How Do Websites Detect Bots?
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How do websites detect bots?
How do websites detect bots traffic is any non-human traffic to a website or app. This type of traffic can be useful for services that require it, such as search engines and digital assistants, or it can be malicious.
Bad bots are usually programmed with a malicious or illegal intent. They can steal data, spread malware and cause other damage to your business.
Detecting bots starts with gathering user behavior and connection data to spot suspicious activity. This includes analyzing whether your users connect with proxies, VPNs or Tor browsers and using device fingerprinting to spot emulators and virtual machines.
Spikes in session duration can be a sign of bot traffic, as can spikes in traffic from an unexpected location. Both these indicators could mean your site is being crawled by bots at a faster rate than humans or that your site’s server is experiencing multiple hits from the same user.
A Comprehensive Guide to Bot Detection Methods: How Websites Can Identify and Block Malicious Bots
Good bots are usually used to do helpful tasks, such as making sure your site’s content is up-to-date. This includes removing outdated content and monitoring website metrics.
Ad fraud bots, on the other hand, make fraudulent ad clicks that detract from advertising transactions. This type of bot traffic is especially damaging to web publishers that rely on pay-per-click ads or use marketing funnels such as free ebook downloads.
The best way to detect bots is by detecting their activities in real time. This can help you avoid bot-related issues such as DDoS attacks, spamming and financial fraud.
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