Author: Alexander

  • How Spam Activity Changes Over Time — and Why It’s Not Related to License Expiration

    How Spam Activity Changes Over Time — and Why It’s Not Related to License Expiration

    From time to time, website owners report a sudden increase in spam activity and try to link it to plugin settings, hosting, or license status.
    However, these assumptions often overlook how dynamic spam behavior truly is.
    To illustrate this, I conducted a small study analyzing spam distribution over time using data from several of our WordPress sites.

    First, I’ll look at data for three of our WordPress sites, which host our themed blogs. The statistics are for the year.

    1. Our blog, ClanTalk Anti-Spam and Security https://blog.cleantalk.org/

    The screenshot shows the statistics for the year.
    As you can see from the graph, the number of spam attacks isn’t linear, but fluctuates from month to month. Only since August has there been any stability, and the number of spam attacks has been more or less consistent.

    All time 10 979 spam blocked 10 21 2025 11 17 AM
    All time 10 979 spam blocked 10 21 2025 11 17 AM

    2. Our blog, research.cleantalk.org


    The graph shows an increase in spam attacks at the beginning of the year, followed by a decline to almost zero. However, in May, there is a peak in spam attacks, followed by a sharp decline. Subsequently, there is a slight increase in spam attacks.

    3. Our blog, blog.doboard.com


    The blog was launched recently, and from the very beginning, it was clear that the number of spam attacks was high, but after some time, there was a decrease.

    4. Personal WordPress Test Site


    The following graph shows statistics for my personal WordPress site, which I use for testing.
    The graph shows a steady increase, peaking in May and then declining.

    All time 19 510 spam blocked 10 21 2025 11 19 AM
    All time 19 510 spam blocked 10 21 2025 11 19 AM

    What Does This Tell Us?

    Based on this data, I can draw the following conclusions:
    the number of spam attacks does not show any trend, other than a possible seasonal factor.


    The number of spam attacks may not be linear from month to month or even from day to day. At some points, there may be more, at others, fewer. A low-traffic site like my test site can receive a much higher number of spam attacks than a site with more traffic, a larger number of articles, and a higher search engine ranking.

    What I did next?

    Now let’s talk about how a user can evaluate the difference between the amount of spam a client sees while using an anti-spam service and when the license expires.

    First, as you can see on our new site, the number of spam attacks increases as it gets added to spam lists.

    Second, when a client installs the CleanTalk Anti-Spam plugin, we have the SpamFireWall option. This option blocks spammers before they reach the site.

    CleanTalk Anti Spam Dashboard 10 21 2025 11 20 AM
    CleanTalk Anti Spam Dashboard 10 21 2025 11 20 AM

    As you can see from this table, we currently receive 12-14 spam attacks per day. These requests can be found, for example, in the spam folder on their site. On average, there were 57 spam attacks per week, and SpamFireWall (SFW) blocked another 350.

    Then, I disabled SFW, and the number of spam attacks reaching the website form immediately increased to 120 on average. So, we see that when using SFW, 50% of spam attacks reach the website and forms, and the remaining spam attacks were stopped by SFW and simply didn’t reach the website.

    Therefore, when assessing the amount of spam, we must also take into account the portion of SFW traffic that simply didn’t reach the website forms. You can track statistics for your sites in the Trends section of the ClanTalk Dashboard.

    To summarize

    The number of spam attacks is not constant and can be higher or lower. Also, when using SFW, you only see a portion of the spam reaching the forms on your website. Having or not having a CleanTalk license doesn’t affect the number of spam attacks.

  • A critical vulnerability in WP Statistics threatens over 600,000 websites: CleanTalk Research team discovers complete admin panel takeover method

    A critical vulnerability in WP Statistics threatens over 600,000 websites: CleanTalk Research team discovers complete admin panel takeover method

    The CleanTalk Research team has identified a critical vulnerability in the popular WP Statistics plugin (versions up to and including 14.15.3), which is installed on over 600,000 WordPress websites. The vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to perform Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), leading to administrative session hijacking, admin panel compromise, and potential code execution on the underlying server OS.

    This Unauthenticated Stored XSS vulnerability operates through the HTTP User-Agent header. Attackers can execute arbitrary JavaScript in the WordPress admin panel, enabling them to steal session tokens and nonces, escalate privileges, create administrator accounts, and potentially expand access to the operating system if additional attack vectors are available. Most critically, no authentication is required—a single HTTP request is sufficient, making mass automated exploitation trivial.

    The WP Statistics development team has released a security update addressing this vulnerability. Website administrators are strongly urged to update WP Statistics to the latest version immediately.

