Comment Blacklist Updater vs Spam Protection | Maspik

Updates the “Comment Blacklist” in Settings / Discussion with a list terms from a remote or local source. By default it get’s the data from Github (“wordpress-comment-blacklist“) by Grant Hutchinson) but you can also get them from any URL or from a local blacklist.txt file. This plugin is an enhanced version of the plugin Comment Blacklist Manager. We decided to create this enhanced version of the plugin, because we wanted to be able to add blacklists without using filters and directly from the WordPress administration. You can still use a filter to modify the blacklist sources if that is more convienient for you. And we also wanted to have more information about the plugin in SETTINGS / DISCUSSION; for example when the blacklist was updated and when it will be updated next time, when the blacklist sources were updated, etc. You can configure three sources for your blacklists: Default blacklist (which can be disabled): wordpress-comment-blacklist by Grant Hutchinson). Please keep in mind that if there is no other blacklist source defined, this will be used as default, even if it\’s not selected. Blacklist from remote URL: You paste the URL to the blacklist and if the file exists and can be accesed (must return code 200) it will be used as a blacklist source. If you want to include a local blacklist for the site, you can upload a blacklist.txt file to the UPLOADS folder and it will also be taken into account. The blacklist.txt file has to be in the root of the UPLOADS folder; it will not be recognized if it\’s for example in /uploads/2025/12/ and the file has to be accesible via http/https (if the access to the file is protected it can\’t be used). And you can use the filter cblm_sources to replace all the blacklists or to add more. If you replace all blacklists with the filter, the settings done in the WordPress administration will be ignored. We decided to keep the same filter as used by “Comment Blacklist Manager” to make it easy to switch between both plugins. Please note: After the September 2023 update only users with administrator privileges can use this plugin. If you’re not an admin you will get following error: “You do not have sufficient permissions to access this page”. What can I do with this plugin? The plugin updates the “Comment Blacklist” in Settings / Discussion with a list terms from a remote or local source. By default it get’s the data from Github (“wordpress-comment-blacklist by Grant Hutchinson) but you can also get them from any URL or from a local blacklist.txt file. Why do I want to update the “Comment Blacklist” in Settings / Discussion? If you want to reduce spam received in your comment forms but also in your contact forms (for example when using Contact Form 7), using blacklisted terms can help. Contact Form 7 encourages to use: Akismet, reCaptcha and the comment blacklist to reduce contact form spam. Contact Form 7 supports spam-filtering with Akismet. Intelligent reCAPTCHA blocks annoying spambots. Plus, using comment blacklist, you can block messages containing specified keywords or those sent from specified IP addresses. The best way to reduce the contact form 7 spam is to use a very extensive term database which is updated regulary with new spam terms. And this plugin does exactly this: Updating the blacklist regularly. Why are you using the “Comment Blacklist for WordPress” from Grant Hutchinson as default source for the blacklist? Since 2011 Grant Hutchinson has been identifying and compiling over 34,000 phrases, patterns, and keywords commonly used by spammers and comment bots in usernames, email addresses, link text, and URIs. His blacklist is very extensive and that’s why we love it. As with all compilations, this blacklist is a work in progress and it is updated more or less every month. And each of these updates will be included automatically with the update process that runs every 24 hours. Sometimes simple is better. If you know another source that is as extensive as this one, drop us a message and we will check if it’s interesting to add it also as a default. System requirements PHP version 5.6 or greater. Comment Blacklist Updater Plugin in your Language! This first release is avaliable in English and Spanish. In the “languages” folder we have included the necessary files to translate this plugin. If you would like the plugin in your language and you’re good at translating, please drop us a line at Contact us. Further Reading You can access the description of the plugin in Spanish at: Actualizador lista negra de comentarios | WordPress Plugin. Contact For further information please send us an email.

