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    Category: Anti-Spam

    • CleanTalk SpamFireWall Sets New Record: Blocking 777 Million Bot Requests in April

      CleanTalk SpamFireWall Sets New Record: Blocking 777 Million Bot Requests in April

      In April, CleanTalk SpamFireWall achieved a significant milestone by blocking an impressive 777 million bot requests. This accomplishment underscores our commitment to enhancing digital security through cutting-edge technology and vigilant monitoring.

      This feat serves as a reminder of the persistent threat posed by automated bots in today’s interconnected world. SpamFireWall plays a crucial role in safeguarding online platforms from exploitation by swiftly identifying and neutralizing suspicious activities.

      We owe this success to our team’s dedication and our customers’ support. Their invaluable feedback and collaboration have been instrumental in achieving this remarkable milestone.

      You can find our latest spam stats here for those interested in more detailed statistics on bot activity and SpamFireWall’s performance.

      SpamFireWall, an optional feature of the CleanTalk Anti-Spam Plugin, enhances website security by blocking access for spam-active IP addresses, effectively denying them entry (via blocking GET requests). By intercepting spambots before they reach the website, SpamFireWall prevents the loading of pages for these malicious bots. This action alleviates the burden on your web server, reducing the load on both the database and server resources.

      Moving forward, SpamFireWall remains committed to staying at the forefront of cybersecurity. We will continue to innovate and adapt to emerging threats to ensure a safer digital landscape for all users.

      This achievement in April reflects our unwavering resolve to combat cyber threats and uphold the highest standards of digital security. Together, we will continue to protect online ecosystems and instill confidence in users worldwide.

    • Revealing Vulnerabilities: The All-in-One SEO Plugin Dilemma

      Revealing Vulnerabilities: The All-in-One SEO Plugin Dilemma

      In the expansive domain of WordPress, a critical security flaw has been unveiled within the widely-utilized All-in-One SEO plugin. Known by its identifier, CVE-2024-3368, this vulnerability exposes a concerning loophole that malicious actors can exploit through Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks, jeopardizing the security of numerous websites. The trouble concerns all versions of All-in-One SEO older than 4.6.1.1.

      This flaw was unearthed during routine security evaluations, shedding light on a troubling scenario where unauthorized individuals can inject harmful JavaScript code directly into WordPress posts. This unauthorized access allows for the manipulation of administrative privileges, potentially leading to serious repercussions such as website tampering and unauthorized data access.

      In response to this alarming revelation, immediate action is crucial. WordPress website owners are strongly advised to promptly update their All-in-One SEO plugin to the latest version, fortified with patches to address this vulnerability. Furthermore, implementing stringent security measures, including regular audits and access controls, is essential to mitigate the risk of exploitation.

      Behind the scenes, CleanTalk remains dedicated to safeguarding the WordPress ecosystem. Through vigilant monitoring of plugins and the provision of timely alerts, CleanTalk aims to empower website owners with the necessary tools and knowledge to defend against cyber threats effectively and preserve the integrity of their digital platforms.

    • Survey: Would You Like to Have a User Verification Badge ✔️ in the Comments/Reviews on your Site? 

      Survey: Would You Like to Have a User Verification Badge ✔️ in the Comments/Reviews on your Site? 

      Many online comments and reviews are helpful, but some might not be written by real users. A special verification badge could indicate if a comment/review is confirmed to be written by a real person. This might help you decide which reviews to trust more when reading/discussing online.

      Vote in the survey   or use the widget below if you see it ↓

    • How to protect mobile app from bots

      How to protect mobile app from bots

      Why it is important to protect a mobile app from spam bots

      Spam bots are a serious threat to your website, but it affects your mobile app just the same. More than 54% of traffic goes from mobile devices and 76% of internet traffic comes from bad bots. This means that bad bots generate up to 41% of your mobile traffic However, we have listed 5 reasons to protect your mobile app from bots and to stop bad bots before harming your app.

