A bot is a software program that performs tasks automatically without needing human direction or intervention. They imitate or replace human behavior, usually to carry out repetitive tasks at a faster rate while operating online and from an IP address. There are various types of bots, including chatbots, web crawlers, social bots, and malicious bots. Some of them perform useful functions, such as customer service, while others scavenge the internet for private info or attack websites and their users.
Malicious bot activity occurs when bots violate website owners’ intentions or terms of service. They can also carry out cybercrimes like identity theft, account takeover, and other illegal activities, but they don’t technically have to break any laws to be considered malicious. Excessive bot traffic can also slow or stop a website from functioning, which can be intentional in the form of DoS or DDoS attacks.
Companies can stop malicious bot activity by using bot management solutions that use machine learning to sort out harmful bot activity from user activity and helpful bot activity. Behavioral analysis is used to detect anomalies and identify and block malicious bots without affecting user experience or blocking good bots. A CDN can also mitigate traffic from a DDoS attack from a network of bots, thus keeping the website online and fully functional for users.
Looking to learn more? We suggest heading over to Cloudflare’s Learning Center for an in-depth look at bots.
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