    The CleanTalk Research team specializes in identifying and responsibly disclosing vulnerabilities in popular WordPress plugins and themes. We continue to actively audit plugins and publish technical reports on newly discovered vulnerabilities.

    Stay informed:
    📝 Research Blog: https://research.cleantalk.org/ 
    📱 Telegram Channel: https://t.me/cleantalk_researches/326 


    REFERENCES
    https://research.cleantalk.org/cve-2025-9816/ 
    https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-9816 
    https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/wordpress-plugins/wp-statistics/ 
    https://www.first.org/cvss/calculator/3-1#CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N 

    CleanTalk Security Plugin automatically scans your plugins for known vulnerabilities. The plugin monitors the versions of all your installed plugins and themes and immediately alerts you if a vulnerability is detected in one. As soon as a problem is detected (like with WP Statistics), you receive a notification.

  • Our Client’s Review: WP Guru

    Our Client’s Review: WP Guru

    We love sharing feedback from our users — and today’s story comes from Robin from WP Guru.

    CleanTalk has been a lifesaver for my client’s website on countless occasions. As someone managing SEO-driven lead generation sites and WooCommerce stores, having a reliable solution to combat spam has been an essential part of the development process.

    CleanTalk has not only helped me block spam comments and leads, but it has also been instrumental in preventing bots from creating fake orders. This has saved both me and my clients a significant amount of time and hassle.

    We’d like to thank Robin and WP Guru for trusting CleanTalk to protect their projects and sharing their experience with the community.

  • Apology for Duplicate Security Report Emails on October 2

    Apology for Duplicate Security Report Emails on October 2

    On October 2, a technical error caused our system to send duplicate copies of the Security Report email to some users of our Security Service for Websites.


    In a few cases, the same report was sent multiple times.

    3668 Security Issues Have Been Blocked
    3668 Security Issues Have Been Blocked

    We identified and fixed the issue within a few hours, but unfortunately, the duplicate emails had already been delivered.

    We sincerely apologize for this inconvenience and appreciate your understanding.


    Our team has implemented additional safeguards to ensure this does not happen again.

    — CleanTalk Team

  • Spam Bot ir**************@***il.com — How to Block It and Stop Website Attacks

    Spam Bot ir**************@***il.com — How to Block It and Stop Website Attacks

    The email address **************@***il.com“>ir**************@***il.com has been reported for sending spam and launching automated malicious requests on thousands of websites.

    • According to CleanTalk BlackLists, this address has:
    • Attacked over 10,000 websites
    • Generated approximately 6,420 spam requests every day
    • Used multiple IP addresses from Russia
    • First detected on July 2, 2025
    • Last activity recorded: September 18, 2025

    This bot attempts to exploit website forms — both contact forms and comment sections, using automated messages that appear to inquire about pricing but are actually spam attempts.


    Common Spam Messages Used:
    The bot sends messages in multiple languages, pretending to ask for pricing information:

    • “Hi, roeddwn i eisiau gwybod eich pris.” (Welsh — I wanted to know your price)
    • “Hi, მინდოდა ვიცოდე თქვენი ფასი.” (Georgian — I wanted to know your price)
    • “Ola, quería saber o seu prezo.” (Galician — I wanted to know your price)
    • “Hi, i write about price for reseller”

    These phrases are repeated across multiple websites, and the messages appear to be legitimate business inquiries, but they are part of an automated spam campaign targeting contact forms on thousands of websites.

    Here is a snapshot from CleanTalk’s logs:
    “535 requests per hour detected from multiple Russian IP addresses. All actions associated with spam form submissions and bot-like behavior using fake pricing inquiry messages.”

    irinademenkova86 gmail com Email spam report 09 18 2025 10 14 AM
    irinademenkova86 gmail com Email spam report 09 18 2025 10 14 AM

    How to Block Spam from irinademenkova86@attacker

    If you’re seeing traffic or spam submissions from this email, here’s how to stop it:

    1. Use CleanTalk Anti-Spam Plugin
      Install the CleanTalk Anti-Spam plugin for your CMS (WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, etc.). It automatically filters requests by checking emails, IPs, and behavior against the global CleanTalk Spam Database.
      This email is already blacklisted and will be blocked automatically by the plugin.

    2. Use CleanTalk BlockLists or Manually Block Spam Sources

    • Add ir**************@***il.com to your site’s manual blocklist.
    • Block IP addresses commonly used in attacks (CleanTalk logs show many from Russian IP ranges).
    • Use the CleanTalk IP/Email BlockLists Database, which includes up-to-date records of known spam email addresses and IPs. This database is updated hourly and you can integrate into your website or server for spam filtering.