       

      Why it is important to protect your mobile app from spam bots

      1. User experience
        Spam bots can flood your app with fake accounts, comments, and messages, which can eventually lead to degrading the user experience for legitimate users.
      1. Security
        Spam bots can carry out malicious activities such as spreading malware, phishing attacks, and stealing sensitive information from users.
      1. Resource consumption
        Spam bots can overwhelm your servers and consume valuable resources, leading to slower performance and increased costs.
      1. Reputation
        If your app is known for being overrun by spam bots, it can damage your reputation and deter legitimate users from using your app.
      1. Compliance
        Depending on the nature of your app, you may be required to comply with regulations related to data privacy and security. Allowing spam bots to operate unchecked can put you at risk of violating these regulations.

       

      How it works

      The Bot Detector works in the background and is not visible to the user. It does not require the user to confirm that he is not a bot.

      how it works

       

      How to install your mobile app spam protection

      If you need to protect mobile apps from spam, you will definitely need a solution that uses API to check registrations for spam. The Bot Detector service uses the CleanTalk check_bot API method via a special library that you can download and integrate with just 1 line of code. You can check out our detailed instructions on GitHub below.

      Go to GitHub

       

    • Preventing Stripe Fraudulent Payments

      Preventing Stripe Fraudulent Payments

      Fraudulent payments occur when the cardholder has not authorized the transaction. Most fraudulent payments are made using stolen credit card information. When the cardholder notices an unauthorized payment or reviews their card statement, they contact the card issuer to dispute it. It is crucial for businesses accepting online payments to be aware of different types of fraud.

      Website owners mainly encounter two types of fraud: purchases made with stolen cards and card testing.

      Stolen Cards:
      This type of fraud involves using stolen credit card data to make purchases online. When the cardholder discovers fraudulent activity, they dispute the payment with the card issuer. If the dispute is resolved in favor of the cardholder, the business suffers losses equivalent to the payment amount and the value of goods or services provided. Additionally, the business may face dispute fees.

      Card Testing:
      Card testing is the practice of validating a card’s authenticity on one website before using it for fraudulent transactions on another site. Websites with an open payment form on the page can be subject to card testing.

      To reduce the risk of fraud, businesses can take measures to block automated bots used by card testers.

      CleanTalk Anti-Spam is a tool that can identify bots during order submission and block the form if it detects automated activity and this occurs before the payment for the order proceeds.. This helps safeguard against disputes and fraudulent purchases.

      CleanTalk Anti-Spam is already being utilized by numerous WooCommerce sites and other online other online stores, donation forms and other payment forms, with positive feedback on its contribution to reducing fraud in online stores.
      https://wordpress.org/support/topic/this-saves-lots-of-work-and-it-pays-for-itself/

      Installation on WordPress only takes a few minutes, providing protection against fraud and spam. 

      To install the Anti-Spam plugin, go to your WordPress admin panel → Plugins → Add New.

      How to install CleanTalk anti-spam

      Then enter «СleanTalk» in the search box and click the Install button for «Spam protection, Anti-Spam, FireWall by CleanTalk». After installing the plugin, click the «Activate»‎ button.

      WordPress Installation of CleanTalk anti-spam

      After it is done go to the plugin settings and click the «Get Access Key Automatically» button. Then just click the «Save Settings»‎ button.

      Getting the CleanTalk Anti-Spam key

      Go to the checkout page in Incognito mode. Place your order and use the test email address *@cl*******.org. When you submit your order, it will be blocked for a reason:
      *** Forbidden. Fraud prevention. Sender blacklisted. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk. ***.

      *** Forbidden. Fraud prevention. Sender blacklisted. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk. ***

      So, the CleanTalk Anti-Spam installation process is complete.

      For users of Drupal and Joomla or other CMS, instructions for installation are also available. 
      https://cleantalk.org/help/install

      Bot Detector  – You can use this integration API method using our library without using plugins. You will need programming knowledge to create the integration.
      https://github.com/alexandergull/cleantalk_api_check_bot

      By being proactive in detecting and preventing fraud, businesses can safeguard themselves from financial losses and disputes.

      We will be happy to respond to your comments.

