Configuring the "GeoIP" Plugin

The GeoIP anti-fraud plugin uses the MaxMind GeoIP geolocation service to determine the customer's country:

• by the customer's host IP address;
• by the customer's payment method.

The GeoIP plugin returns two parameters:

• The customer's country of origin;
• The payment method's country of origin.

The results can be checked against a blacklist of countries.

The plugin uses a local copy of the GeoLite database in the binary form stored at the following default location: /usr/local/bm/conf/GeoIP.dat.

Replacing the default database with another more accurate one

Important notes

1. Do not place the new database to the default location to avoid overwriting it with the database update arrived with Billing updates.
2. Keep the new database in a special folder at Billing application server. To configure Billing in the way that it uses the new database, specify the path to this database in the Billing configuration file global.conf (located at Billing application server over the %OA_Billing_ROOT% folder in the ssm.conf.d. folder).
3. We strongly recommend that before editing the global.conf file you read the Billing Containers Configuration Files section of the Billing Deployment Guide".

Updating plugin database

To update database or replace it with a new, more accurate database:

1. Unpack the new database file.
2. Rename the new database file into GeoIP.dat
3. Create the custom folder to keep the new database at Billing application server.
4. Place the new database file into the custom folder.

5. Open the Billing configuration file global.conf. Edit the file:

   • In the [environment] section of the file, specify the full path to the new database using the path_geoip_db variable, for example:

     [environment]

     path_geoip_db=<path>

     where <path> is the full path to the new database folder.

6. Save the changes.
7. Restart Billing:
   • Log in to the Billing application server and issue the command:
   • service pba restart

Plugin configuration

Formally, the plug-in does not have a black list. However, by selecting or clearing the option for countries, administrator can configure three virtual lists:

• Unreliable. If customer's country is marked as unreliable, fraud filter can increase order's fraud points.
• Reliable. If customer's country is marked as reliable, fraud filter can reduce order's fraud points.
• Neutral. If customer's country is not marked at all, the order's fraud points would not be affected.

Note: This increase/decrease of order's fraud points is a recommended use of the plug-in in a fraud rule. It is not functionality of the plug-in.

To configure the plug-in:

1. Open System > Settings > Fraud Screening.
2. Select the GeoIP plug-in (first in the list) by clicking the respective link in the Plug-in Name column.
3. Select those countries you consider suspicious, reliable or neutral by checking boxes next to the countries' names.
4. Click Mark as Dangerous, Mark as Reliable or Mark as Neutral respectively.

Limitations

• Geolocation is approximate.
• The GeoIP plugin cannot determine the payment method country when:
  • the payment method is:
    • "global" (one payment method for all customers)
    • not a credit card
  • payments are made using the Stripe payment system.