    **************@***il.com“>ir**************@***il.com is a known spammer attacking thousands of sites daily with fake pricing inquiries. By installing proper anti-spam protection like CleanTalk and staying vigilant, you can block these threats before they reach your contact forms or comment sections.


    If you’re already using CleanTalk, rest assured — this spammer is on the blacklist and will be filtered automatically.


    You can check any email or IP for spam activity on our BlockLists page.

    🧩 Want full protection?

    ✅ Blocks fake registrations and spam submissions
    ✅ Filters bots and fake emails in real time
    ✅ No CAPTCHAs or puzzles – clean and fast

    Stay ahead of spam – let CleanTalk handle the bots so you can focus on your content. Protect your site in under 5 minutes.
    👉 Start now

  • Client Review: Climate Change Dispatch

    Client Review: Climate Change Dispatch

    We are happy to share feedback from one of our clients — Thomas, the owner of climatechangedispatch.com

    Great support, even better spam killer

    I was using Akismet for WordPress for years until I found Cleantalk. I got an email from Automaticc, which owns Akismet and Jetpack, stating that because I had some ads on my site, I had to pay a ridiculous amount of money. They gave me 30 days. I switched to Cleantalk as it was cheaper, and the difference was amazing.
    Not only did it catch spam, but the personal blacklists are a timesaver. No more hits or misses from imprecise wording in the Discussion settings. And the support is absolutely superb. The few times I’ve needed them, they were prompt and fantastic. The firewall and bot-crawler features are also a timesaver. Did you know that auto-bots crawl your site and slow it down? I’m talking spammy bots looking for email addies. This plugin stops them. And also prevents spam after spam from getting through via rate limiting. Try it out, and I swear you will rarely, if ever, have to get rid of spam manually. It’s that good!

    We thank Thomas for his detailed feedback and trust in CleanTalk.
    It’s always a pleasure to hear that our service helps clients protect their websites and save time.

  • CleanTalk Anti-Spam is Now Available for Calculated Fields Form Users

    CleanTalk Anti-Spam is Now Available for Calculated Fields Form Users


    With this new integration, Calculated Fields Form users can now activate CleanTalk Anti-Spam directly from their form settings. This means:


    ✅ No CAPTCHAs needed – CleanTalk works invisibly in the background
    ✅ Protects all form types – From simple contact forms to complex calculators
    ✅ Real-time spam detection – Advanced algorithms identify spam submissions instantly
    ✅ 99.998% accuracy – Industry-leading spam detection rates
    ✅ Easy setup – Enable protection with just a few clicks

    Spam submissions can:

    • Waste valuable time reviewing fake inquiries
    • Skew your analytics and reporting
    • Fill your inbox with irrelevant messages
    • Impact your email deliverability rates
    • Create security risks for your business

    With CleanTalk protection built directly into Calculated Fields Form, you can focus on creating powerful calculated forms while we handle the spam protection behind the scenes.

    How to activate integration https://cff-bundles.dwbooster.com/product/cleantalk

    Calculated Fields Form ‹ Plugins Themes and News — WordPress 09 05 2025 10 27 AM
    Calculated Fields Form ‹ Plugins Themes and News — WordPress 09 05 2025 10 27 AM

    About the Partnership
    We’re thrilled to work with the Calculated Fields Form team to bring this native integration to their users. The integration leverages CleanTalk’s powerful cloud-based anti-spam technology while maintaining the user-friendly experience that Calculated Fields Form users expect.

    Questions or Need Help?
    Our support team is ready to help you get started with CleanTalk protection for your Calculated Fields Form, su*****@*******lk.org or open a ticket here https://cleantalk.org/my/support/open.

    Protect your calculated forms today with CleanTalk Anti-Spam – because your business deserves spam-free form submissions.

  • CleanTalk Technical Support: Why Live Communication Is the New Luxury

    CleanTalk Technical Support: Why Live Communication Is the New Luxury

    In the world of automation and AI chatbots, live technical support is becoming a real premium service. When you have a question about setting up anti-spam protection or need to understand how the service works, the last thing you want is to explain your problem to a robot that gives standard answers from the knowledge base.

    Live people instead of soulless bots

    While most companies are transferring their first line of support to automated systems, CleanTalk is going against the trend. Our technical support is live people from the first second of the request. No multi-level menus, virtual assistants or attempts to “reformulate the question for the bot”.

    Why is this important for an anti-spam service?

