Question

Suspensions have become an on-going problem on this site, due to the fact that anyone can evade them easily. This used to be even more of a problem in the past, however it's been greatly eliminated by the use of IP checks, and now they usually get a 4-day suspension for evading one, by checking if any other account exists on the same IP. (this is still, however, a slippery slope in cases of schools, which all share the same IP).

Most importantly, the main issue that now arises is that ANYONE can use a proxy, or any such system with a different IP, and can continue their actions. This has become very common, and I have witnessed users doing this. They can then evade their suspension easily, with no way of the moderator to know that the user is actually doing this, as the IP checks would not show their previous account, as they are using another IP by the use of a proxy.


I've decided to program and contribute this simple script to try to help remedy this problem. It's purpose is to disable the use of proxies on OpenStudy, explain why, and kindly ask the user to not do such a thing. Though it doesn't block every proxy out there, every proxy available, it should do the job for the large majority of them. It's coded in PHP. It uses two methods of blocking proxies, by checking the headers of the proxy setup and the ports.

Hope this helps a little (:

Answer 1

$proxytext = "You are using a proxy. Proxies can be used for evading suspensions on this study site, and therefore have been blocked. Please disable your proxy currently in use.";
$proxy_headers = array(
'HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR',
'HTTP_VIA',
'HTTP_FORWARDED_FOR',
'HTTP_X_FORWARDED',
'HTTP_FORWARDED',
'HTTP_CLIENT_IP',
'VIA',
'HTTP_FORWARDED_FOR_IP',
'X_FORWARDED_FOR',
'FORWARDED_FOR',
'X_FORWARDED',
'FORWARDED',
'HTTP_PROXY_CONNECTION'
'CLIENT_IP',
'FORWARDED_FOR_IP',
);
foreach($proxy_headers as $proxy){
if (isset($_SERVER[$proxy])){
die($proxytext);
}
}
}

$pports = array(8080,80,81,1080,6588,8000,3128,553,554,4480);
foreach($pports as $port) {
if (@fsockopen($_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'], $port, $errno, $errstr, 30)) {
die($proxytext);
}
}

Answer 2

For an alternative way of solving this issue, Metasploit doesn't block proxies, but instead it forces the real IP of the user regardless of what setup they use. http://decloak.net/

Answer 3

Let me know when someone evades suspension .Batman will save the city .

Answer 4

@dmezzullo Your thoughts ? :)

Answer 5

idk wut all that meant lol but i agree

Answer 6

Why did you delete your comment Swag ?

Answer 7

What was SWAG's comment ?

Answer 8

How about students who use proxyservers to ask for help because their school blocked openstudy to prevent plagiarism? Most of them don't use os for plagiarism.

Answer 9

4Chan has something similar where they block proxies.

Answer 10

You may do whatever you want with the code, I just thought I might have coded it for you :)
Tell me if it would be of any use at all :)

Answer 11

@thomaster OpenStudy could create their own authorized proxy-like system for bypassing this if they wished.

Answer 12

@thomaster and in the case of Metasploit, it doesn't actually block proxies, just forces the proxy to show their real IP to stop the avoiding suspensions issue.

Answer 13

Or one could simply enter this code into the root dorectory of the .htaccess file:

RewriteEngine on
RewriteCond %{HTTP:VIA} !^$ [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP:FORWARDED} !^$ [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP:USERAGENT_VIA} !^$ [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP:X_FORWARDED_FOR} !^$ [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP:PROXY_CONNECTION} !^$ [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP:XPROXY_CONNECTION} !^$ [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP:HTTP_PC_REMOTE_ADDR} !^$ [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP:HTTP_CLIENT_IP} !^$
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ - [F]

Answer 14

Nice, @JA1! :)

Answer 15

Not really my work though, this is a code that is widely used for this

Answer 16

I thought that a rewrite engine was a software that modified a web URL's appearance. o.o

Answer 17

Yes it is, but I guess it works with this too :/ anyways if this were to actually be implemented you would have to email OpenStudy's Software Engineer and also pitch the idea to Preetha.

Answer 18

yea. tho, honestly... I wouldn't mind a medal, too xD

Answer 19

do they even use your code?

Answer 20

xD sure

Answer 21

haha.
But yes... I guess @JA1 a rewrite engine would *maybe* be more accurately be called something that changes the HTTP headers... idk. I still find it weird, I thought it was appearance-based only :3

Answer 22

It seems like (from your code) that it can rewrite HTTP headers, too o.o

Answer 23

It is, that's actually very interesting, I wonder why it works :/ anyways, think about this, the majority of people who are suspended ar 15-17 year olds who have nothing better to do thatn right dumb questions and such and they don't have the computer knowledge to actually find a good proxy that isn't easily recognizable

Answer 24

Yes, nice stereotype! xD

Answer 25

Though, actually in reality... I'm a 12-year-old :3

Answer 26

O_O lol yah but the ones that actually infringe the code of conduct are older teenagers

Answer 27

meh. I know a lot of pre-teenage trolls. It isn't age specific; just has everything to do with maturity. And as well all know maturity is gained with age+ experience, so that's where age comes in!

Answer 28

True

Answer 29

I learned it the hard way xD

Answer 30

Basically there are two ways to go about this,

1. You can block individual proxies.
Problem is this will lag the server even more than it is now D:
2. Block the behavior of proxies
Best option but harder to implement

Answer 31

or use something like Metasploit.

Answer 32

Isn't that a penetration testing software?