Maspik is a complete spam protection platform for WordPress. Instead of relying on a single detection method, Maspik combines multiple independent protection layers that work together to stop spam before it reaches your inbox. Protect contact forms, registration forms, comments, WooCommerce, and custom forms using lightweight local validation together with optional cloud intelligence. Install. Activate. You’re protected. No CAPTCHA. No puzzles. No interruption for real visitors. Why Maspik? Most anti-spam plugins rely on one detection technique. Some only use CAPTCHAs. Some only check external APIs. Some only filter keywords. Maspik combines many protection layers into one unified spam detection engine. Every submission can be analysed using local validation, behavioural analysis, reputation services, and optional cloud intelligence. The result is stronger protection with fewer false positives and a better experience for legitimate visitors. Protection Layers Maspik lets you combine multiple independent protection methods: Forbidden keywords Email patterns URL validation Phone format validation Character limits Link limits Emoji filtering Honeypot protection Verification Key Direct POST protection IP blocklists IP reputation Proxy and VPN detection Country and continent restrictions (Pro) Language rules (Pro) Maspik Matrix cloud protection with AI analysis Enable only the protection layers you need. Everything is configurable. Built for Performance Most protection happens locally inside WordPress without contacting external services. Only optional features such as Matrix or IP reputation require cloud requests. Only enabled protection layers are executed. No unnecessary JavaScript. No front-end slowdown. Optimized for high-traffic websites. Privacy First Most spam detection happens locally. Cloud-based protection is optional, and only the required data is transmitted when it is enabled. No visitor tracking. GDPR friendly. Works Immediately Maspik is designed to work immediately after activation. No complicated configuration, no API keys required, no CAPTCHA setup. Advanced users can fine-tune every protection layer individually. Supported Forms Maspik protects WordPress core forms together with many popular form builders: Elementor Forms Elementor Atomic Forms Contact Form 7 Fluent Forms Formidable Forms Forminator Ninja Forms JetFormBuilder Everest Forms Breakdance Forms Bricks Builder Divi Contact Form Hello Plus MetForm Bit Form SureForms WS Form BuddyPress Registration MemberPress AffiliateWP Easy Digital Downloads FunnelKit WordPress Comments WordPress Registration Custom PHP forms (simple developer API) Pro also supports: WPForms Gravity Forms WooCommerce Registration WooCommerce Checkout Maspik Matrix Maspik Matrix is an optional cloud protection layer built into Maspik. It complements the local protection engine by analysing submissions using additional cloud intelligence. Matrix may include: IP reputation Pattern analysis Heuristic detection Structural analysis AI scoring Threat intelligence Local rules always continue working independently. Every installation includes free Matrix usage (100 checks per month). Pro includes unlimited usage. Submission Log Understand exactly why spam was blocked. The log shows: Block reason Triggered protection layer Submitted values Full detection trace of every layer that ran IP address and country Date and time Page URL Mark entries as “Not Spam” to continuously improve your configuration, or turn a blocked value into a rule with one click. Optionally log passed submissions too, to see exactly why something was not caught. Statistics Monitor your protection over time: Total blocked submissions Detection trends Protection layer activity Matrix usage Spam history API Integrations Optional integrations include: AbuseIPDB ProxyCheck Enable only the services you want. Designed For Business websites WooCommerce stores Agencies Membership websites High-traffic websites Enterprise WordPress Why Site Owners Choose Maspik No CAPTCHA Better user experience Works immediately Lightweight Multiple protection layers Detailed spam logs Powerful statistics Extensive customization Local-first architecture Optional cloud intelligence Import and export your configuration Pro Features Upgrade to Maspik Pro and unlock: Unlimited Matrix protection Country and continent restrictions Language rules Premium integrations (WPForms, Gravity Forms, WooCommerce) Central Dashboard to manage rules across multiple websites Premium support Learn more: https://wpmaspik.com/ Spam Block Guarantee Spam is constantly evolving. If unwanted submissions are still getting through, we’ll help you configure Maspik until they’re blocked. Join the community, share a sample, and we’ll help you improve your protection. Custom Forms Built your own form in PHP? List the fields you want analysed and Maspik tells you whether to accept the submission: $fields = [ [ 'type' => 'text', 'field_name' => 'name', 'value' => $_POST['name'] ?? '' ], [ 'type' => 'email', 'field_name' => 'email', 'value' => $_POST['email'] ?? '' ], [ 'type' => 'textarea', 'field_name' => 'message', 'value' => $_POST['message'] ?? '' ] ]; if ( function_exists( 'maspik_is_spam' ) && maspik_is_spam( $fields, 'Contact form' ) ) { wp_die( 'Spam detected' ); } Listing the fields explicitly means Maspik analyses exactly the values you care about — never nonces, redirects, tokens, checkboxes or other technical inputs — which keeps detection predictable and avoids false positives. The honeypot and verification key are read from the request automatically, so there is nothing else to wire up. Need the reason? maspik_check_spam() returns the message to show the visitor, the offending field, and the layer that blocked it. The original version 2 filter (maspik_validate_custom_form_fields) continues to work unchanged, so existing integrations keep running after the upgrade. Full example: https://wpmaspik.com/documentation/custom-form/ Documentation Getting Started: https://wpmaspik.com/documentation/ Developer Documentation: https://wpmaspik.com/documentation/developers/ Support: https://wpmaspik.com/ Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/maspik Maspik is developed with a strong focus on performance, security, privacy and long-term WordPress compatibility.