    It would seem that there is only one problem – the form blocks users. But the solutions can be radically different depending on how exactly this form is created and integrated into the site. Just look at the number of direct integrations that we had to do – each requires its own approach. The automatic system will give a standard answer “check the settings”, and a live specialist will understand the specifics of your configuration.

    Experience that cannot be replaced by algorithms

    The average length of service of our technical support team is 6 years. During this time, people have encountered a variety of situations:

    • Non-standard hosting settings
    • Rare plugin conflicts
    • Features of various CMS
    • Specific business requirements

    When a person has been working with a product for several years, he already intuitively understands which direction to dig in. This saves time and nerves for all participants in the process.

    Knowledge of the product in detail

    Our specialists do not read ready-made scripts from the knowledge base. Everyone understands all aspects of CleanTalk:

    • How Spam FireWall works
    • Features of integration with different plugins
    • Working with the API and setting up web hooks
    • Diagnosing problems through log analysis
    • Configuring exceptions for specific tasks
    • Anti-Spam Algorithms
    • Payment details

    As a result, one person can bring the problem to an end without transferring you between different departments.

    Live dialogue solves more

    In the era of chatbots, human communication has become a rarity. But live dialogue gives what no automation can:

    • A specialist understands the context of the problem, even if you described it not very accurately
    • You can ask clarifying questions and get an answer
    • An experienced person can suggest the cause based on indirect signs
    • If necessary, you can adapt a standard solution to your situation

    Not just performers, but participants in the process

    Our support staff do not sit in a separate call center and do not work according to rigid scripts. They actively participate in the development of the product:

    • Analyze common user problems
    • Analyze clients requests feedback for anti-spam
    • Suggest improvements based on feedback
    • Test new versions and integrations
    • Help create documentation and instructions

    Therefore, when a client contacts us, a specialist thinks not only “how to solve this specific problem”, but also “how to make sure there are fewer such problems”.

    We work ahead of the curve

    The standard approach of many support services is to get as much information as possible from the client, and then start to figure it out. We do the opposite.
    After receiving a request, the specialist immediately:

    • Checks your account settings
    • Analyzes logs for the recent period
    • Looks for possible causes of the problem
    • Prepares several possible solutions

    As a result, you receive an answer not in the style of “send a screenshot of the problem”, but with specific suggestions on what to do.

    Why is this especially important for anti-spam

    An antispam system is not just a plugin that you install and forget about. It is a complex product that:

    Integrates with dozens of different forms and plugins
    Depends on server settings and hosting features
    Requires a balance between spam protection and user convenience
    May work differently on different sites

    Such tasks require an individual approach. You need a specialist who can quickly understand your specific situation and find the best solution.

    As a result

    The result of this approach is a qualitatively different level of support:

    Problems are solved faster, because time is not wasted on “pumping” through different levels
    The solutions are more accurate, because the specifics of a particular case are taken into account
    Customers receive not only a solution to the current problem, but also recommendations for the future

    Live technical support is not an additional service, but a part of our product. Because good spam protection is not only the right algorithms, but also people who will help to adjust these algorithms to your tasks.

    You can contact our support team by email at su*****@*******lk.org or create a support ticket at https://cleantalk.org/my/support.

  • Spam Bot ze**********@***il.com — How to Block It and Stop Website Attacks

    Spam Bot ze**********@***il.com — How to Block It and Stop Website Attacks

    The email address **********@***il.com” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>ze**********@***il.com has been reported for sending spam and launching automated malicious requests on thousands of websites.

    • According to CleanTalk BlackLists, this address has:
    • Attacked over 10,000 websites
    • Generated approximately 2,160 spam requests in the last 24 hours
    • Used Russian IP addresses to send requests
    • First detected on March 19, 2025
    • Last activity recorded: July 18, 2025

    What Does This Spam Bot Do?


    This bot attempts to register accounts, submit forms, and post comments on websites using the email ze**********@***il.com. The activity is fully automated and intended to spread spam or malicious links. This can:

    • Clutter your website with junk content
    • Expose your visitors to phishing or malware
    • Harm your SEO and domain reputation

    Here is a snapshot from CleanTalk’s logs:

    “2160 requests in 24 hours detected from multiple Russian IP addresses. All actions associated with spam form submissions and bot-like behavior.”

    zekisuquc419 gmail com Email spam report 07 21 2025 10 48 AM
    zekisuquc419 gmail com Email spam report 07 21 2025 10 48 AM

    How to Block Spam from ze**********@***il.com

    If you’re seeing traffic or spam submissions from this email, here’s how to stop it:

    1. Use CleanTalk Anti-Spam Plugin
    Install the CleanTalk Anti-Spam plugin for your CMS (WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, etc.). It automatically filters requests by checking emails, IPs, and behavior against the global CleanTalk Spam Database.

