feat(spam-moderation): implement spam detection and moderation for team invitations and signups

- Integrated SpamDetector utility to check for spam patterns in team names and user names during signup and invitation processes. - Enhanced TeamMembersController to log and block obvious spam invitations while allowing suspicious ones for review. - Updated passport-local-signup strategy to flag high-risk signups and log details for admin review. - Added moderation routes to handle spam-related actions and integrated rate limiting for invitation requests. - Improved frontend components to provide real-time spam warnings during organization name input, enhancing user feedback.
2025-07-31 15:52:08 +05:30
parent 7635676289
commit e5e56e48f8
16 changed files with 1523 additions and 10 deletions
--- a/docs/SPAM_PROTECTION_GUIDE.md
+++ b/docs/SPAM_PROTECTION_GUIDE.md
@@ -0,0 +1,220 @@
+# Worklenz Spam Protection System Guide
+
+## Overview
+
+This guide documents the spam protection system implemented in Worklenz to prevent abuse of user invitations and registrations.
+
+## System Components
+
+### 1. Spam Detection (`/worklenz-backend/src/utils/spam-detector.ts`)
+
+The core spam detection engine that analyzes text for suspicious patterns:
+
+- **Flag-First Policy**: Suspicious content is flagged for review, not blocked
+- **Selective Blocking**: Only extremely obvious spam (score > 80) gets blocked
+- **URL Detection**: Identifies links, shortened URLs, and suspicious domains
+- **Spam Phrases**: Detects common spam tactics (urgent, click here, win prizes)
+- **Cryptocurrency Spam**: Identifies blockchain/crypto compensation scams
+- **Formatting Issues**: Excessive capitals, special characters, emojis
+- **Fake Name Detection**: Generic names (test, demo, fake, spam)
+- **Whitelist Support**: Legitimate business names bypass all checks
+- **Context-Aware**: Smart detection reduces false positives
+
+### 2. Rate Limiting (`/worklenz-backend/src/middleware/rate-limiter.ts`)
+
+Prevents volume-based attacks:
+
+- **Invite Limits**: 5 invitations per 15 minutes per user
+- **Organization Creation**: 3 attempts per hour
+- **In-Memory Store**: Fast rate limit checking without database queries
+
+### 3. Frontend Validation
+
+Real-time feedback as users type:
+
+- `/worklenz-frontend/src/components/account-setup/organization-step.tsx`
+- `/worklenz-frontend/src/components/admin-center/overview/organization-name/organization-name.tsx`
+- `/worklenz-frontend/src/components/settings/edit-team-name-modal.tsx`
+
+### 4. Backend Enforcement
+
+Blocks spam at API level:
+
+- **Team Members Controller**: Validates organization/owner names before invites
+- **Signup Process**: Blocks spam during registration
+- **Logging**: All blocked attempts sent to Slack via winston logger
+
+### 5. Database Schema
+
+```sql
+-- Teams table: Simple status field
+ALTER TABLE teams ADD COLUMN status VARCHAR(20) DEFAULT 'active';
+
+-- Moderation history tracking
+CREATE TABLE team_moderation (
+    id UUID PRIMARY KEY,
+    team_id UUID REFERENCES teams(id),
+    status VARCHAR(20), -- 'flagged', 'suspended', 'restored'
+    reason TEXT,
+    moderator_id UUID,
+    created_at TIMESTAMP,
+    expires_at TIMESTAMP -- For temporary suspensions
+);
+
+-- Spam detection logs
+CREATE TABLE spam_logs (
+    id UUID PRIMARY KEY,
+    team_id UUID,
+    content_type VARCHAR(50),
+    original_content TEXT,
+    spam_score INTEGER,
+    spam_reasons JSONB,
+    action_taken VARCHAR(50)
+);
+```
+
+## Admin Tools
+
+### API Endpoints
+
+```
+GET  /api/moderation/flagged-organizations - View flagged teams
+POST /api/moderation/flag-organization - Manually flag a team
+POST /api/moderation/suspend-organization - Suspend a team
+POST /api/moderation/unsuspend-organization - Restore a team
+GET  /api/moderation/scan-spam - Scan for spam in existing data
+GET  /api/moderation/stats - View moderation statistics
+POST /api/moderation/bulk-scan - Bulk scan and auto-flag
+```
+
+## Slack Notifications
+
+The system sends structured alerts to Slack for:
+
+- 🚨 **Spam Detected** (score > 30)
+- 🔥 **High Risk Content** (known spam domains)
+- 🛑 **Blocked Attempts** (invitations/signups)
+- ⚠️ **Rate Limit Exceeded**
+
+Example Slack notification:
+```json
+{
+  "alert_type": "high_risk_content",
+  "team_name": "CLICK LINK: gclnk.com/spam",
+  "user_email": "spammer@example.com",
+  "spam_score": 95,
+  "reasons": ["Contains suspicious URLs", "Contains monetary references"],
+  "timestamp": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z"
+}
+```
+
+## Testing the System
+
+### Test Spam Patterns
+
+These will be **FLAGGED** for review (flag-first approach):
+
+1. **Suspicious Words**: "Free Software Solutions" (flagged but allowed)
+2. **URLs**: "Visit our site: bit.ly/win-prize" (flagged but allowed)
+3. **Cryptocurrency**: "🔔 $50,000 BLOCKCHAIN COMPENSATION" (flagged but allowed)
+4. **Urgency**: "URGENT! Click here NOW!!!" (flagged but allowed)
+5. **Generic Names**: "Test Company", "Demo Organization" (flagged but allowed)
+6. **Excessive Numbers**: "Company12345" (flagged but allowed)
+7. **Single Emoji**: "Great Company 💰" (flagged but allowed)
+
+### BLOCKED Patterns (zero-tolerance - score > 80):
+
+1. **Known Spam Domains**: "CLICK LINK: gclnk.com/spam"
+2. **Extreme Scam Patterns**: "🔔CHECK $213,953 BLOCKCHAIN COMPENSATION URGENT🔔"
+3. **Obvious Spam URLs**: Content with bit.ly/scam patterns
+
+### Whitelisted (Will NOT be flagged):
+
+1. **Legitimate Business**: "Microsoft Corporation", "Free Software Company"
+2. **Standard Suffixes**: "ABC Solutions Inc", "XYZ Consulting LLC" 
+3. **Tech Companies**: "DataTech Services", "The Design Studio"
+4. **Context-Aware**: "Free Range Marketing", "Check Point Systems"
+5. **Legitimate "Test"**: "TestDrive Automotive" (not generic)
+
+### Expected Behavior
+
+1. **Suspicious Signup**: Flagged in logs, user allowed to proceed
+2. **Obvious Spam Signup**: Blocked with user-friendly message
+3. **Suspicious Invitations**: Flagged in logs, invitation sent
+4. **Obvious Spam Invitations**: Blocked with support contact suggestion
+5. **Frontend**: Shows warning message for suspicious content
+6. **Logger**: Sends Slack notification for all suspicious activity
+7. **Database**: Records all activity in spam_logs table
+
+## Database Migration
+
+Run these SQL scripts in order:
+
+1. `spam_protection_tables.sql` - Creates new schema
+2. `fix_spam_protection_constraints.sql` - Fixes notification_settings constraints
+
+## Configuration
+
+### Environment Variables
+
+No additional environment variables required. The system uses existing:
+- `COOKIE_SECRET` - For session management
+- Database connection settings
+
+### Adjusting Thresholds
+
+In `spam-detector.ts`:
+```typescript
+const isSpam = score >= 50; // Adjust threshold here
+```
+
+In `rate-limiter.ts`:
+```typescript
+inviteRateLimit(5, 15 * 60 * 1000) // 5 requests per 15 minutes
+```
+
+## Monitoring
+
+### Check Spam Statistics
+```sql
+SELECT * FROM moderation_dashboard;
+SELECT COUNT(*) FROM spam_logs WHERE created_at > NOW() - INTERVAL '24 hours';
+```
+
+### View Rate Limit Events
+```sql
+SELECT * FROM rate_limit_log WHERE blocked = true ORDER BY created_at DESC;
+```
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+### Issue: Legitimate users blocked
+
+1. Check spam_logs for their content
+2. Adjust spam patterns or scoring threshold
+3. Whitelist specific domains if needed
+
+### Issue: Notification settings error during signup
+
+Run the fix script: `fix_spam_protection_constraints.sql`
