Artificial Intelligence Reading Surpasses Human Readership: Insights as to Current Trends
In the digital age, the security of online resources is paramount, as malicious bots pose a significant threat to websites worldwide. These automated programs are designed to perform harmful activities, often with severe consequences for website owners.
The most common types of harmful activities by malicious bots include Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, data theft, content scraping, credential stuffing and account takeovers, click fraud, spam and phishing, malware distribution, Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attacks, and more.
To defend against these threats, a multi-layered approach is essential. Implementing CAPTCHA and behavioural analysis, using Web Application Firewalls (WAFs), restricting access with rate limiting, monitoring and analysing traffic, updating and patching regularly, implementing HTTPS and secure APIs, using authentication and bot management solutions, and educating users and staff are all crucial steps in protecting online resources.
Recent incidents involving web shells have affected over a hundred resources each, highlighting the importance of vigilance. Cybercriminals often use web shells, obtained through bot activity, to gain access to servers and perform actions using commands. This can lead to the exploitation of personal data, DDoS attacks, or the creation of botnets.
In Belarus, international experts have noted a rapid increase in attacks aimed at taking over accounts, making comprehensive digital security a key priority. According to data, around a thousand web shells have been identified and removed by the cybersecurity center this year, with the most common and dangerous bots focused on finding vulnerabilities. On average, a system blocked 390,000 unwanted or potentially dangerous requests per site per day.
Beneficial bots can also index sites for search engines, analyse user behaviour for analytics, automate orders and customer communication, monitor resources for operational status, collect data for aggregators with the site owner's consent, send emails based on configured events, and more. However, it's important to note that around 37% of traffic comes from malicious bots, with slightly less than 15% from "beneficial" ones.
In 2025, bots generated more traffic than humans for the first time in history, underscoring the importance of robust security measures. A combination of technical controls, regular monitoring, and user education provides the best defense against these threats. If an online resource is the heart of a business, a multi-layered security system is essential, which can be built or entrusted to a certified cybersecurity center.
Using a firewall or WAF can block unwanted requests, acting like a filter for malicious bot activity, password brute force attempts, SQL injections, requests from IP addresses with poor reputation, and many other unwanted guests from site traffic. Additionally, using an SSL certificate for a site and encrypting data transmitted between the server and the client can help protect against malicious software.
Automated tools such as Nmap, OWASP ZAP, Nikto, and Acunetix WVS can help detect malicious software on resources, including web shells and backdoors. Regularly updating the site engine to the latest version, including all its components and plugins, is also important to prevent cyber attacks.
In conclusion, the battle against malicious bots is an ongoing challenge, as attackers continuously evolve their tactics. However, a combination of technical controls, regular monitoring, and user education, along with the use of certified cybersecurity services, can provide a robust defense against these threats.
Cybersecurity technology plays a crucial role in safeguarding online resources from malicious bots, as these automated programs can perform various harmful activities such as Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, data theft, and account takeovers. To defend against these threats, implementing cybersecurity measures like CAPTCHA, Web Application Firewalls (WAFs), and behavioral analysis are vital steps in protecting online resources.
In Belarus, the rise in attacks aimed at taking over accounts has made comprehensive digital security a priority, with around a thousand web shells identified and removed this year by the cybersecurity center. Leveraging technology in the form of automated tools can help detect malicious software like web shells and backdoors, while regular updates to site engines and components also help prevent cyber attacks.
