Due to DSGVO / GDPR: Is there another solution to prevent spam?

CremeFreche

I am new to AcyMailing. As I know, it is not compliant to DSGVO, to use Google captcha. But I know, there are some Joomla extensions, which generate hidden fields in the forms and if those hidden fields will be filled, then it is evident, that a spam bot has done this. Via Script or PHP this spam is filtered.

One of these extensions is Aimy captchaless form guard. They describe, that it will use the Joomla captcha system. After I had installed this extension and did activate the plugin and also the setting in the Joomla main configuration, I could not see any changes in the HTML code, which is generated by AcyMailing subscribe form.

How can I secure the AcyMailing form by an extension, which is filling hidden field in any form, which submits data via my website to other mail recipients?

mihha

You can't use all of the available captcha plugin that you can find on the internet

For example, we have implemented hCaptcha, which is GDPR compatible, so you might want to try that solution instead

CremeFreche

Thank you for your quick reply - even on a festive day!

I did not ask for using any available captcha plugin, but only for those, who use hidden fields as a honeypot. hCaptcha will use their server for keeping the key and thus my website will contact their services. Further I assume, that hCaptcha can be used only, when I will license Acymailing.
I do not like, when my website will contact any third party.

It is a clear promise, I make to my visitors, that I do not engage any third party services. Any other solution?

mihha

Other solution is for you to build your subscription form manually and implement honeypot solution on your own

joomleb

@CremeFreche
Aimy CaptchaLless Form Guard - (the best one in my opinion) Did you asked to Aimy team ?
As far as I know in "AcyMailing > Configuration> Security > Captcha" you can select one of the Captcha plugins installed and enabled in your Joomla 4.x site, included the Aimy one...

@mihha
"...You can't use all of the available captcha plugin that you can find on the internet..."
What do you mean ?

CremeFreche

Thank you for your advice, concerning Aimy CaptchaLess... I have already tried this, because in earlier days I had experienced, that the extensions by Aimy are of very good quality and trustworthy.

Sorry to say, that Aimy CaptchaLess had no effect on AcyMailing forms. I just have read the documentation of Aimy very thoroughly and I have found this info:

Aimy Captcha-Less Form Guard is then used as a default captcha for your Joomla! website and will be used whenever an extension requests the default captcha to be displayed.

But I still do not have Acymailing as a licensed version and thus Acymailing will not show up a captcha, which could be replaced by Aimy.

As I will not use any of the Pro features of Acymailing, the feature of having a captcha is the only thing for me, that should be worth nearly 30 Euro and the it is for one website only.

I will try to insert hidden fields in the default form of Acymailing. But as additional fields in Acymailing are part of the licensed version, I suppose, that it would not be easy, to insert those hidden fields by simply changing some php defined forms.

joomleb

@CremeFreche
Thank you for your detailed reply.
Well, the money spent for AcyMailing is a very good investment, my experience say that Acyba is a serious team.

Anyway I think that the Captcha feature is a "security issue" and it should be added also to the free edition.
Maybe the difference could be that in the paid version you can choose between the installed Captcha plugins, while in the free edition the Global Joomla Captcha setting will be added automatically (or not).
I suggest you to write to the AcyMailing support and put this topic forum in evidence as suggestion....

CremeFreche

Thank you @joomleb I just have requested your suggestion at Acymailing team. We will see.....

CremeFreche

I just got the answer from Acymailing team: The will keep the captcha function in their licensed version and don't even offer to use the Joomla system caption with the free version.

It would be so easy, to insert hidden fields in the form of the free version and then there is no need, to use the Joomla system caption (or Aimy) at all. I have looked at the form by browser inspector: no hidden fields.

I just hat a phone call with the developer of BWpostman. She has hidden fields integrated since many years and no captcha is necessary.