+
+### Issue: Slack notifications not received
+
+1. Check winston logger configuration
+2. Verify log levels in `logger.ts`
+3. Ensure Slack webhook is configured
+
+## Future Enhancements
+
+1. **Machine Learning**: Train on spam_logs data
+2. **IP Blocking**: Geographic or reputation-based blocking
+3. **CAPTCHA Integration**: For suspicious signups
+4. **Email Verification**: Stronger email validation
+5. **Allowlist Management**: Pre-approved domains
+
+## Security Considerations
+
+- Logs contain sensitive data - ensure proper access controls
+- Rate limit data stored in memory - consider Redis for scaling
+- Spam patterns should be regularly updated
+- Monitor for false positives and adjust accordingly
--- a/worklenz-backend/database/sql/fix_spam_protection_constraints.sql
+++ b/worklenz-backend/database/sql/fix_spam_protection_constraints.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+-- Fix for notification_settings constraint issue during signup
+-- This makes the team_id nullable temporarily during user creation
+
+-- First, drop the existing NOT NULL constraint
+ALTER TABLE notification_settings 
+ALTER COLUMN team_id DROP NOT NULL;
+
+-- Add a constraint that ensures team_id is not null when there's no ongoing signup
+ALTER TABLE notification_settings 
+ADD CONSTRAINT notification_settings_team_id_check 
+CHECK (team_id IS NOT NULL OR user_id IS NOT NULL);
+
+-- Update the notification_settings trigger to handle null team_id gracefully
+CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION notification_settings_insert_trigger_fn() RETURNS TRIGGER AS
+$$
+BEGIN
+    -- Only insert if team_id is not null
+    IF NEW.team_id IS NOT NULL AND 
+       (NOT EXISTS(SELECT 1 FROM notification_settings WHERE team_id = NEW.team_id AND user_id = NEW.user_id)) AND
+       (NEW.active = TRUE)
+    THEN
+        INSERT INTO notification_settings (popup_notifications_enabled, show_unread_items_count, user_id,
+                                           email_notifications_enabled, team_id, daily_digest_enabled)
+        VALUES (TRUE, TRUE, NEW.user_id, TRUE, NEW.team_id, FALSE);
+    END IF;
+    RETURN NEW;
+END;
+$$ LANGUAGE plpgsql;
+
+-- Also update the teams table to ensure the status column doesn't interfere with signup
+ALTER TABLE teams 
+DROP CONSTRAINT IF EXISTS teams_status_check;
+
+ALTER TABLE teams 
+ADD CONSTRAINT teams_status_check 
+CHECK (status IS NULL OR status IN ('active', 'flagged', 'suspended'));
+
+-- Set default value for status
+ALTER TABLE teams 
+ALTER COLUMN status SET DEFAULT 'active';
+
+-- Update existing null values
+UPDATE teams SET status = 'active' WHERE status IS NULL;
--- a/worklenz-backend/database/sql/spam_protection_tables.sql
+++ b/worklenz-backend/database/sql/spam_protection_tables.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,220 @@
+-- Add minimal status column to teams table for performance
+ALTER TABLE teams 
+ADD COLUMN IF NOT EXISTS status VARCHAR(20) DEFAULT 'active' CHECK (status IN ('active', 'flagged', 'suspended'));
+
+-- Create separate moderation table for detailed tracking
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS team_moderation (
+    id UUID PRIMARY KEY DEFAULT gen_random_uuid(),
+    team_id UUID NOT NULL REFERENCES teams(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
+    status VARCHAR(20) NOT NULL CHECK (status IN ('flagged', 'suspended', 'restored')),
+    reason TEXT,
+    moderator_id UUID REFERENCES users(id),
+    created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT NOW(),
+    expires_at TIMESTAMP, -- For temporary suspensions
+    metadata JSONB -- For additional context
+);
+
+-- Create indexes for efficient querying
+CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_teams_status ON teams(status, created_at);
+CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_team_moderation_team_id ON team_moderation(team_id);
+CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_team_moderation_status ON team_moderation(status, created_at);
+
+-- Create spam_logs table to track spam detection events
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS spam_logs (
+    id UUID PRIMARY KEY DEFAULT gen_random_uuid(),
+    team_id UUID REFERENCES teams(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
+    user_id UUID REFERENCES users(id) ON DELETE SET NULL,
+    content_type VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL, -- 'organization_name', 'owner_name', 'invitation'
+    original_content TEXT NOT NULL,
+    sanitized_content TEXT,
+    spam_score INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
+    spam_reasons JSONB,
+    is_high_risk BOOLEAN DEFAULT FALSE,
+    action_taken VARCHAR(50), -- 'blocked', 'flagged', 'allowed'
+    created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT NOW(),
+    ip_address INET
+);
+
+-- Create index for spam logs
+CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_spam_logs_team_id ON spam_logs(team_id);
+CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_spam_logs_created_at ON spam_logs(created_at);
+CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_spam_logs_content_type ON spam_logs(content_type);
+
+-- Create rate_limit_log table to track rate limiting events
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS rate_limit_log (
+    id UUID PRIMARY KEY DEFAULT gen_random_uuid(),
+    user_id UUID REFERENCES users(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
+    ip_address INET NOT NULL,
+    action_type VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL, -- 'invite_attempt', 'org_creation'
+    blocked BOOLEAN DEFAULT FALSE,
+    created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT NOW()
+);
+
+-- Create index for rate limit logs
+CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_rate_limit_log_user_id ON rate_limit_log(user_id);
+CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_rate_limit_log_created_at ON rate_limit_log(created_at);
+
+-- Add admin flag to users table if it doesn't exist
+ALTER TABLE users 
+ADD COLUMN IF NOT EXISTS is_admin BOOLEAN DEFAULT FALSE;
+
+-- Function to log spam detection
+CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION log_spam_detection(
+    p_team_id UUID,
+    p_user_id UUID,
+    p_content_type VARCHAR(50),
+    p_original_content TEXT,
+    p_sanitized_content TEXT,
+    p_spam_score INTEGER,
+    p_spam_reasons JSONB,
+    p_is_high_risk BOOLEAN,
+    p_action_taken VARCHAR(50),
+    p_ip_address INET
+) RETURNS VOID AS $$
+BEGIN
+    INSERT INTO spam_logs (
+        team_id, user_id, content_type, original_content, sanitized_content,
+        spam_score, spam_reasons, is_high_risk, action_taken, ip_address
+    ) VALUES (
+        p_team_id, p_user_id, p_content_type, p_original_content, p_sanitized_content,
+        p_spam_score, p_spam_reasons, p_is_high_risk, p_action_taken, p_ip_address
+    );
+END;
+$$ LANGUAGE plpgsql;
+
+-- Function to log rate limiting events
+CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION log_rate_limit_event(
+    p_user_id UUID,
+    p_ip_address INET,
+    p_action_type VARCHAR(50),
+    p_blocked BOOLEAN
+) RETURNS VOID AS $$
+BEGIN
+    INSERT INTO rate_limit_log (user_id, ip_address, action_type, blocked)
+    VALUES (p_user_id, p_ip_address, p_action_type, p_blocked);
+END;
+$$ LANGUAGE plpgsql;
+
+-- Function to get spam statistics for a team
+CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION get_team_spam_stats(p_team_id UUID)
+RETURNS TABLE (
+    total_detections BIGINT,
