Understanding OSpam-a-not and IP Blocking

The OSpam-a-not Joomla extension is designed to prevent spam submissions on your website's forms by detecting bot activity. It uses two primary methods to do this: the Time Gate and the Honey Pot.

A common question that arises is, "How long does OSpam-a-not block a user's IP address?"

The short answer is: OSpam-a-not does not block user IP addresses.

The extension's function is limited to blocking the form submission itself. If a user's IP address is being blocked from your site, it is a secondary action triggered by a different security tool.

How This Happens

Many websites have multiple layers of security. When OSpam-a-not detects a form submission from a bot, another security extension or a server-level firewall may interpret this failed submission as a malicious act. This security tool then takes the additional step of blocking the user's IP address to protect the site.

In this scenario, OSpam-a-not is not the cause of the IP block. It is simply the initial trigger. To resolve the IP blocking issue, you will need to adjust the settings of the other security software on your site.