    • FluentBooking spam protection for WordPress

      FluentBooking spam protection for WordPress

      CleanTalk added spam protection for FluentBooking using direct form integration. Always be sure to use the most effective Anti-Spam plugin. For example CleanTalk Anti-Spam will guarantee your FluentBooking spam protection in about 5 minutes.

      Once the CleanTalk Anti-Spam plugin is installed it starts to protect all of the existing forms on your WordPress website. It may not only be FluentBooking but many other forms.

      Download CleanTalk Anti-Spam plugin | Download FluentBooking 

      How to install CleanTalk Anti-Spam plugin

      To install the Anti-Spam plugin, go to your WordPress admin panel → Plugins → Add New.

      Then enter «СleanTalk» in the search box and click the Install button for «Spam protection, Anti-Spam, FireWall by CleanTalk».

      After installing the plugin, click the «Activate»‎ button.

      After it is done go to the plugin settings and click the «Get Access Key Automatically» button. Then just click the «Save Settings»‎ button.

      That’s it! From now your WordPress website and FluentBooking are protected from spam.

      You can always use our detailed installation instructions.

      How to check your FluentBooking spam protection in about 5 minutes

      You can test the work of Anti-Spam protection for your FluentBooking forms by using a test email s @ cleantalk.org (without spaces). First, open the form in an Incognito browser tab. Fill in all the required form fields and send a form. After submitting the form, you will see a block message about the block on the form submission.

      If you have any questions, add a comment and we will be happy to help you. Create your Cleantalk account – Register now and enjoy your spam-free FluentBooking.

      You may view a complete list of CleanTalk Anti-Spam plugin features here. https://cleantalk.org/help/introduction 

      WordPress spam protection

    • Divi spam protection for WordPress

      Divi spam protection for WordPress

      CleanTalk added spam protection for Divi Builder email opt-in subscription form using direct form integration. So in case, you prefer using Divi subscription form be sure to use the most effective Anti-Spam plugin. Read the guide below and learn 4 steps to protect your Divi subscription form from spam.

      Once the CleanTalk Anti-Spam plugin is installed it starts to protect all of the existing forms on your WordPress website. It may not only be Newsletters subscription forms but also many others.

      Download CleanTalk Anti-Spam plugin | Download Divi Builder email opt-in 

      How to install CleanTalk Anti-Spam plugin

      To install the Anti-Spam plugin, go to your WordPress admin panel → Plugins → Add New.

      Then enter «СleanTalk» in the search box and click the Install button for «Spam protection, Anti-Spam, FireWall by CleanTalk».

      After installing the plugin, click the «Activate»‎ button.

      After it is done go to the plugin settings and click the «Get Access Key Automatically» button. Then just click the «Save Settings»‎ button.

      That’s it! From now you How to completely protect your Divi Builder email opt-in subscription form from spam.

      How to check spam protection for Divi Builder email opt-in

      You can test the work of Anti-Spam protection for your СonvertKit Forms by using a test email s @ cleantalk.org (without spaces). First, open the form in an Incognito browser tab. Fill in all the required form fields and send a form. After submitting the form, you will see a block message about the block on the form submission.

      If you have any questions, add a comment and we will be happy to help you.

      Create your CleanTalk account – Register now and protect your Divi Builder email opt-in from spam in 5 minutes

      Update

      The protection works only for website visitors, not for website admins. Be sure to test the form protection using Incognito mode.

      Additional features

      • CleanTalk protects all forms at once: comments, registrations, feedbacks, contacts, and reviews.
      • Installation takes about 1-2 minutes.
      • Smart 99% protection against spambots.
      • Always online – 24/7 technical support.
      • Logs, SpamFireWall, personal lists, country filters, stop-words, and many others.

      Discover the complete list of CleanTalk Anti-Spam plugin features here.

    • Tribulant Newsletters spam protection for WordPress

      Tribulant Newsletters spam protection for WordPress

      CleanTalk added spam protection for Tribulant Newsletters using direct form integration. So in case, you prefer using Tribulant Newsletters be sure to use the most effective Anti-Spam plugin. Read the guide below and learn 4 steps to protect your Newsletters from spam.

