register?ref=UM6SMJM3__;!!Jg5O23S-og4!7AdE7ZjqNOmTNdeEjIc1P-4aorgxSOjRf5yw-8U7bfsWJsYh3VGR2iUCMtmW8_EAxBHOOrS6PgYFvVI4JEeEb2mXjM3IfteExoee7QOzfg$
Comment:
Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?
Approve it: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://aapcappe.commons.gc.cuny.edu/wp-admin/comment.php?action=approve&c=1011*wpbody-content__;Iw!!Jg5O23S-og4!7AdE7ZjqNOmTNdeEjIc1P-4aorgxSOjRf5yw-8U7bfsWJsYh3VGR2iUCMtmW8_EAxBHOOrS6PgYFvVI4JEeEb2mXjM3IfteExofrlhQG5Q$
Trash it: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://aapcappe.commons.gc.cuny.edu/wp-admin/comment.php?action=trash&c=1011*wpbody-content__;Iw!!Jg5O23S-og4!7AdE7ZjqNOmTNdeEjIc1P-4aorgxSOjRf5yw-8U7bfsWJsYh3VGR2iUCMtmW8_EAxBHOOrS6PgYFvVI4JEeEb2mXjM3IfteExoe6yXfU8Q$
Spam it: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://aapcappe.commons.gc.cuny.edu/wp-admin/comment.php?action=spam&c=1011*wpbody-content__;Iw!!Jg5O23S-og4!7AdE7ZjqNOmTNdeEjIc1P-4aorgxSOjRf5yw-8U7bfsWJsYh3VGR2iUCMtmW8_EAxBHOOrS6PgYFvVI4JEeEb2mXjM3IfteExoeLBHJkpQ$
Currently 3 comments are waiting for approval. Please visit the moderation panel:
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://aapcappe.commons.gc.cuny.edu/wp-admin/edit-comments.php?comment_status=moderated*wpbody-content__;Iw!!Jg5O23S-og4!7AdE7ZjqNOmTNdeEjIc1P-4aorgxSOjRf5yw-8U7bfsWJsYh3VGR2iUCMtmW8_EAxBHOOrS6PgYFvVI4JEeEb2mXjM3IfteExocvLgDjZQ$
SECOND EMAIL
From: News Literacy Matters <cuny-academic-commons@gc.cuny.edu>
Subject: [News Literacy Matters] Please moderate: "Q: Can undercover reporters lie to uncover the truth?"
Date: January 19, 2025 at 8:29:38 AM EST
To: sissel.mccarthy@hunter.cuny.edu
A new comment on the post "Q: Can undercover reporters lie to uncover the truth?" is waiting for your approval
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://newsliteracymatters.com/2019/10/03/undercover-reporters-ethics-legal/__;!!LAh5qUgpm5Y!CvDQ6Da8imKth0OU7xEvABSfy4lgEjflG-ou_kExn1a0ChGkYCDTYmaZzJg4k5_urPFDqSmEuTXH1AU1d8G4WUzt6YOcoJksaSv6LPT-HcY$
Author: Gerardken (IP address: 91.142.73.116, host-91-142-73-116.hosted-by-vdsina.ru)
Email: dzhavgorat-tashdemirov1981@mail.ru
URL: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://vantire.ru/index.php?route=product*product*product_print&pid=16613__;Ly8!!LAh5qUgpm5Y!CvDQ6Da8imKth0OU7xEvABSfy4lgEjflG-ou_kExn1a0ChGkYCDTYmaZzJg4k5_urPFDqSmEuTXH1AU1d8G4WUzt6YOcoJksaSv6qCvIfgk$
Comment:
Сварочное оборудование https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://vantire.ru/index.php?route=product*product*product_print&pid=26116__;Ly8!!LAh5qUgpm5Y!CvDQ6Da8imKth0OU7xEvABSfy4lgEjflG-ou_kExn1a0ChGkYCDTYmaZzJg4k5_urPFDqSmEuTXH1AU1d8G4WUzt6YOcoJksaSv6bIebI30$
Оборудование для кузовного ремонта https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://vantire.ru/podemnoe-oborudovanie/podemniki/nognichnyj-podaemnik/zapchasti_koplekt/nordberg-zapchast-prokladka-koltsevaya-d35-205-dlya-n634-45.html__;!!LAh5qUgpm5Y!CvDQ6Da8imKth0OU7xEvABSfy4lgEjflG-ou_kExn1a0ChGkYCDTYmaZzJg4k5_urPFDqSmEuTXH1AU1d8G4WUzt6YOcoJksaSv6FJ-wk-8$
На страницах нашего сайта можно приобрести оборудование, обладающее улучшенными характеристиками: не поддается воздействию воды, разнообразных химических масел и жидкостей, поэтому обеспечивает безопасность мастерам и механикам https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://vantire.ru/instrument/instrument-obschego-naznacheniya/hranenie-instrumentov/dergatel-metchikov-i-plashek-iz-nabora-jtc-5214-jtc.html__;!!LAh5qUgpm5Y!CvDQ6Da8imKth0OU7xEvABSfy4lgEjflG-ou_kExn1a0ChGkYCDTYmaZzJg4k5_urPFDqSmEuTXH1AU1d8G4WUzt6YOcoJksaSv6v9iZvLE$
Выбирайте функциональное оборудование на любой вкус и кошелек, мы гарантируем, что наша продукция выдерживает продолжительные регулярные нагрузки, поэтому приобретенное оборудование для автосервиса будет служить вам бесперебойно длительное время https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://vantire.ru/index.php?route=product*product*product_print&pid=34380__;Ly8!!LAh5qUgpm5Y!CvDQ6Da8imKth0OU7xEvABSfy4lgEjflG-ou_kExn1a0ChGkYCDTYmaZzJg4k5_urPFDqSmEuTXH1AU1d8G4WUzt6YOcoJksaSv61EJ3O74$
Новосибирская область, г https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://vantire.ru/podemnoe-oborudovanie/domkraty/domkraty-pnevmogidravlicheskie/zapchasti-i-aksessuary-dlya-pnevmogidravlicheskih-domkratov/shlang-30-sm-dlya-n33802n33601n33502.html__;!!LAh5qUgpm5Y!CvDQ6Da8imKth0OU7xEvABSfy4lgEjflG-ou_kExn1a0ChGkYCDTYmaZzJg4k5_urPFDqSmEuTXH1AU1d8G4WUzt6YOcoJksaSv6O8ueB9Y$