+    high_risk_detections BIGINT,
+    blocked_actions BIGINT,
+    latest_detection TIMESTAMP
+) AS $$
+BEGIN
+    RETURN QUERY
+    SELECT 
+        COUNT(*) as total_detections,
+        COUNT(*) FILTER (WHERE is_high_risk = TRUE) as high_risk_detections,
+        COUNT(*) FILTER (WHERE action_taken = 'blocked') as blocked_actions,
+        MAX(created_at) as latest_detection
+    FROM spam_logs 
+    WHERE team_id = p_team_id;
+END;
+$$ LANGUAGE plpgsql;
+
+-- View for easy moderation dashboard
+CREATE OR REPLACE VIEW moderation_dashboard AS
+SELECT 
+    t.id as team_id,
+    t.name as organization_name,
+    u.name as owner_name,
+    u.email as owner_email,
+    t.created_at as team_created_at,
+    t.status as current_status,
+    tm.status as last_moderation_action,
+    tm.reason as last_moderation_reason,
+    tm.created_at as last_moderation_date,
+    tm.expires_at as suspension_expires_at,
+    moderator.name as moderator_name,
+    (SELECT COUNT(*) FROM team_members WHERE team_id = t.id) as member_count,
+    (SELECT COUNT(*) FROM spam_logs WHERE team_id = t.id) as spam_detection_count,
+    (SELECT COUNT(*) FROM spam_logs WHERE team_id = t.id AND is_high_risk = TRUE) as high_risk_count
+FROM teams t
+INNER JOIN users u ON t.user_id = u.id
+LEFT JOIN team_moderation tm ON t.id = tm.team_id 
+    AND tm.created_at = (SELECT MAX(created_at) FROM team_moderation WHERE team_id = t.id)
+LEFT JOIN users moderator ON tm.moderator_id = moderator.id
+WHERE t.status != 'active' OR EXISTS(
+    SELECT 1 FROM spam_logs WHERE team_id = t.id AND created_at > NOW() - INTERVAL '7 days'
+);
+
+-- Function to update team status and create moderation records
+CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION update_team_status(
+    p_team_id UUID,
+    p_new_status VARCHAR(20),
+    p_reason TEXT,
+    p_moderator_id UUID DEFAULT NULL,
+    p_expires_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT NULL
+) RETURNS VOID AS $$
+BEGIN
+    -- Update team status
+    UPDATE teams SET status = p_new_status WHERE id = p_team_id;
+    
+    -- Insert moderation record
+    INSERT INTO team_moderation (team_id, status, reason, moderator_id, expires_at)
+    VALUES (p_team_id, p_new_status, p_reason, p_moderator_id, p_expires_at);
+END;
+$$ LANGUAGE plpgsql;
+
+-- Trigger to automatically flag teams with high spam scores
+CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION auto_flag_spam_teams()
+RETURNS TRIGGER AS $$
+BEGIN
+    -- Auto-flag teams if they have high spam scores or multiple violations
+    IF NEW.spam_score > 80 OR NEW.is_high_risk = TRUE THEN
+        PERFORM update_team_status(
+            NEW.team_id,
+            'flagged',
+            'Auto-flagged: High spam score or high-risk content detected',
+            NULL
+        );
+    END IF;
+    
+    RETURN NEW;
+END;
+$$ LANGUAGE plpgsql;
+
+-- Function to check and restore expired suspensions
+CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION restore_expired_suspensions() RETURNS VOID AS $$
+BEGIN
+    -- Find teams with expired suspensions
+    UPDATE teams 
+    SET status = 'active'
+    WHERE id IN (
+        SELECT DISTINCT tm.team_id 
+        FROM team_moderation tm
+        WHERE tm.status = 'suspended' 
+        AND tm.expires_at IS NOT NULL 
+        AND tm.expires_at < NOW()
+        AND NOT EXISTS (
+            SELECT 1 FROM team_moderation tm2 
+            WHERE tm2.team_id = tm.team_id 
+            AND tm2.created_at > tm.created_at
+        )
+    );
+    
+    -- Log restoration records
+    INSERT INTO team_moderation (team_id, status, reason, moderator_id)
+    SELECT DISTINCT tm.team_id, 'restored', 'Auto-restored: suspension expired', NULL
+    FROM team_moderation tm
+    WHERE tm.status = 'suspended' 
+    AND tm.expires_at IS NOT NULL 
+    AND tm.expires_at < NOW()
+    AND NOT EXISTS (
+        SELECT 1 FROM team_moderation tm2 
+        WHERE tm2.team_id = tm.team_id 
+        AND tm2.created_at > tm.created_at
+        AND tm2.status = 'restored'
+    );
+END;
+$$ LANGUAGE plpgsql;
+
+-- Create trigger for auto-flagging
+DROP TRIGGER IF EXISTS trigger_auto_flag_spam ON spam_logs;
+CREATE TRIGGER trigger_auto_flag_spam
+    AFTER INSERT ON spam_logs
+    FOR EACH ROW
+    EXECUTE FUNCTION auto_flag_spam_teams();
--- a/worklenz-backend/src/controllers/moderation-controller.ts
+++ b/worklenz-backend/src/controllers/moderation-controller.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,253 @@
+import { IWorkLenzRequest } from "../interfaces/worklenz-request";
+import { IWorkLenzResponse } from "../interfaces/worklenz-response";
+import { ServerResponse } from "../models/server-response";
+import WorklenzControllerBase from "./worklenz-controller-base";
+import HandleExceptions from "../decorators/handle-exceptions";
+import db from "../config/db";
+import { SpamDetector } from "../utils/spam-detector";
+import { RateLimiter } from "../middleware/rate-limiter";
+
+export default class ModerationController extends WorklenzControllerBase {
+
+  @HandleExceptions()
+  public static async getFlaggedOrganizations(req: IWorkLenzRequest, res: IWorkLenzResponse): Promise<IWorkLenzResponse> {
+    if (!req.user?.is_admin) {
+      return res.status(403).send(new ServerResponse(false, null, "Admin access required"));
+    }
+
+    const q = `
+      SELECT * FROM moderation_dashboard
+      ORDER BY last_moderation_date DESC
+      LIMIT 100;
+    `;
+    
+    const result = await db.query(q);
+    
+    // Add spam analysis to each result
+    const flaggedTeams = result.rows.map(team => {
+      const orgSpamCheck = SpamDetector.detectSpam(team.organization_name);
+      const ownerSpamCheck = SpamDetector.detectSpam(team.owner_name);
+      
+      return {
+        ...team,
+        org_spam_score: orgSpamCheck.score,
+        org_spam_reasons: orgSpamCheck.reasons,
+        owner_spam_score: ownerSpamCheck.score,
+        owner_spam_reasons: ownerSpamCheck.reasons,
+        is_high_risk: SpamDetector.isHighRiskContent(team.organization_name) || 
+                      SpamDetector.isHighRiskContent(team.owner_name)
+      };
+    });
+
+    return res.status(200).send(new ServerResponse(true, flaggedTeams));
+  }
+
+  @HandleExceptions()
+  public static async flagOrganization(req: IWorkLenzRequest, res: IWorkLenzResponse): Promise<IWorkLenzResponse> {
+    if (!req.user?.is_admin) {
+      return res.status(403).send(new ServerResponse(false, null, "Admin access required"));
+    }
+
+    const { teamId, reason } = req.body;
+    if (!teamId) {
+      return res.status(400).send(new ServerResponse(false, null, "Team ID is required"));
+    }
+
+    const q = `SELECT update_team_status($1, 'flagged', $2, $3) as result`;
+    const result = await db.query(q, [teamId, reason || 'Spam/Abuse', req.user.id]);
+    
+    const teamQuery = `SELECT id, name FROM teams WHERE id = $1`;
+    const teamResult = await db.query(teamQuery, [teamId]);
+    
+    if (teamResult.rows.length === 0) {
+      return res.status(404).send(new ServerResponse(false, null, "Organization not found"));
+    }
+
+    return res.status(200).send(new ServerResponse(true, teamResult.rows[0], "Organization flagged successfully"));
+  }
+
+  @HandleExceptions()
+  public static async suspendOrganization(req: IWorkLenzRequest, res: IWorkLenzResponse): Promise<IWorkLenzResponse> {
+    if (!req.user?.is_admin) {
+      return res.status(403).send(new ServerResponse(false, null, "Admin access required"));
+    }
+
+    const { teamId, reason, expiresAt } = req.body;
