Automattic

Donncha O Caoimh (a11n)

This plugin adds a stylesheet or image to your blog’s html source code. When a browser loads that stylesheet or image a cookie is dropped. If that user then leaves a comment the cookie is checked. If it doesn’t exist the comment is marked as spam. 
The plugin can also check how long it took a user to enter a comment. If it’s too fast it’s probably a spam bot. How fast can a legitimate user enter their name, email, web address and enter a well thought out comment?
For the adventurous, add these lines to your .htaccess and it will block spam attempts before they ever get to WordPress. Replace the Xs with the cookie that was set in your browser after viewing your blog. You can also find the cookie value by examining the page source code and looking for “css.php?k=XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX”. Make sure the lines go above the standard WordPress rules.
<pre><code> RewriteCond %{HTTP_COOKIE} !^.*XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.*$
 RewriteRule ^wp-comments-post.php - [F,L]
</code></pre>
If you use WordPress MU, replace wp-comments-post.php above with wp-signup.php to block spam signups.
<pre><code> RewriteCond %{HTTP_COOKIE} !^.*XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.*$
 RewriteRule ^wp-signup.php - [F,L]
</code></pre>

Cookies for Comments

If you don't use any other spam filter plugins, then you can rely on this to stop spam comments for sure!

Must have, if you don't use any other spam filters!

I'd been getting a dozen spams a day on two of my sites. We installed "Stop Spam Comments" on one and "Cookies for Comments" on the other. Both worked perfectly. No more spam. Thanks!



very easy and no more spam!

Sets a cookie on a random URL that is then checked when a comment is posted. If the cookie is missing the comment is marked as spam.

Richard

Cookie Script

CookieScript helps your WordPress site meet privacy requirements like GDPR, CPRA, PIPEDA and more. It adds a cookie banner to your site—no need to edit files or write any code yourself.
You can use it right after installing, even without a CookieScript account. Later on, if you want to adjust how the banner looks or behaves, you can link an account to unlock more options.
The plugin works with Google Consent Mode v2 and the WP Consent API, and can block third-party cookies until a visitor gives permission. It keeps your site compliant without interfering with tools like Google Analytics or ads.
More details are available at <a href="https://cookie-script.com/" rel="nofollow ugc">cookie-script.com</a>.
<h3>External services</h3>
This plugin utilizes Cookie-Script.com services to function.
1. Cookie-Script.com API 
* Service: Scans your website for cookies and retrieves configuration/status. 
* Data Sent: Website URL, Privacy Policy URL, Language preference, and a unique scan identifier. 
* When: During manual scan initiation via the plugin settings. 
* Privacy Policy: https://cookie-script.com/legal/privacy-policy 
* Terms of Service: https://cookie-script.com/legal/terms-and-conditions
2. Cookie-Script.com CDN 
* Service: Delivers the JavaScript file for the cookie banner (for “With Account” mode). 
* Data Sent: Standard web request data (IP address, User Agent) when fetching the script. 
* When: On every page load where the banner is active. 
* Privacy Policy: https://cookie-script.com/legal/privacy-policy
<h3></h3>

Cookies for Comments vs Cookie-Script.com