Новосибирск, Толмачёвская ул https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://vantire.ru/index.php?route=product*product*product_print&pid=35353__;Ly8!!LAh5qUgpm5Y!CvDQ6Da8imKth0OU7xEvABSfy4lgEjflG-ou_kExn1a0ChGkYCDTYmaZzJg4k5_urPFDqSmEuTXH1AU1d8G4WUzt6YOcoJksaSv6-xcxnGA$
, 17/3 https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://vantire.ru/instrument/klyuchi/klyuchi-nakidnye/klyuch-nakidnoj-11h13mm-12-ti-grannyj-s-obraznyj-l164mm-jtc.html__;!!LAh5qUgpm5Y!CvDQ6Da8imKth0OU7xEvABSfy4lgEjflG-ou_kExn1a0ChGkYCDTYmaZzJg4k5_urPFDqSmEuTXH1AU1d8G4WUzt6YOcoJksaSv6eb1gChg$
Пришлем КП с гарантией лучшей цены в течение 10 минут https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://vantire.ru/instrument/tortsevye-golovki-i-prinadlezhnosti/nabor-golovok-tortsevyh-i-nasadok-14-6-ti-grannyh-532-12t20-t40-23-predmeta-v-kejse-jtc.html__;!!LAh5qUgpm5Y!CvDQ6Da8imKth0OU7xEvABSfy4lgEjflG-ou_kExn1a0ChGkYCDTYmaZzJg4k5_urPFDqSmEuTXH1AU1d8G4WUzt6YOcoJksaSv6aqLjkoM$
Approve it: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://newsliteracymatters.com/wp-admin/comment.php?action=approve&c=12739*wpbody-content__;Iw!!LAh5qUgpm5Y!CvDQ6Da8imKth0OU7xEvABSfy4lgEjflG-ou_kExn1a0ChGkYCDTYmaZzJg4k5_urPFDqSmEuTXH1AU1d8G4WUzt6YOcoJksaSv6seEuzgc$
Trash it: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://newsliteracymatters.com/wp-admin/comment.php?action=trash&c=12739*wpbody-content__;Iw!!LAh5qUgpm5Y!CvDQ6Da8imKth0OU7xEvABSfy4lgEjflG-ou_kExn1a0ChGkYCDTYmaZzJg4k5_urPFDqSmEuTXH1AU1d8G4WUzt6YOcoJksaSv6sWyKQp8$
Spam it: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://newsliteracymatters.com/wp-admin/comment.php?action=spam&c=12739*wpbody-content__;Iw!!LAh5qUgpm5Y!CvDQ6Da8imKth0OU7xEvABSfy4lgEjflG-ou_kExn1a0ChGkYCDTYmaZzJg4k5_urPFDqSmEuTXH1AU1d8G4WUzt6YOcoJksaSv60igK_mY$
Currently 16 comments are waiting for approval. Please visit the moderation panel:
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://newsliteracymatters.com/wp-admin/edit-comments.php?comment_status=moderated*wpbody-content__;Iw!!LAh5qUgpm5Y!CvDQ6Da8imKth0OU7xEvABSfy4lgEjflG-ou_kExn1a0ChGkYCDTYmaZzJg4k5_urPFDqSmEuTXH1AU1d8G4WUzt6YOcoJksaSv6LoCnhaQ$
Updated by Boone Gorges about 2 months ago
Thanks for sharing this.
I also saw some spam come through this weekend. I realized sometime - sometime Sunday, perhaps? - that the API key necessary for integrating with Akismet had not been transferred over to Reclaim. After I corrected that error, I didn't see any further spam. In the reports you've received, have you seen anything later than Sunday morning? I think/hope that the reports you've received are the same thing - spam that arrived before Akismet was properly configured. if that seems right, I guess I'd suggest you say something along those lines to the reporters: We had a brief period during migration where our spam-filtering system wasn't fully set up, and we expect that the problem won't recur now that we've fixed the problem on our end - and then we ask them to keep us informed. Does all this sound plausible and reasonable?
Updated by Colin McDonald about 2 months ago
I will check with the AAPCAppE user, but for the News Literacy Matters user, it does seem like they had a spam barrage from midnight Sunday to 8:30am Sunday that then ended abruptly, so the Akismet configuration makes sense, and I can let them know about that. Any reason to leave the comments around, or can I work with them to clean everything up?
And just while we're talking about it, sorry if I've forgotten, but we basically have a global Akismet configuration, and it's protecting every site by default? I noticed it isn't a plugin that one can activate.
Updated by Boone Gorges about 2 months ago
The comments can be safely spammed/deleted.
Yes, we have a global config.
Updated by Boone Gorges about 1 month ago
Have we heard more reports of this? I haven't seen any more myself, which suggests that my explanation about the temporary config issue is accurate.
Updated by Colin McDonald about 1 month ago
- Status changed from New to Resolved
I haven't noticed anything or seen further user reports. It must have been the config issue with Akismet. Marking this as resolved.