+    if (!teamId) {
+      return res.status(400).send(new ServerResponse(false, null, "Team ID is required"));
+    }
+
+    const q = `SELECT update_team_status($1, 'suspended', $2, $3, $4) as result`;
+    const result = await db.query(q, [teamId, reason || 'Terms of Service Violation', req.user.id, expiresAt || null]);
+    
+    const teamQuery = `SELECT id, name FROM teams WHERE id = $1`;
+    const teamResult = await db.query(teamQuery, [teamId]);
+    
+    if (teamResult.rows.length === 0) {
+      return res.status(404).send(new ServerResponse(false, null, "Organization not found"));
+    }
+
+    return res.status(200).send(new ServerResponse(true, teamResult.rows[0], "Organization suspended successfully"));
+  }
+
+  @HandleExceptions()
+  public static async unsuspendOrganization(req: IWorkLenzRequest, res: IWorkLenzResponse): Promise<IWorkLenzResponse> {
+    if (!req.user?.is_admin) {
+      return res.status(403).send(new ServerResponse(false, null, "Admin access required"));
+    }
+
+    const { teamId } = req.body;
+    if (!teamId) {
+      return res.status(400).send(new ServerResponse(false, null, "Team ID is required"));
+    }
+
+    const q = `SELECT update_team_status($1, 'active', 'Manually restored by admin', $2) as result`;
+    const result = await db.query(q, [teamId, req.user.id]);
+    
+    const teamQuery = `SELECT id, name FROM teams WHERE id = $1`;
+    const teamResult = await db.query(teamQuery, [teamId]);
+    
+    if (teamResult.rows.length === 0) {
+      return res.status(404).send(new ServerResponse(false, null, "Organization not found"));
+    }
+
+    return res.status(200).send(new ServerResponse(true, teamResult.rows[0], "Organization restored successfully"));
+  }
+
+  @HandleExceptions()
+  public static async scanForSpam(req: IWorkLenzRequest, res: IWorkLenzResponse): Promise<IWorkLenzResponse> {
+    if (!req.user?.is_admin) {
+      return res.status(403).send(new ServerResponse(false, null, "Admin access required"));
+    }
+
+    const q = `
+      SELECT t.id, t.name as organization_name, u.name as owner_name, u.email as owner_email, 
+             t.created_at
+      FROM teams t 
+      INNER JOIN users u ON t.user_id = u.id
+      WHERE t.status = 'active'
+      AND t.created_at > NOW() - INTERVAL '7 days'
+      ORDER BY t.created_at DESC;
+    `;
+    
+    const result = await db.query(q);
+    const suspiciousTeams = [];
+
+    for (const team of result.rows) {
+      const orgSpamCheck = SpamDetector.detectSpam(team.organization_name);
+      const ownerSpamCheck = SpamDetector.detectSpam(team.owner_name);
+      
+      if (orgSpamCheck.isSpam || ownerSpamCheck.isSpam || 
+          SpamDetector.isHighRiskContent(team.organization_name) ||
+          SpamDetector.isHighRiskContent(team.owner_name)) {
+        
+        suspiciousTeams.push({
+          ...team,
+          org_spam_score: orgSpamCheck.score,
+          org_spam_reasons: orgSpamCheck.reasons,
+          owner_spam_score: ownerSpamCheck.score,
+          owner_spam_reasons: ownerSpamCheck.reasons,
+          is_high_risk: SpamDetector.isHighRiskContent(team.organization_name) || 
+                        SpamDetector.isHighRiskContent(team.owner_name)
+        });
+      }
+    }
+
+    return res.status(200).send(new ServerResponse(true, {
+      total_scanned: result.rows.length,
+      suspicious_count: suspiciousTeams.length,
+      suspicious_teams: suspiciousTeams
+    }));
+  }
+
+  @HandleExceptions()
+  public static async getModerationStats(req: IWorkLenzRequest, res: IWorkLenzResponse): Promise<IWorkLenzResponse> {
+    if (!req.user?.is_admin) {
+      return res.status(403).send(new ServerResponse(false, null, "Admin access required"));
+    }
+
+    const statsQuery = `
+      SELECT 
+        (SELECT COUNT(*) FROM teams WHERE status = 'flagged') as flagged_count,
+        (SELECT COUNT(*) FROM teams WHERE status = 'suspended') as suspended_count,
+        (SELECT COUNT(*) FROM teams WHERE created_at > NOW() - INTERVAL '24 hours') as new_teams_24h,
+        (SELECT COUNT(*) FROM teams WHERE created_at > NOW() - INTERVAL '7 days') as new_teams_7d
+    `;
+    
+    const result = await db.query(statsQuery);
+    const stats = result.rows[0];
+
+    // Get rate limiting stats for recent activity
+    const recentInviteActivity = RateLimiter.getStats(req.user?.id || '');
+
+    return res.status(200).send(new ServerResponse(true, {
+      ...stats,
+      rate_limit_stats: recentInviteActivity
+    }));
+  }
+
+  @HandleExceptions()
+  public static async bulkScanAndFlag(req: IWorkLenzRequest, res: IWorkLenzResponse): Promise<IWorkLenzResponse> {
+    if (!req.user?.is_admin) {
+      return res.status(403).send(new ServerResponse(false, null, "Admin access required"));
+    }
+
+    const { autoFlag = false } = req.body;
+
+    const q = `
+      SELECT t.id, t.name as organization_name, u.name as owner_name
+      FROM teams t 
+      INNER JOIN users u ON t.user_id = u.id
+      WHERE t.status = 'active'
+      AND t.created_at > NOW() - INTERVAL '30 days'
+      LIMIT 1000;
+    `;
+    
+    const result = await db.query(q);
+    const flaggedTeams = [];
+
+    for (const team of result.rows) {
+      const orgSpamCheck = SpamDetector.detectSpam(team.organization_name);
+      const ownerSpamCheck = SpamDetector.detectSpam(team.owner_name);
+      const isHighRisk = SpamDetector.isHighRiskContent(team.organization_name) || 
+                         SpamDetector.isHighRiskContent(team.owner_name);
+      
+      if ((orgSpamCheck.score > 70 || ownerSpamCheck.score > 70 || isHighRisk) && autoFlag) {
+        // Auto-flag high-confidence spam
+        const reasons = [
+          ...orgSpamCheck.reasons,
+          ...ownerSpamCheck.reasons,
+          ...(isHighRisk ? ['High-risk content detected'] : [])
+        ];
+        
+        const flagQuery = `SELECT update_team_status($1, 'flagged', $2, $3) as result`;
+        await db.query(flagQuery, [
+          team.id,
+          `Auto-flagged: ${reasons.join(', ')}`,
+          req.user.id
+        ]);
+        
+        flaggedTeams.push({
+          ...team,
+          action: 'flagged',
+          reasons: reasons
+        });
+      } else if (orgSpamCheck.isSpam || ownerSpamCheck.isSpam || isHighRisk) {
+        flaggedTeams.push({
+          ...team,
+          action: 'review_needed',
+          org_spam_score: orgSpamCheck.score,
+          owner_spam_score: ownerSpamCheck.score,
+          reasons: [...orgSpamCheck.reasons, ...ownerSpamCheck.reasons, ...(isHighRisk ? ['High-risk content'] : [])]
+        });
+      }
+    }
+
+    return res.status(200).send(new ServerResponse(true, {
+      total_scanned: result.rows.length,
+      auto_flagged: flaggedTeams.filter(t => t.action === 'flagged').length,
+      needs_review: flaggedTeams.filter(t => t.action === 'review_needed').length,
+      teams: flaggedTeams
+    }));
+  }
+}
--- a/worklenz-backend/src/controllers/team-members-controller.ts
+++ b/worklenz-backend/src/controllers/team-members-controller.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@ import { statusExclude, TEAM_MEMBER_TREE_MAP_COLOR_ALPHA, TRIAL_MEMBER_LIMIT } f
 import { checkTeamSubscriptionStatus } from "../shared/paddle-utils";
 import { updateUsers } from "../shared/paddle-requests";
 import { NotificationsService } from "../services/notifications/notifications.service";
+import { SpamDetector } from "../utils/spam-detector";
+import loggerModule from "../utils/logger";
+
+const { logger } = loggerModule;

