Bot traffic is one of the most common and dangerous forms of traffic on the Web. They can be used to hack into user accounts, steal intellectual property and even perform DDoS attacks. Bad bots can be programmed to do just about anything, from form spam to bid sniping.
The key to mitigating bot traffic is to first identify the type of traffic you are dealing with. This is done by looking at the volume of traffic, the types of requests and the nature of the bot. Once you have a good idea of what kind of bots are causing the problem, you can begin blocking them or limiting their access to your site.
Another way to mitigate bot traffic is by using a layered security approach. You can use a combination of behavioral-based detection, reputation-based filtering, IP analysis and traditional IP intelligence. For instance, you can block connection attempts from non-supported browsers and use device fingerprinting to track botnet connections.
Other techniques for filtering bot traffic include rate limiting, which allows you to limit page views per IP address, and IP reputation, which can identify proxies and VPNs. It’s also important to keep your IP reputation current.
One of the best ways to detect a bot is by scanning for unique patterns in the header of HTTP requests. These patterns are called signatures and can be categorized in different categories, such as content scraping, brute force attacks, and more. Good bots fetch information from your site, while bad bots are designed to perform tasks such as spam, credential stuffing, and account takeover.
Another strategy for mitigating bot traffic is preventing a specific type of attack, such as an application DDoS. An application DDoS is a flood of traffic to your website that mitigate bot traffic can result in a slowdown of your service, or knock it offline completely.
The easiest way to block bot traffic is by enforcing a captcha on your site. A captcha can help protect your customer data. However, it’s also important to remember that bot traffic comes from all sorts of sources, and there are times when your website will be the victim of a legitimate spike in traffic. If this is the case, you can try blocking the traffic from popular proxy services.
Another tool you can use to mitigate bot traffic is Google Analytics. In Google Analytics, you can edit segments and exclude traffic from known spiders. This will make your site less attractive to bots, and will discourage them from trying to visit your website again.
While there are many tools and technologies available to mitigate bot traffic, you should choose a solution that will not require a significant change in your website. Ideally, you will be able to set it up and use it easily. Some solutions, such as the DataDome module for Cloudflare, offer one-click installation.
Using a layered security approach to mitigate bot traffic can be a worthwhile investment for any business. By preventing bad bots, you can avoid losing valuable customer information and protect your business.