Answer 33

Proxies are impossible to block. Not individually of course. Lets just say me, i use a randomized proxy software on home computers. Whenever i get blocked i just hit the button and it randomizes another proxy.

Answer 34

@JA1 no, in fact not! Metasploit doesn't block proxies, but instead it forces the real IP of the user regardless of what setup they use. http://decloak.net/

Answer 35

@keganmoore wrong, plain wrong... Some proxies provide characteristics that are found in the HTTP headers, thats what my script's function was, to detect those and the block them out.

Metasploit would (maybe) be better in this situation, as ALSO it doesn't block proxies, so people in schools can still use OpenStudy when it's blocked there.

Answer 36

I am not plain wrong because i use them. I have (on my home computers once i get it set up) a new ip every 15 minutes. You can only block my system for 15 minutes at a time.
@Dumbsearch2 i am not wrong

Answer 37

@KeganMoore so what will happen when your system is trying to randomize a new proxy but they're all blocked?

Answer 38

Then i can choose to randomize again? There are millions of proxies to use. @thomaster

Answer 39

@KeganMoore yes but the majority of the proxys is blocked so you would have to click on randomize a 1000 times before you'd find a proxy that isn't

Answer 40

0.o you know nothing of what you are discussing. How many proxies does OS block?

Answer 41

Currently none

Answer 42

Then why are you even talking about this? IP randomizers have millions upon millions of proxies to use, hell it can even create its own database.

Answer 43

@KeganMoore So what exactly is the point you're trying to make? That proxys are impossible to block? That's false, it's not impossible. However, it would be impossible to block "EVERY" proxy out there. So using a proxy randomizer you could evade a suspension. But how many peope have knowledge of these randomizers? i bet not even 1%. So dumbsearch2's code would work on everyone but you :P

Answer 44

This stuff is easy to get ahold of. Rotating proxies are becoming more and more popular.

Answer 45

My point? Dont worry about proxies. If someone is trully wanting to avoid it they will.

Answer 46

@KeganMoore you see proxies inhibit characteristics that are VERY easy to notice, my code and dumbsearch's both look for these characteristics and block them, it can basically block a good 90% + of proxies and you would need a very good and sophistcated proxy to not show itself.

Answer 47

@JA1 @thomaster Exactly.
That awkward moment when someone said it better then you xP

Answer 48

And really... this still doesn't void my suggestion of the use of Metasploit.

Answer 49

I think that's funny you made this, Sean. You've evaded suspension more times than anyone else on this site.

Answer 50

\(\LARGE\color{blue}{\mathbb{Suspensions~are~an~issue}}\)

\(\LARGE\color{red}{\mathbb{Cymbalta~can~help}}\)

Answer 51

lol @Compassionate xP

Answer 52

@RoosterSauce how do you know that? you've only been here for 2 days... Or are you curently evading a suspension with a new account :P

Answer 53

@JA1 why would i need a good proxy? I can avoid detection easily. Its not the hardest thing in the world to do. When i use a new IP guaranteed you will not notice it for at least 2-3 days.

Answer 54

Let me brake down the whole process for you:

First YOU request an IP change and this IP comes from a centralized server that takes in your IP and then serves as a gateway to the internet while giving you another IP adress, now the thing is that if I were to use the script dumbsearch gave or use the .httaccess that I had I would be able to EASILY find out that you had a proxy because they all have similair behaviors, now let me be clear, I CANNOT find out your original IP I can only block the proxy you are using and force you to use a regular IP. @dumbsearch2 anything to add?

Answer 55

This is simply the easiest thing in the world to avoid! I have avoided them for years! The only time i was actually noticed was when they had a copy of the coding that I WROTE. This is just to simple to avoid.

Answer 56

\(\large\color{red}{\mathbb{Why~Can't~We~Be~Friends?}}\)

Answer 57

Because they won't drop it so i will come back and respond. I stopped last week, and they feel they are right lol.

Answer 58

Well I did NOT see this as an argument :/ much more a conversation rather than a fight, if I came across hostile then my bad I am simply saying that evading an Anti-Proxy detector is not an easy thing, if you can do it then ok but most users can't and so putting up an anti-proxy would work on this site, it's not 4chan where there are a bunch of hax0rs and such this is a simple site that is mainly inhabited by 10-25 year old's and the trolls are usually 10-16 and really don't know much about getting a good proxy service.

Answer 59

that is very true xD

Answer 60

Exactly my point, a proxy banner would be a good implementation on here, will help make evading suspension alot easier.

Answer 61

Two words.

\(\Huge\color{black}{\mathbb{Cellphone~Verification}}\)

Answer 62

Gosh I am stupid, I should of realized that, but then again it does make users less likely to sign up, maybe you can only post questions and answer until you get verified the you can message, chat, etc... good job @Compassionate

Answer 63

I have no phone D:

Answer 64

stop this thread

Answer 65

0.o

Answer 66

@modphysnoob er why?

Answer 67

just too many notification piled up

Answer 68

Ok? so just click on the notifications then click off. Simple, we aren't going to stop a thread for your notifications box.

Answer 69

I could do that? thank

Answer 70

lol yep...just click on notifications then click off

Answer 71

@JA1 that will be no problem for me anyways lol. First i do nothing to get suspended or banned. Second i won't be here much longer.

Answer 72

@dumbsearch2 bump this question

Answer 73

I see, yah this would mainly apply to the 10-16 year old trolls.

Answer 74

I feeeeel theeee flamessssss