 export default class TeamMembersController extends WorklenzControllerBase {

@@ -72,7 +76,8 @@ export default class TeamMembersController extends WorklenzControllerBase {

  @HandleExceptions({
    raisedExceptions: {
-      "ERROR_EMAIL_INVITATION_EXISTS": `Team member with email "{0}" already exists.`
+      "ERROR_EMAIL_INVITATION_EXISTS": `Team member with email "{0}" already exists.`,
+      "ERROR_SPAM_DETECTED": `Invitation blocked: {0}`
    }
  })
  public static async create(req: IWorkLenzRequest, res: IWorkLenzResponse): Promise<IWorkLenzResponse> {
@@ -82,6 +87,54 @@ export default class TeamMembersController extends WorklenzControllerBase {
      return res.status(200).send(new ServerResponse(false, "Required fields are missing."));
    }

+    // Validate organization name for spam - Flag suspicious, block only obvious spam
+    const orgSpamCheck = SpamDetector.detectSpam(req.user?.team_name || '');
+    const ownerSpamCheck = SpamDetector.detectSpam(req.user?.name || '');
+    
+    // Only block extremely suspicious content for invitations (higher threshold)
+    const isObviousSpam = orgSpamCheck.score > 70 || ownerSpamCheck.score > 70 ||
+                         SpamDetector.isHighRiskContent(req.user?.team_name || '') ||
+                         SpamDetector.isHighRiskContent(req.user?.name || '');
+    
+    if (isObviousSpam) {
+      logger.error('🛑 INVITATION BLOCKED - OBVIOUS SPAM', {
+        user_id: req.user?.id,
+        user_email: req.user?.email,
+        team_id: req.user?.team_id,
+        team_name: req.user?.team_name,
+        owner_name: req.user?.name,
+        org_spam_score: orgSpamCheck.score,
+        owner_spam_score: ownerSpamCheck.score,
+        org_reasons: orgSpamCheck.reasons,
+        owner_reasons: ownerSpamCheck.reasons,
+        ip_address: req.ip,
+        timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
+        alert_type: 'obvious_spam_invitation_blocked'
+      });
+      return res.status(200).send(new ServerResponse(false, null, `Invitations temporarily disabled. Please contact support for assistance.`));
+    }
+    
+    // Log suspicious but allow invitations
+    if (orgSpamCheck.score > 0 || ownerSpamCheck.score > 0) {
+      logger.warn('⚠️ SUSPICIOUS INVITATION ATTEMPT', {
+        user_id: req.user?.id,
+        user_email: req.user?.email,
+        team_id: req.user?.team_id,
+        team_name: req.user?.team_name,
+        owner_name: req.user?.name,
+        org_spam_score: orgSpamCheck.score,
+        owner_spam_score: ownerSpamCheck.score,
+        org_reasons: orgSpamCheck.reasons,
+        owner_reasons: ownerSpamCheck.reasons,
+        ip_address: req.ip,
+        timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
+        alert_type: 'suspicious_invitation_flagged'
+      });
+      // Continue with invitation but flag for review
+    }
+
+    // High-risk content already checked above in isObviousSpam condition
+
    /**
   * Checks the subscription status of the team.
   * @type {Object} subscriptionData - Object containing subscription information
--- a/worklenz-backend/src/middleware/rate-limiter.ts
+++ b/worklenz-backend/src/middleware/rate-limiter.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,141 @@
+import { NextFunction } from "express";
+import { IWorkLenzRequest } from "../interfaces/worklenz-request";
+import { IWorkLenzResponse } from "../interfaces/worklenz-response";
+import { ServerResponse } from "../models/server-response";
+import loggerModule from "../utils/logger";
+
+const { logger } = loggerModule;
+
+interface RateLimitStore {
+  [key: string]: {
+    count: number;
+    resetTime: number;
+  };
+}
+
+export class RateLimiter {
+  private static store: RateLimitStore = {};
+  private static cleanupInterval: NodeJS.Timeout;
+
+  static {
+    // Clean up expired entries every 5 minutes
+    this.cleanupInterval = setInterval(() => {
+      const now = Date.now();
+      Object.keys(this.store).forEach(key => {
+        if (this.store[key].resetTime < now) {
+          delete this.store[key];
+        }
+      });
+    }, 5 * 60 * 1000);
+  }
+
+  public static inviteRateLimit(
+    maxRequests = 5,
+    windowMs: number = 15 * 60 * 1000 // 15 minutes
+  ) {
+    return (req: IWorkLenzRequest, res: IWorkLenzResponse, next: NextFunction) => {
+      const identifier = req.user?.id || req.ip;
+      const key = `invite_${identifier}`;
+      const now = Date.now();
+
+      if (!this.store[key] || this.store[key].resetTime < now) {
+        this.store[key] = {
+          count: 1,
+          resetTime: now + windowMs
+        };
+        return next();
+      }
+
+      if (this.store[key].count >= maxRequests) {
+        const remainingTime = Math.ceil((this.store[key].resetTime - now) / 1000);
+        
+        // Log rate limit exceeded for Slack notifications
+        logger.warn("⚠️ RATE LIMIT EXCEEDED - INVITE ATTEMPTS", {
+          user_id: req.user?.id,
+          user_email: req.user?.email,
+          ip_address: req.ip,
+          attempts: this.store[key].count,
+          max_attempts: maxRequests,
+          remaining_time: remainingTime,
+          timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
+          alert_type: "rate_limit_exceeded"
+        });
+        
+        return res.status(429).send(
+          new ServerResponse(
+            false, 
+            null, 
+            `Too many invitation attempts. Please try again in ${remainingTime} seconds.`
+          )
+        );
+      }
+
+      this.store[key].count++;
+      next();
+    };
+  }
+
+  public static organizationCreationRateLimit(
+    maxRequests = 3,
+    windowMs: number = 60 * 60 * 1000 // 1 hour
+  ) {
+    return (req: IWorkLenzRequest, res: IWorkLenzResponse, next: NextFunction) => {
+      const identifier = req.user?.id || req.ip;
+      const key = `org_creation_${identifier}`;
+      const now = Date.now();
+
+      if (!this.store[key] || this.store[key].resetTime < now) {
+        this.store[key] = {
+          count: 1,
+          resetTime: now + windowMs
+        };
+        return next();
+      }
+
+      if (this.store[key].count >= maxRequests) {
+        const remainingTime = Math.ceil((this.store[key].resetTime - now) / (1000 * 60));
+        
+        // Log organization creation rate limit exceeded
+        logger.warn("⚠️ RATE LIMIT EXCEEDED - ORG CREATION", {
+          user_id: req.user?.id,
+          user_email: req.user?.email,
+          ip_address: req.ip,
+          attempts: this.store[key].count,
+          max_attempts: maxRequests,
+          remaining_time_minutes: remainingTime,
+          timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
+          alert_type: "org_creation_rate_limit"
+        });
+        
+        return res.status(429).send(
+          new ServerResponse(
+            false, 
+            null, 
+            `Too many organization creation attempts. Please try again in ${remainingTime} minutes.`
+          )
+        );
+      }
+
+      this.store[key].count++;
+      next();
+    };
+  }
+
+  public static getStats(identifier: string): { invites: number; orgCreations: number } {
+    const inviteKey = `invite_${identifier}`;
+    const orgKey = `org_creation_${identifier}`;
+    
+    return {
+      invites: this.store[inviteKey]?.count || 0,
+      orgCreations: this.store[orgKey]?.count || 0
+    };
+  }
+
+  public static clearStats(identifier: string): void {
+    const inviteKey = `invite_${identifier}`;
+    const orgKey = `org_creation_${identifier}`;
+    
+    delete this.store[inviteKey];
+    delete this.store[orgKey];
+  }
+}
--- a/worklenz-backend/src/passport/passport-strategies/passport-local-signup.ts
+++ b/worklenz-backend/src/passport/passport-strategies/passport-local-signup.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@ import {log_error} from "../../shared/utils";
 import db from "../../config/db";
 import {Request} from "express";
 import {ERROR_KEY, SUCCESS_KEY} from "./passport-constants";
+import { SpamDetector } from "../../utils/spam-detector";
+import loggerModule from "../../utils/logger";
+
+const { logger } = loggerModule;

 async function isGoogleAccountFound(email: string) {
  const q = `
@@ -49,12 +53,111 @@ async function handleSignUp(req: Request, email: string, password: string, done:

  if (!team_name) return done(null, null, req.flash(ERROR_KEY, "Team name is required"));

+  // Check for spam in team name - Flag suspicious but allow signup
+  const teamNameSpamCheck = SpamDetector.detectSpam(team_name);
+  if (teamNameSpamCheck.score > 0 || teamNameSpamCheck.reasons.length > 0) {
+    logger.warn('⚠️ SUSPICIOUS SIGNUP - TEAM NAME', {
+      email,
+      team_name,
+      user_name: name,
+      spam_score: teamNameSpamCheck.score,
+      reasons: teamNameSpamCheck.reasons,
+      ip_address: req.ip,
+      timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
+      alert_type: 'suspicious_signup_flagged'
+    });
+    // Continue with signup but flag for review
+  }
+
+  // Check for spam in user name - Flag suspicious but allow signup
+  const userNameSpamCheck = SpamDetector.detectSpam(name);
+  if (userNameSpamCheck.score > 0 || userNameSpamCheck.reasons.length > 0) {
+    logger.warn('⚠️ SUSPICIOUS SIGNUP - USER NAME', {
+      email,
+      team_name,
+      user_name: name,
+      spam_score: userNameSpamCheck.score,
+      reasons: userNameSpamCheck.reasons,
+      ip_address: req.ip,
+      timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
+      alert_type: 'suspicious_signup_flagged'
+    });
+    // Continue with signup but flag for review
+  }
+
+  // Only block EXTREMELY high-risk content (known spam domains, obvious scams)
+  if (SpamDetector.isHighRiskContent(team_name) || SpamDetector.isHighRiskContent(name)) {
+    // Check if it's REALLY obvious spam (very high scores)
+    const isObviousSpam = teamNameSpamCheck.score > 80 || userNameSpamCheck.score > 80 || 
+                         /gclnk\.com|bit\.ly\/scam|win.*\$\d+.*crypto/i.test(team_name + ' ' + name);
+    
+    if (isObviousSpam) {
+      logger.error('🛑 SIGNUP BLOCKED - OBVIOUS SPAM', {
+        email,
+        team_name,
+        user_name: name,
+        team_spam_score: teamNameSpamCheck.score,
+        user_spam_score: userNameSpamCheck.score,
+        ip_address: req.ip,
+        timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
+        alert_type: 'obvious_spam_blocked'
+      });
+      return done(null, null, req.flash(ERROR_KEY, "Registration temporarily unavailable. Please contact support if you need immediate access."));
+    } else {
+      // High-risk but not obviously spam - flag and allow
+      logger.error('🔥 HIGH RISK SIGNUP - FLAGGED', {
+        email,
+        team_name,
+        user_name: name,
+        team_spam_score: teamNameSpamCheck.score,
+        user_spam_score: userNameSpamCheck.score,
+        ip_address: req.ip,
+        timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
+        alert_type: 'high_risk_signup_flagged'
+      });
+      // Continue with signup but flag for immediate review
+    }
+  }
+
  const googleAccountFound = await isGoogleAccountFound(email);
  if (googleAccountFound)
    return done(null, null, req.flash(ERROR_KEY, `${req.body.email} is already linked with a Google account.`));

  try {
    const user = await registerUser(password, team_id, name, team_name, email, timezone, team_member_id);
+    
+    // If signup was suspicious, flag the team for review after creation
+    const totalSuspicionScore = (teamNameSpamCheck.score || 0) + (userNameSpamCheck.score || 0);
+    if (totalSuspicionScore > 0) {
+      // Flag team for admin review (but don't block user)
+      const flagQuery = `
+        INSERT INTO spam_logs (team_id, user_id, content_type, original_content, spam_score, spam_reasons, action_taken, ip_address)
+        VALUES (
+          (SELECT team_id FROM users WHERE id = $1), 
+          $1, 
+          'signup_review', 
+          $2, 
+          $3, 
+          $4, 
+          'flagged_for_review',
+          $5
+        )
+      `;
+      
+      try {
+        await db.query(flagQuery, [
+          user.id,
+          `Team: ${team_name} | User: ${name}`,
+          totalSuspicionScore,
+          JSON.stringify([...teamNameSpamCheck.reasons, ...userNameSpamCheck.reasons]),
+          req.ip
+        ]);
+      } catch (flagError) {
+        // Don't fail signup if flagging fails
+        logger.warn('Failed to flag suspicious signup for review', { error: flagError, user_id: user.id });
+      }
+    }
+    
    sendWelcomeEmail(email, name);
    return done(null, user, req.flash(SUCCESS_KEY, "Registration successful. Please check your email for verification."));
  } catch (error: any) {
--- a/worklenz-backend/src/routes/apis/index.ts
+++ b/worklenz-backend/src/routes/apis/index.ts
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ import taskRecurringApiRouter from "./task-recurring-api-router";

 import customColumnsApiRouter from "./custom-columns-api-router";
 import userActivityLogsApiRouter from "./user-activity-logs-api-router";
+import moderationApiRouter from "./moderation-api-router";

 const api = express.Router();

