Review of Anti Spam Modules for Drupal 8 and 9

What is spam?

Spam is unwanted messages, comments, or dangerous links on a website. It is present on almost every site on the Internet. Spam significantly hinders site owners who are working on their development and promotion. Some users decide to abandon the comments tab completely. This entails other problems in that all site visitors cannot express their opinions and share their thoughts. Interaction and feedback are essential components for the future success of the site.

How does spam work?

Spam messages are divided into two types - safe and dangerous. The first type is unpleasant for the user and can be annoying, while the second even damage their computer. Spam prevention is a must for protecting your data, the data of users, and the customers of your website.

The name of a safe type of spam is fishing. Fraudsters send you a message that can be confused with a partner letter. It contains various links to fake sites with similar domains. If a person agrees and follows the proposed link, his data is leaked. A more dangerous case is if scammers get your bank data. In this case, it threatens severe financial losses. There are also various dangerous programs. The user can catch a virus or trojan horse on the computer by clicking on the link, which can leak personal data.

How do you avoid spam?

To avoid spam, add a special verification code to the account registration procedure, or run special modules. They will check the registration process with special scripts and prevent bots from generating spam accounts. You can also start blocking email addresses with unsafe or suspicious domains.
You can change the moderation functions so that only verified profiles and users with a good reputation can publish links. Disable the ability to send anonymous messages and check the posts of recently registered users. Drupal 8 and 9 have many anti-spam modules that help you eliminate spam.

Top 10 Drupal 8 and 9 spam prevention modules

You can change the moderation functions so that only verified profiles and users with a good reputation can publish links. Disable the ability to send anonymous messages and check the posts of recently registered users. Drupal 8 and 9 have many anti-spam modules that help you eliminate spam.

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CAPTCHA
As a module is known to many users, t. This is a handy tool for website owners and administrators. Invites new visitors to the page to recognise a fuzzy image of some text and fill it in the registration form. CAPTCHA also has another way of identifying a user by answering a given question. Now, this module is rarely used as an independent one.
ReCAPTCHA v3
The reCAPTCHA v3 module prompts users to check a particular checkbox that allows them to reveal whether they are bots or not. It helps prevent various bots and automated scripts from trying to comment or register on the site. This project is owned by Google, which inspires great confidence. The user can log into their Google account and automatically get permission to enter the site. Spambots will not be able to pass this check.
Honeypot
This is a module that allows you to stop spam bots on your website. It adds a hidden field to help identify the bot. When reviewing a form, you are looking at this field. If it is filled, then the bot is trying to create an account, and you can safely reject the application or block it. With Honeypot, you can also set a timer for registration. Bots fill out the form in a few seconds, and you can easily identify them.
Spamicide
It is similar to the Honeypot module but not as functional. It has a simple and effective system for detecting bots. Spamicide adds a particular field that will be invisible to users, but the spam bot will start filling it out. Malicious scripts automatically fill in all the data, making them visible to the program.
CleanTalk
It performs validation by preventing new users from seeing all the tasks they are solving. This anti-spam module has a special series of texts that can check all users when registering or filter those who want to leave a comment on the site. CleanTalk guarantees that all checks carried out will be invisible to the web page users. That's why customers can easily interact with the site and spend less time on the identity verification stage.
The Drupal Antibot
The antibot deals with spam using a special JavaScript engine. This form tracks the actions of the users as soon as they enter the site. A real person will move a computer mouse or press keys. Bots will not make any movements, immediately allowing them to be identified. In this case, spam bots will not be able to fill out the form and create an account on the site. The module also does not distract or interact with the user in any way. Antibot differs in its speed from other plugins because it allows you to cache registration forms.
Human Presence Form Protector
The module works in integration with the Human Presence SaaS platform. It has specific strategies to prevent spam. It is also compatible with the CAPTCHA plugin, which is a fallback if the Human Presence platform can't handle user identification. Provides the opportunity to get a free trial for 14 days. It works invisibly for site visitors and can analyse traffic in real time
Protected Forms
It allows you to control registration forms and comments on the website. It has a unique dictionary where you add all the words you do not want to see on your site. It's pretty easy to install and doesn't overload your site. The module secures the page with a password; that's why only specific users can access it.
http:BL
This module helps block any spam on your site by checking the IP addresses on a centralised DNS blocklist. All addresses from this list will be automatically considered spam and blocked. The module attracts the attention of many users due to its ease of use.
Mother May I
The program reduces the number of fake account registration requests. If your website has a small audience, then you can easily find and pick up the secret word. Each new user must enter this word before filling out the registration form.

Other tips to prevent website spam

Update software and security regularly. Keep your domain private. You can also block access to the site for users in countries where your business is not targeted at. In addition to using all of the above plugins, you can perform some actions that can be used to identify spam bots:

Many new users registered in a short period
A large number of requests from one IP address.
Suspicious usernames or other data.
Personal information of the user, which contains links or advertising titles.

Spam bots are dangerous for you and your site users, so use the Drupal 8 or 9 spam prevention modules to avoid unpleasant consequences. Choose the module that is convenient for you and stay safe!

Managing spam on a Drupal site can be a tedious and time-consuming task, especially as bots and spammers get more sophisticated. If you're looking for a more efficient solution or need assistance in keeping your site spam-free, feel free to contact us. We're here to help! Contact Us

Written by:

Oleksandr Dekhteruk

Senior PHP Developer

Oleksandr is a distinguished Senior PHP Developer specializing in Drupal, bringing extensive expertise to the realm of web development. With a focus on precision and proficiency, Oleksandr excels in custom module development, theming, and site building within the Drupal framework. His in-depth knowledge of PHP, coupled with a strategic understanding of Drupal intricacies, positions him as a reliable architect for crafting scalable and high-performance web solutions