      Once the CleanTalk Anti-Spam plugin is installed it starts to protect all of the existing forms on your WordPress website. It may not only be Newsletters subscription forms but also many others.

      Download CleanTalk Anti-Spam plugin | Download Tribulant Newsletters 

      How to install CleanTalk Anti-Spam plugin

      To install the Anti-Spam plugin, go to your WordPress admin panel → Plugins → Add New.

      Then enter «СleanTalk» in the search box and click the Install button for «Spam protection, Anti-Spam, FireWall by CleanTalk».

      After installing the plugin, click the «Activate»‎ button.

      After it is done go to the plugin settings and click the «Get Access Key Automatically» button. Then just click the «Save Settings»‎ button.

      That’s it! From now you How to completely protect your Tribulant Newsletters from spam.

      How to check spam protection for Tribulant Newsletters

      You can test the work of Anti-Spam protection for your СonvertKit Forms by using a test email s @ cleantalk.org (without spaces). First, open the form in an Incognito browser tab. Fill in all the required form fields and send a form. After submitting the form, you will see a block message about the block on the form submission.

      If you have any questions, add a comment and we will be happy to help you.

      Create your CleanTalk account – Register now and protect your Tribulant Newsletters from spam in 5 minutes

      Update

      The protection works only for website visitors, not for website admins. Be sure to test the form protection using Incognito mode.

      Additional features

      • CleanTalk protects all forms at once: comments, registrations, feedbacks, contacts, reviews.
      • Installation takes about 1-2 minutes.
      • Smart 99% protection against spambots.
      • Always online – 24/7 technical support.
      • Logs, SpamFireWall, personal lists, country filters, stop-words, and many others.

      Discover the complete list of CleanTalk Anti-Spam plugin features here.

    • Avada form spam protection for WordPress

      Avada form spam protection for WordPress

      Avada forms is a good choice when you need to use contact form for surveys, quizzes and many others. Always be sure to use the most effective Anti-Spam plugin. For example CleanTalk Anti-Spam will guarantee your Avada forms spam protection in about 5 minutes.

      Once CleanTalk Anti-Spam plugin is installed it starts to protect all of the existing forms on your WordPress website. It may not only be Avada forms but many others.

      Download CleanTalk Anti-Spam plugin | Download Avada Form Builder 

      How to install CleanTalk Anti-Spam plugin

      To install the Anti-Spam plugin, go to your WordPress admin panel → Plugins → Add New.

      Then enter «СleanTalk» in the search box and click the Install button for «Spam protection, Anti-Spam, FireWall by CleanTalk».

      After installing the plugin, click the «Activate»‎ button.

      After it is done go to the plugin settings and click the «Get Access Key Automatically» button. Then just click the «Save Settings»‎ button.

      That’s it! From now your WordPress website and Avada forms are protected from spam.

      You can always use our detailed installation instructions.

      How to check your Avada forms spam protection in about 5 minutes

      You can test the work of Anti-Spam protection for your Avada forms by using a test email s @ cleantalk.org (without spaces). First, open the form in an Incognito browser tab. Fill in all the required form fields and send a form. After submitting the form, you will see a block message about the block on the form submission.

      If you have any questions, add a comment and we will be happy to help you.

      Create your Cleantalk account – Register now and enjoy your spam-free Avada forms.

      You may view a complete list of CleanTalk Anti-Spam plugin features here. https://cleantalk.org/help/introduction 

      WordPress spam protection

    • Our client’s review: N29BEDANDBREAKFAST.COM

      Our client’s review: N29BEDANDBREAKFAST.COM

      We continue sharing our clients’ reviews and today’s one is kindly brought to you by @n29bnb from n29bedandbreakfast.com on WordPress.

      Perfect companion

      CleanTalk has our back. After launching our new website, the inundation with spam messages started as well again. As we had previously sunk to the very bottom of websites with our old site, which effectively made us totally undetectable for spammers, we now were surprised by the level of interest from them. After installing CleanTalk, the number of spam e-mails dropped from 50 a week to nearly none. Seldom a very creative spammer gets through, but if, then they will quickly be eradicated too as I can forward those to CleanTalk and prompt action is taken.

      Way to go!