@@ -122,4 +123,5 @@ api.use("/task-recurring", taskRecurringApiRouter);
 api.use("/custom-columns", customColumnsApiRouter);

 api.use("/logs", userActivityLogsApiRouter);
+api.use("/moderation", moderationApiRouter);
 export default api;
--- a/worklenz-backend/src/routes/apis/moderation-api-router.ts
+++ b/worklenz-backend/src/routes/apis/moderation-api-router.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+import express from "express";
+import ModerationController from "../../controllers/moderation-controller";
+import safeControllerFunction from "../../shared/safe-controller-function";
+
+const moderationApiRouter = express.Router();
+
+// Admin-only routes for spam/abuse moderation
+moderationApiRouter.get("/flagged-organizations", safeControllerFunction(ModerationController.getFlaggedOrganizations));
+moderationApiRouter.post("/flag-organization", safeControllerFunction(ModerationController.flagOrganization));
+moderationApiRouter.post("/suspend-organization", safeControllerFunction(ModerationController.suspendOrganization));
+moderationApiRouter.post("/unsuspend-organization", safeControllerFunction(ModerationController.unsuspendOrganization));
+moderationApiRouter.get("/scan-spam", safeControllerFunction(ModerationController.scanForSpam));
+moderationApiRouter.get("/stats", safeControllerFunction(ModerationController.getModerationStats));
+moderationApiRouter.post("/bulk-scan", safeControllerFunction(ModerationController.bulkScanAndFlag));
+
+export default moderationApiRouter;
--- a/worklenz-backend/src/routes/apis/team-members-api-router.ts
+++ b/worklenz-backend/src/routes/apis/team-members-api-router.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import idParamValidator from "../../middlewares/validators/id-param-validator";
 import teamMembersBodyValidator from "../../middlewares/validators/team-members-body-validator";
 import teamOwnerOrAdminValidator from "../../middlewares/validators/team-owner-or-admin-validator";
 import safeControllerFunction from "../../shared/safe-controller-function";
+import { RateLimiter } from "../../middleware/rate-limiter";

 const teamMembersApiRouter = express.Router();

@@ -13,7 +14,7 @@ const teamMembersApiRouter = express.Router();
 teamMembersApiRouter.get("/export-all", safeControllerFunction(TeamMembersController.exportAllMembers));
 teamMembersApiRouter.get("/export/:id", idParamValidator, safeControllerFunction(TeamMembersController.exportByMember));

-teamMembersApiRouter.post("/", teamOwnerOrAdminValidator, teamMembersBodyValidator, safeControllerFunction(TeamMembersController.create));
+teamMembersApiRouter.post("/", teamOwnerOrAdminValidator, RateLimiter.inviteRateLimit(5, 15 * 60 * 1000), teamMembersBodyValidator, safeControllerFunction(TeamMembersController.create));
 teamMembersApiRouter.get("/", safeControllerFunction(TeamMembersController.get));
 teamMembersApiRouter.get("/list", safeControllerFunction(TeamMembersController.getTeamMemberList));
 teamMembersApiRouter.get("/tree-map", safeControllerFunction(TeamMembersController.getTeamMembersTreeMap));
@@ -30,6 +31,6 @@ teamMembersApiRouter.put("/:id", teamOwnerOrAdminValidator, idParamValidator, sa
 teamMembersApiRouter.delete("/:id", teamOwnerOrAdminValidator, idParamValidator, safeControllerFunction(TeamMembersController.deleteById));
 teamMembersApiRouter.get("/deactivate/:id", teamOwnerOrAdminValidator, idParamValidator, safeControllerFunction(TeamMembersController.toggleMemberActiveStatus));

-teamMembersApiRouter.put("/add-member/:id", teamOwnerOrAdminValidator, teamMembersBodyValidator, safeControllerFunction(TeamMembersController.addTeamMember));
+teamMembersApiRouter.put("/add-member/:id", teamOwnerOrAdminValidator, RateLimiter.inviteRateLimit(3, 10 * 60 * 1000), teamMembersBodyValidator, safeControllerFunction(TeamMembersController.addTeamMember));