    This email is already blacklisted and will be blocked automatically by the plugin.

    2. Manually Block the Email (if needed)
    If you want to block it manually in addition to using CleanTalk:

    Add ze**********@***il.com to your site’s block list.

    Block common IPs that were used in attacks (CleanTalk logs show many from Russian ranges).

    Monitor your server logs for repetitive POST requests.

    **********@***il.com“>ze**********@***il.com is a known spammer attacking thousands of sites daily. By installing proper anti-spam protection like CleanTalk and staying vigilant, you can block these threats before they reach your visitors.

    If you’re already using CleanTalk, rest assured — this spammer is on the blacklist and will be filtered automatically.

    You can check any email or IP for spam activity on our BlackLists page.

    🧩 Want full protection?

    ✅ Blocks fake registrations and spam submissions
    ✅ Filters bots and fake emails in real time
    ✅ No CAPTCHAs or puzzles – clean and fast

    Stay ahead of spam – let CleanTalk handle the bots so you can focus on your content. Protect your site in under 5 minutes.
    👉 Start now

  • CleanTalk Anti-Spam Added Direct Integration for WPZOOM Forms Plugin

    CleanTalk Anti-Spam Added Direct Integration for WPZOOM Forms Plugin

    We are glad to announce that CleanTalk Anti-Spam now offers direct integration for the WPZOOM Forms plugin, providing effortless and effective spam protection for WordPress users.

    What’s New?


    Starting from the latest version 6.60 for WordPress, CleanTalk Anti-Spam automatically protects WPZOOM Forms from spam submissions without the need for additional setup. The integration is designed to work out of the box and silently block spam bots before they even reach your inbox.

    How It Works


    CleanTalk uses its cloud-based spam detection service to analyze form submissions in real time. When a visitor submits a form via WPZOOM Forms, CleanTalk checks the request for spam activity. If the submission is deemed suspicious or spammy, it is blocked immediately — all without using CAPTCHA or annoying puzzles.

    Key Benefits

    • Advanced email validation — CleanTalk checks if the email address is real, disposable, or blacklisted
    • Spam bot behavior analysis — Detects bots by analyzing how the form is filled out (JavaScript, time of submission, etc.)
    • IP reputation check — Every submission is checked against CleanTalk’s global spammer IP database
    • No CAPTCHA required — Invisible protection for a better user experience
    • Fast and lightweight — Does not affect form or page speed
    • Automatic logging — Every blocked or allowed request is logged in your CleanTalk dashboard

    How to Enable Anti-Spam protction for WPZOOM Form

    Install the Anti-Spam plugin
    CleanTalk Anti-Spam for WordPress is a powerful plugin that blocks spam silently in the background. It also has direct integration with WPZOOM Forms, and here’s how to set it up:

    Go to your WordPress admin panel → Plugins → Add New.
    In the search box, type “CleanTalk” and click Install on the result
    called “Spam protection, Anti-Spam, FireWall by CleanTalk”.

    Search Results for “cleantalk” WordPress org 07 22 2025 05 17 PM
    Search Results for “cleantalk” WordPress org 07 22 2025 05 17 PM

    After installation, click the “Activate” button.
    Then go to the plugin settings and click “Get Access Key Automatically” to activate protection.

    That’s it! CleanTalk will now start protecting all WPZOOM Forms on your website without any extra setup.

    How to Test Spam Protection of Your WPZOOM Forms

    Use this simple test to confirm that CleanTalk is active:

    • First, open a WPZOOM form on your site in an Incognito/Private browser tab
    • Enter this test email: st********@*****le.com
    • Submit the form
    wpzoom anti-spam protction
    wpzoom anti-spam protction

    You’ll see a message that the submission was blocked.
    That means the Anti-Spam plugin is now actively protecting your WPZOOM Forms from spam!

    Screenshot 2025 07 18 115513
    wpzoom spam block

    Enjoy the clean results!

    🔔 Important: You must test in Incognito mode because logged-in administrators are not blocked by default.


    If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment — we’ll be happy to help.

    Protect your WPZOOM Forms from spam in minutes — with no extra setup and no CAPTCHA headaches.
    CleanTalk continues to expand its compatibility with popular WordPress plugins to keep your site clean, secure, and user-friendly.

    🔗 Learn more about CleanTalk Anti-Spam here: https://cleantalk.org/help