4 ms·

This has to be the most unconventional anti-spam technique I've ever heard about.

• jedberg 6y ago
  I stumbled on it by accident. I was lazy and let the cert lapse, but then noticed that spam signups basically stopped. One day maybe I'll make a post about it with graphs, although I'm not sure I actually have the data.
• rezonant 6y ago
  > I stumbled on it by accident. I was lazy and let the cert lapse, but then noticed that spam signups basically stopped. One day maybe I'll make a post about it with graphs, although I'm not sure I actually have the data. This is intriguing. I'm going to remember this but I'm too anal about perfect A+ TLS and renewal is already fully automated these days anyway :-\ I wonder if one could setup their TLS stack to get this effect without the tradeoff...
  • jedberg 6y ago
    You could probably get the same effect with a self signed cert. Although that wouldn't get you an A+ on TLS. :) Also, if y'all do this, it probably won't work because the spammers will start ignoring expired certs.
  • rezonant 6y ago
    My apologies for the limited nesting at the hn nestlimit > You could probably get the same effect with a self signed cert. Although that wouldn't get you an A+ on TLS. :) > Also, if y'all do this, it probably won't work because the spammers will start ignoring expired certs. Yeah, even if you could find a way to deny the spammers via esoteric configuration, it'll just make them realize they forgot to turn off TLS validation anyway (which is clearly what they meant to do)