 export default teamMembersApiRouter; 
--- a/worklenz-backend/src/utils/spam-detector.ts
+++ b/worklenz-backend/src/utils/spam-detector.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,244 @@
+import loggerModule from "./logger";
+
+const { logger } = loggerModule;
+
+export interface SpamDetectionResult {
+  isSpam: boolean;
+  score: number;
+  reasons: string[];
+}
+
+export class SpamDetector {
+  // Whitelist for legitimate organizations that might trigger false positives
+  private static readonly WHITELIST_PATTERNS = [
+    /^(microsoft|google|apple|amazon|facebook|meta|twitter|linkedin|github|stackoverflow)$/i,
+    /^.*(inc|llc|ltd|corp|corporation|company|co|group|enterprises|solutions|services|consulting|tech|technologies|agency|studio|lab|labs|systems|software|development|designs?)$/i,
+    // Allow "free" when it's clearly about software/business
+    /free.*(software|source|lance|consulting|solutions|services|tech|development|range|market|trade)/i,
+    /(open|free).*(software|source)/i,
+    // Common legitimate business patterns
+    /^[a-z]+\s+(software|solutions|services|consulting|tech|technologies|systems|development|designs?|agency|studio|labs?|group|company)$/i,
+    /^(the\s+)?[a-z]+\s+(company|group|studio|agency|lab|labs)$/i
+  ];
+
+  private static readonly SPAM_PATTERNS = [
+    // URLs and links
+    /https?:\/\//i,
+    /www\./i,
+    /\b\w+\.(com|net|org|io|co|me|ly|tk|ml|ga|cf|cc|to|us|biz|info|xyz)\b/i,
+    
+    // Common spam phrases
+    /click\s*(here|link|now)/i,
+    /urgent|emergency|immediate|limited.time/i,
+    /win|won|winner|prize|reward|congratulations/i,
+    /free|bonus|gift|offer|special.offer/i,
+    /check\s*(out|this|pay)|verify|claim/i,
+    /blockchain|crypto|bitcoin|compensation|investment/i,
+    /cash|money|dollars?|\$\d+|earn.*money/i,
+    
+    // Excessive special characters
+    /[!]{2,}/,
+    /[🔔⬅👆💰$💎🎁🎉⚡]{1,}/,
+    /\b[A-Z]{4,}\b/,
+    
+    // Suspicious formatting
+    /\s{3,}/,
+    /[.]{3,}/,
+    
+    // Additional suspicious patterns
+    /act.now|don.t.miss|guaranteed|limited.spots/i,
+    /download|install|app|software/i,
+    /survey|questionnaire|feedback/i,
+    /\d+%.*off|save.*\$|discount/i
+  ];
+
+  private static readonly SUSPICIOUS_WORDS = [
+    "urgent", "emergency", "click", "link", "win", "winner", "prize", 
+    "free", "bonus", "cash", "money", "blockchain", "crypto", "compensation",
+    "check", "pay", "reward", "offer", "gift", "congratulations", "claim",
+    "verify", "earn", "investment", "guaranteed", "limited", "exclusive",
+    "download", "install", "survey", "feedback", "discount", "save"
+  ];
+
+  public static detectSpam(text: string): SpamDetectionResult {
+    if (!text || typeof text !== "string") {
+      return { isSpam: false, score: 0, reasons: [] };
+    }
+
+    const normalizedText = text.toLowerCase().trim();
+    const reasons: string[] = [];
+    let score = 0;
+
+    // Check for obviously fake organization names FIRST (before whitelist)
+    if (/^(test|example|demo|fake|spam|abuse|temp)\s*(company|org|corp|inc|llc)?$/i.test(text.trim()) ||
+        /(test|demo|fake|spam|abuse|temp)\s*(123|abc|xyz|\d+)/i.test(text)) {
+      score += 30;
+      reasons.push("Contains generic/test name patterns");
+    }
+    
+    // Check whitelist - bypass remaining checks for whitelisted organizations
+    if (score === 0) { // Only check whitelist if no generic patterns found
+      for (const pattern of this.WHITELIST_PATTERNS) {
+        if (pattern.test(normalizedText)) {
+          return { isSpam: false, score: 0, reasons: [] };
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Check for URL patterns
+    for (const pattern of this.SPAM_PATTERNS) {
+      if (pattern.test(text)) {
+        score += 25; // Lowered from 30 to catch more suspicious content
+        if (pattern.toString().includes("https?") || pattern.toString().includes("www")) {
+          reasons.push("Contains suspicious URLs or links");
+        } else if (pattern.toString().includes("urgent|emergency")) {
+          reasons.push("Contains urgent/emergency language");
+        } else if (pattern.toString().includes("win|won|winner")) {
+          reasons.push("Contains prize/winning language");
+        } else if (pattern.toString().includes("cash|money")) {
+          reasons.push("Contains monetary references");
+        } else if (pattern.toString().includes("blockchain|crypto")) {
+          reasons.push("Contains cryptocurrency references");
+        } else if (pattern.toString().includes("[!]{3,}")) {
+          reasons.push("Excessive use of exclamation marks");
+        } else if (pattern.toString().includes("[🔔⬅👆💰$]")) {
+          reasons.push("Contains suspicious emojis or symbols");
+        } else if (pattern.toString().includes("[A-Z]{5,}")) {
+          reasons.push("Contains excessive capital letters");
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Check for excessive suspicious words - Now with context awareness
+    const suspiciousWords = this.SUSPICIOUS_WORDS.filter(word => {
+      if (!normalizedText.includes(word)) return false;
+      
+      // Context-aware filtering for common false positives
+      if (word === 'free') {
+        // Allow "free" in legitimate software/business contexts
+        return !/free.*(software|source|lance|consulting|solutions|services|tech|development|range|market|trade)/i.test(text);
+      }
+      
+      if (word === 'check') {
+        // Allow "check" in legitimate business contexts  
+        return !/check.*(list|mark|point|out|up|in|book|ing|ed)/i.test(text);
+      }
+      
+      if (word === 'save') {
+        // Allow "save" in legitimate business contexts
+        return !/save.*(data|file|document|time|energy|environment|earth)/i.test(text);
+      }
+      
+      return true; // Other words are still suspicious
+    });
+    
+    if (suspiciousWords.length >= 1) {
+      score += suspiciousWords.length * 20;
+      reasons.push(`Contains ${suspiciousWords.length} suspicious word${suspiciousWords.length > 1 ? 's' : ''}: ${suspiciousWords.join(', ')}`);
+    }
+
+    // Check text length - very short or very long names are suspicious
+    if (text.length < 2) {
+      score += 20;
+      reasons.push("Text too short");
+    } else if (text.length > 100) {
+      score += 25;
+      reasons.push("Text unusually long");
+    }
+
+    // Check for repeated characters
+    if (/(.)\1{4,}/.test(text)) {
+      score += 20;
+      reasons.push("Contains repeated characters");
+    }
+
+    // Check for mixed scripts (potential homograph attack)
+    const hasLatin = /[a-zA-Z]/.test(text);
+    const hasCyrillic = /[\u0400-\u04FF]/.test(text);
+    const hasGreek = /[\u0370-\u03FF]/.test(text);
+    
+    if ((hasLatin && hasCyrillic) || (hasLatin && hasGreek)) {
+      score += 40;
+      reasons.push("Contains mixed character scripts");
+    }
+
+    // Generic name check already done above - skip duplicate check
+
+    // Check for excessive numbers in organization names (often spam)
+    if (/\d{4,}/.test(text)) {
+      score += 25;
+      reasons.push("Contains excessive numbers");
+    }
+
+    const isSpam = score >= 50;
+    
+    // Log suspicious activity for Slack notifications
+    if (isSpam || score > 30) {
+      logger.warn("🚨 SPAM DETECTED", {
+        text: text.substring(0, 100),
+        score,
+        reasons: [...new Set(reasons)],
+        isSpam,
+        timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
+        alert_type: "spam_detection"
+      });
+    }
+    
+    return {
+      isSpam,
+      score,
+      reasons: [...new Set(reasons)] // Remove duplicates
+    };
+  }
+
+  public static isHighRiskContent(text: string): boolean {
+    const patterns = [
+      /gclnk\.com/i,
+      /bit\.ly\/scam/i,  // More specific bit.ly patterns
+      /tinyurl\.com\/scam/i,
+      /\$\d{3,}.*crypto/i,  // Money + crypto combination
+      /blockchain.*compensation.*urgent/i,
+      /win.*\$\d+.*urgent/i,  // Win money urgent pattern
+      /click.*here.*\$\d+/i   // Click here money pattern
+    ];
+
+    const isHighRisk = patterns.some(pattern => pattern.test(text));
+    
+    // Log high-risk content immediately
+    if (isHighRisk) {
+      logger.error("🔥 HIGH RISK CONTENT DETECTED", {
+        text: text.substring(0, 100),
+        matched_patterns: patterns.filter(pattern => pattern.test(text)).map(p => p.toString()),
+        timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
+        alert_type: "high_risk_content"
+      });
+    }
+    
+    return isHighRisk;
+  }
+
+  public static shouldBlockContent(text: string): boolean {
+    const result = this.detectSpam(text);
+    // Only block if extremely high score or high-risk patterns
+    return result.score > 80 || this.isHighRiskContent(text);
+  }
+
+  public static shouldFlagContent(text: string): boolean {
+    const result = this.detectSpam(text);
+    // Flag anything suspicious (score > 0) but not necessarily blocked
+    return result.score > 0 || result.reasons.length > 0;
+  }
+
+  public static sanitizeText(text: string): string {
+    if (!text || typeof text !== "string") return "";
+    
+    return text
+      .trim()
+      .replace(/https?:\/\/[^\s]+/gi, "[URL_REMOVED]")
+      .replace(/www\.[^\s]+/gi, "[URL_REMOVED]")
+      .replace(/[🔔⬅👆💰$]{2,}/g, "")
+      .replace(/[!]{3,}/g, "!")
+      .replace(/\s{3,}/g, " ")
+      .substring(0, 100);
+  }
+}
--- a/worklenz-frontend/.gitignore
+++ b/worklenz-frontend/.gitignore
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 # production
 /build
 /public/tinymce
+/docs

 # misc
 .DS_Store
--- a/worklenz-frontend/src/components/account-setup/organization-step.tsx
+++ b/worklenz-frontend/src/components/account-setup/organization-step.tsx
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 import React, { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
-import { Form, Input, InputRef, Typography, Card, Tooltip } from '@/shared/antd-imports';
+import { Form, Input, InputRef, Typography, Card, Tooltip, Alert } from '@/shared/antd-imports';
 import { useDispatch, useSelector } from 'react-redux';
 import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next';
 import { setOrganizationName } from '@/features/account-setup/account-setup.slice';
 import { RootState } from '@/app/store';
 import { sanitizeInput } from '@/utils/sanitizeInput';
+import { SpamDetector } from '@/utils/spamDetector';

 const { Title, Paragraph, Text } = Typography;

@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ export const OrganizationStep: React.FC<Props> = ({
  const dispatch = useDispatch();
  const { organizationName } = useSelector((state: RootState) => state.accountSetupReducer);
  const inputRef = useRef<InputRef>(null);
+  const [spamWarning, setSpamWarning] = useState<string>('');

  // Autofill organization name if not already set
  useEffect(() => {
@@ -44,7 +46,19 @@ export const OrganizationStep: React.FC<Props> = ({
  };

  const handleOrgNameChange = (e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
-    const sanitizedValue = sanitizeInput(e.target.value);
+    const rawValue = e.target.value;
+    const sanitizedValue = sanitizeInput(rawValue);
+    
+    // Check for spam patterns
+    const spamCheck = SpamDetector.detectSpam(rawValue);
+    if (spamCheck.isSpam) {
+      setSpamWarning(`Warning: ${spamCheck.reasons.join(', ')}`);
+    } else if (SpamDetector.isHighRiskContent(rawValue)) {
+      setSpamWarning('Warning: Content appears to contain suspicious links or patterns');
+    } else {
+      setSpamWarning('');
+    }
+    
    dispatch(setOrganizationName(sanitizedValue));
  };

@@ -60,12 +74,25 @@ export const OrganizationStep: React.FC<Props> = ({
        </Paragraph>
      </div>

+      {/* Spam Warning */}
+      {spamWarning && (
+        <div className="mb-4">
+          <Alert
+            message={spamWarning}
+            type="warning"
+            showIcon
+            closable
+            onClose={() => setSpamWarning('')}
+          />
+        </div>
+      )}
+
      {/* Main Form Card */}
      <div className="mb-6">
        <Card 
          className="border-2 hover:shadow-md transition-all duration-200"
          style={{ 
-            borderColor: token?.colorPrimary,
+            borderColor: spamWarning ? token?.colorWarning : token?.colorPrimary,
            backgroundColor: token?.colorBgContainer 
          }}
        >
--- a/worklenz-frontend/src/components/admin-center/overview/organization-name/organization-name.tsx
+++ b/worklenz-frontend/src/components/admin-center/overview/organization-name/organization-name.tsx
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 import { adminCenterApiService } from '@/api/admin-center/admin-center.api.service';
 import logger from '@/utils/errorLogger';
 import { EnterOutlined, EditOutlined } from '@/shared/antd-imports';
-import { Card, Button, Tooltip, Typography } from '@/shared/antd-imports';
+import { Card, Button, Tooltip, Typography, Alert } from '@/shared/antd-imports';
 import TextArea from 'antd/es/input/TextArea';
 import { TFunction } from 'i18next';
 import { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
+import { SpamDetector } from '@/utils/spamDetector';

 interface OrganizationNameProps {
  themeMode: string;
@@ -16,6 +17,7 @@ interface OrganizationNameProps {
 const OrganizationName = ({ themeMode, name, t, refetch }: OrganizationNameProps) => {
  const [isEditable, setIsEditable] = useState(false);
  const [newName, setNewName] = useState(name);
+  const [spamWarning, setSpamWarning] = useState<string>('');

