I've noticed in my server logs that many spammers are still trying furiously to leave trackback spam at the default address. Since that address doesn't exist, they simply get 404 errors and try again. I already was using a custom error page, and now I've implemented a method to ban any IP address that repeatedly calls any script in the htsrv directory that generates a server error (e.g., 404 Not Found).

Here's the script: checkban. I call the function checkBan from my error document. I also intend to call it from other scripts (see BlockUntrustedVisitors) .

You'll also need to add something like the following to your .htaccess file to use this custom error page:

ErrorDocument 400 /blog/error.php?400
ErrorDocument 401 /blog/error.php?401
ErrorDocument 403 /blog/error.php?403
ErrorDocument 404 /blog/error.php?404
ErrorDocument 500 /blog/error.php?500

My forum post: here.

Here's a perl script I wrote to automate Whoo and Graham's suggestion: hidehtsrv.pl. I suggest creating a cron job to run hidehtsrv.pl periodically. Note: this script requires another of my perl scripts, randpass.pl, a pseudo-random string generator.

Here's a b2evolution forum thread about trackback spam, and here's a b2evolution forum thread about why renaming is effective.

See also my post about comment and referrer spam and my b2evolution forums post about this solution.

Here's the setup as I'm using it:

1. Setup MySQLicious according to its instructions, but ensure that you use the same database that you use for your b2e installation.
2. Copy _mysqlicious.php to your preferred location (I put it in the same directory as my theme files).
3. Modify your _main.php file to call _mysqlicious.php as a sidebar item. Two variables ($deliciousUsername and $MySQLicious_Table) must be set. In addition, you may set a third variable, $MySQLicious_items, which determines how many bookmarks will be displayed.

Note: Ensure that your MySQLicious setup complies with the del.icio.us rules of usage so you don't get banned.

Here's the b2evolution forum thread.

This change goes in the file: {YOUR_BLOG_ROOT_DIRECTORY}/skins/_categories.php

Here's a running tally of the diffs.

And here's my post on the b2evolution forums about this.

I'm using the following code right now to include a random set of my del.icio.us bookmarks on this page. Discussion here.

1. Changed _main.php:
   • code snippet
2. Added Magpie to my PHP include path -- actually, using .htaccess:
   • php_value include_path "{new path, including Magpie}"
3. Created _delicious.php:
   • latest source
4. Finished product: YABFOG