How we handle chronic abuse by scripts checking for upates to the files.
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GaryK
May 17, 2012, 2:06:51 PM5/17/12
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Our Terms of Use state you can check for updates once a day.
If your script checks our site for updates more than 100 times in 24 hours it will be blocked for 24 hours. You must stop checking for updates to reset this timer otherwise it will continue to increment with each check until it hits the 1,000 checks threshold.
When your script hits the 1,000 checks threshold in 24 hours it will be automatically and permanently banned.
Sometimes these scripts run at just below 1,000 checks per 24 hours and don't get caught by our automated abuse mitigation procedures—at least not beyond the aforementioned 24 hour block. We do keep an eye on these abuses though and if it's chronic enough (meaning hundreds of checks per day for days on end) we will permanently ban you.
We just banned about 15 IP Addresses for chronic abuse.
We really wish people wouldn't change the update interval settings in the popular scripts they use to check for updates to the files.
Obviously these people don't have a clue what they're doing or they wouldn't be telling their script to check 1,000+ times a day for an update that typically happens less than once a week!
We don't have much sympathy when it comes to requests to be unbanned because the act that led to the ban was intentional and malicious!
Still, if it's your first ban and you can convince us you've taken steps to correct the condition that led to the abuse we will usually unban you.
If your script checks our site for updates more than 100 times in 24 hours it will be blocked for 24 hours. You must stop checking for updates to reset this timer otherwise it will continue to increment with each check until it hits the 1,000 checks threshold.
When your script hits the 1,000 checks threshold in 24 hours it will be automatically and permanently banned.
Sometimes these scripts run at just below 1,000 checks per 24 hours and don't get caught by our automated abuse mitigation procedures—at least not beyond the aforementioned 24 hour block. We do keep an eye on these abuses though and if it's chronic enough (meaning hundreds of checks per day for days on end) we will permanently ban you.
We just banned about 15 IP Addresses for chronic abuse.
We really wish people wouldn't change the update interval settings in the popular scripts they use to check for updates to the files.
Obviously these people don't have a clue what they're doing or they wouldn't be telling their script to check 1,000+ times a day for an update that typically happens less than once a week!
We don't have much sympathy when it comes to requests to be unbanned because the act that led to the ban was intentional and malicious!
Still, if it's your first ban and you can convince us you've taken steps to correct the condition that led to the abuse we will usually unban you.
RAD Moose
May 18, 2012, 6:36:59 PM5/18/12
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Thanks for explaining the overall process.
I wasn't sure if my check of the site once every 24 hours was going to be abusive.
I cache the updates on my server and then relay it from me to all of my clients to reduce up to thousands of requests every week, down to one request per day. (They ping my server anywhere from every 5 days to 14 days depending on the level of client and use.)
Was worried that my level of checks were approaching the level of abuse but it seems I am not even close =)
Should I send in my IP address (of the server) so you know who it belongs to?
GaryK
May 19, 2012, 1:41:06 AM5/19/12
to brow...@googlegroups.com
You're doing it exactly according to our terms of use so no worries...there's no need for your IP Address.
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