Stop the Use of Disposable Email Addresses in WordPress

This article explores disposable email addresses (DEAs), their uses, and how to prevent their misuse, particularly in WordPress.

Key Takeaways:

• DEAs are temporary email addresses frequently used for malicious purposes like creating fake accounts and spamming websites, including WordPress sites.
• Website administrators can mitigate DEA misuse by maintaining a list of known disposable email domains and checking user email domains against this list. Alternatively, services like block-disposable-email.com offer APIs for DEA detection.
• A WordPress plugin can be developed to leverage these APIs and block registrations from disposable email addresses.

The Problem with Disposable Emails:

Spammers utilize automated tools to create numerous accounts and spam comments on websites. One WordPress site, for example, experienced over 50 spam registrations using DEAs. This necessitates preventative measures.

Understanding Disposable Email Addresses:

DEAs (also known as throwaway, temporary, or self-destructive emails) are services providing temporary email addresses that expire after a set period. They are intended for short-term use. Examples include mailinator.com, YOPmail.com, and trashmail.com.

The Dual Nature of DEAs:

While DEAs can protect users from spam, their misuse by trolls and spammers to circumvent bans and engage in malicious activities is a significant concern. This necessitates effective detection and prevention methods.

Detecting Disposable Emails:

There's no foolproof algorithm for detecting DEAs. The most common approach is to maintain a database of known disposable email domains and check if a user's email domain matches.

A PHP function demonstrating this approach is provided below:

<?php
function detect_disposable_email($email) {
    $disposable_list = array( // ... list of disposable domains ... );
    $domain = array_pop(explode('@', $email));
    return in_array($domain, $disposable_list);
}
?>

However, maintaining an up-to-date list is challenging. Services like block-disposable-email.com provide regularly updated lists and APIs for efficient DEA detection.

Blocking Disposable Emails in WordPress:

This article demonstrates creating a WordPress plugin using the block-disposable-email.com API. After obtaining an API key, the plugin utilizes the API to validate email addresses during registration.

Plugin Structure (Simplified):

The plugin would include:

1. Plugin header.
2. A class (Stop_Disposable_Email) with an API key property.
3. A constructor that hooks into WordPress's registration process.
4. is_email_disposable() method: uses wp_remote_get to query the block-disposable-email.com API.
5. stop_disposable_email_signups() method: adds an error if the email is disposable.

Further Plugin Enhancements:

The article suggests creating a settings page to store the API key in the database rather than hardcoding it. This improvement is left as an exercise for the reader.

Conclusion:

This article provides a comprehensive overview of DEAs, their implications, and practical methods for preventing their abuse in WordPress. The provided plugin framework offers a starting point for enhancing website security. Remember to consider the potential for blocking legitimate users when implementing such measures.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

The FAQs section of the original article is retained, providing further information on DEAs and their implications.

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