  useEffect(() => {
    setNewName(name);
@@ -34,7 +36,18 @@ const OrganizationName = ({ themeMode, name, t, refetch }: OrganizationNameProps
  };

  const handleNameChange = (e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLTextAreaElement>) => {
-    setNewName(e.target.value);
+    const value = e.target.value;
+    setNewName(value);
+    
+    // Check for spam patterns
+    const spamCheck = SpamDetector.detectSpam(value);
+    if (spamCheck.isSpam) {
+      setSpamWarning(`Warning: ${spamCheck.reasons.join(', ')}`);
+    } else if (SpamDetector.isHighRiskContent(value)) {
+      setSpamWarning('Warning: Content appears to contain suspicious links or patterns');
+    } else {
+      setSpamWarning('');
+    }
  };

  const updateOrganizationName = async () => {
@@ -62,6 +75,16 @@ const OrganizationName = ({ themeMode, name, t, refetch }: OrganizationNameProps
      <Typography.Title level={5} style={{ margin: 0, marginBottom: '0.5rem' }}>
        {t('name')}
      </Typography.Title>
+      {spamWarning && (
+        <Alert
+          message={spamWarning}
+          type="warning"
+          showIcon
+          closable
+          onClose={() => setSpamWarning('')}
+          style={{ marginBottom: '8px' }}
+        />
+      )}
      <div style={{ paddingTop: '8px' }}>
        <div style={{ marginBottom: '8px' }}>
          {isEditable ? (
--- a/worklenz-frontend/src/components/settings/edit-team-name-modal.tsx
+++ b/worklenz-frontend/src/components/settings/edit-team-name-modal.tsx
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
-import { Divider, Form, Input, message, Modal, Typography } from '@/shared/antd-imports';
+import { Divider, Form, Input, message, Modal, Typography, Alert } from '@/shared/antd-imports';
 import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
 import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next';
 import { useAppDispatch } from '@/hooks/useAppDispatch';
 import { editTeamName, fetchTeams } from '@/features/teams/teamSlice';
 import { ITeamGetResponse } from '@/types/teams/team.type';
+import { SpamDetector } from '@/utils/spamDetector';

 interface EditTeamNameModalProps {
  team: ITeamGetResponse | null;
@@ -16,6 +17,7 @@ const EditTeamNameModal = ({ team, isModalOpen, onCancel }: EditTeamNameModalPro
  const dispatch = useAppDispatch();
  const [form] = Form.useForm();
  const [updating, setUpdating] = useState(false);
+  const [spamWarning, setSpamWarning] = useState<string>('');

  useEffect(() => {
    if (team) {
@@ -67,6 +69,16 @@ const EditTeamNameModal = ({ team, isModalOpen, onCancel }: EditTeamNameModalPro
      destroyOnClose={true}
    >
      <Form form={form} layout="vertical" onFinish={handleFormSubmit}>
+        {spamWarning && (
+          <Alert
+            message={spamWarning}
+            type="warning"
+            showIcon
+            closable
+            onClose={() => setSpamWarning('')}
+            style={{ marginBottom: '16px' }}
+          />
+        )}
        <Form.Item
          name="name"
          label={t('name')}
@@ -77,7 +89,20 @@ const EditTeamNameModal = ({ team, isModalOpen, onCancel }: EditTeamNameModalPro
            },
          ]}
        >
-          <Input placeholder={t('namePlaceholder')} />
+          <Input 
+            placeholder={t('namePlaceholder')} 
+            onChange={(e) => {
+              const value = e.target.value;
+              const spamCheck = SpamDetector.detectSpam(value);
+              if (spamCheck.isSpam) {
+                setSpamWarning(`Warning: ${spamCheck.reasons.join(', ')}`);
+              } else if (SpamDetector.isHighRiskContent(value)) {
+                setSpamWarning('Warning: Content appears to contain suspicious links or patterns');
+              } else {
+                setSpamWarning('');
+              }
+            }}
+          />
        </Form.Item>
      </Form>
    </Modal>
--- a/worklenz-frontend/src/utils/spamDetector.ts
+++ b/worklenz-frontend/src/utils/spamDetector.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,141 @@
+export interface SpamDetectionResult {
+  isSpam: boolean;
+  score: number;
+  reasons: string[];
+}
+
+export class SpamDetector {
+  private static readonly SPAM_PATTERNS = [
+    // URLs and links
+    /https?:\/\//i,
+    /www\./i,
+    /\b\w+\.(com|net|org|io|co|me|ly|tk|ml|ga|cf)\b/i,
+    
+    // Common spam phrases
+    /click\s*(here|link|now)/i,
+    /urgent|emergency|immediate/i,
+    /win|won|winner|prize|reward/i,
+    /free|bonus|gift|offer/i,
+    /check\s*(out|this|pay)/i,
+    /blockchain|crypto|bitcoin|compensation/i,
+    /cash|money|dollars?|\$\d+/i,
+    
+    // Excessive special characters
+    /[!]{3,}/,
+    /[🔔⬅👆💰$]{2,}/,
+    /\b[A-Z]{5,}\b/,
+    
+    // Suspicious formatting
+    /\s{3,}/,
+    /[.]{3,}/
+  ];
+
+  private static readonly SUSPICIOUS_WORDS = [
+    'urgent', 'emergency', 'click', 'link', 'win', 'winner', 'prize', 
+    'free', 'bonus', 'cash', 'money', 'blockchain', 'crypto', 'compensation',
+    'check', 'pay', 'reward', 'offer', 'gift'
+  ];
+
+  public static detectSpam(text: string): SpamDetectionResult {
+    if (!text || typeof text !== 'string') {
+      return { isSpam: false, score: 0, reasons: [] };
+    }
+
+    const normalizedText = text.toLowerCase().trim();
+    const reasons: string[] = [];
+    let score = 0;
+
+    // Check for URL patterns
+    for (const pattern of this.SPAM_PATTERNS) {
+      if (pattern.test(text)) {
+        score += 30;
+        if (pattern.toString().includes('https?') || pattern.toString().includes('www')) {
+          reasons.push('Contains suspicious URLs or links');
+        } else if (pattern.toString().includes('urgent|emergency')) {
+          reasons.push('Contains urgent/emergency language');
+        } else if (pattern.toString().includes('win|won|winner')) {
+          reasons.push('Contains prize/winning language');
+        } else if (pattern.toString().includes('cash|money')) {
+          reasons.push('Contains monetary references');
+        } else if (pattern.toString().includes('blockchain|crypto')) {
+          reasons.push('Contains cryptocurrency references');
+        } else if (pattern.toString().includes('[!]{3,}')) {
+          reasons.push('Excessive use of exclamation marks');
+        } else if (pattern.toString().includes('[🔔⬅👆💰$]')) {
+          reasons.push('Contains suspicious emojis or symbols');
+        } else if (pattern.toString().includes('[A-Z]{5,}')) {
+          reasons.push('Contains excessive capital letters');
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Check for excessive suspicious words
+    const suspiciousWordCount = this.SUSPICIOUS_WORDS.filter(word => 
+      normalizedText.includes(word)
+    ).length;
+    
+    if (suspiciousWordCount >= 2) {
+      score += suspiciousWordCount * 15;
+      reasons.push(`Contains ${suspiciousWordCount} suspicious words`);
+    }
+
+    // Check text length - very short or very long names are suspicious
+    if (text.length < 2) {
+      score += 20;
+      reasons.push('Text too short');
+    } else if (text.length > 100) {
+      score += 25;
+      reasons.push('Text unusually long');
+    }
+
+    // Check for repeated characters
+    if (/(.)\1{4,}/.test(text)) {
+      score += 20;
+      reasons.push('Contains repeated characters');
+    }
+
+    // Check for mixed scripts (potential homograph attack)
+    const hasLatin = /[a-zA-Z]/.test(text);
+    const hasCyrillic = /[\u0400-\u04FF]/.test(text);
+    const hasGreek = /[\u0370-\u03FF]/.test(text);
+    
+    if ((hasLatin && hasCyrillic) || (hasLatin && hasGreek)) {
+      score += 40;
+      reasons.push('Contains mixed character scripts');
+    }
+
+    const isSpam = score >= 50;
+    
+    return {
+      isSpam,
+      score,
+      reasons: [...new Set(reasons)] // Remove duplicates
+    };
+  }
+
+  public static isHighRiskContent(text: string): boolean {
+    const patterns = [
+      /gclnk\.com/i,
+      /bit\.ly/i,
+      /tinyurl/i,
+      /\$\d{3,}/,
+      /blockchain.*compensation/i,
+      /urgent.*check/i
+    ];
+
+    return patterns.some(pattern => pattern.test(text));
+  }
+
+  public static sanitizeText(text: string): string {
+    if (!text || typeof text !== 'string') return '';
+    
+    return text
+      .trim()
+      .replace(/https?:\/\/[^\s]+/gi, '[URL_REMOVED]')
+      .replace(/www\.[^\s]+/gi, '[URL_REMOVED]')
+      .replace(/[🔔⬅👆💰$]{2,}/g, '')
+      .replace(/[!]{3,}/g, '!')
+      .replace(/\s{3,}/g, ' ')
+      .substring(0, 100);
+  }
+}