Defining Bot Traffic
Bot traffic is traffic which is non human or more specifically machine based. It is believed that over 40% of all internet traffic is non-human. Bot traffic can occur in many different ways with many different intents, both good and bad. Below we list some of the good bots and bad bot traffic that commonly occurs.
Good Traffic
- Search engine data gathering
- SEO application data gathering
- Script based/API initiated automation
Bad Traffic
- Malicious scripted attacks (DDos)
- Web scraping bots
- Script based/API initiated automation
- Malicious Penetration testing
Using Noibu to Detect Bot Traffic
Detecting bot traffic from a session video can be tricky. However, there are a few points to watch out for which could indicate you have bot traffic on your website. Noibu can help you gain context and help differentiate your traffic using sessions. Below are a few detection methods within the Noibu console:
Noibu Detection Methods
- The Mouse cursor is at the furthest point top left of the screen
- Mouse movements are linear and have no curvature
- Mouse movements are instantaneous and point to point
- Mouse movements are positioned directly centre on elements
- There are repeated sessions which are identical
- 100% bounce rate or 0% conversion rates
Bot Traffic Management
Bot traffic is necessary for many search engines to operate and sites to function optimally. We can't get rid of all bot traffic however there are a few strategies we can use to deter malicious activity.
- Limit the number of requests allowed
- Use a robots.txt file
- Block IP addresses from accessing resources
- Use 3rd party resources to help limit traffic
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