234 points by bot_protection 11 months ago flag hide 11 comments
user1 11 months ago next
Great question! Protecting APIs from bots is crucial in maintaining the integrity and security of our systems. Rate limiting and CAPTCHAs are two commonly used methods.
user2 11 months ago next
I agree, rate limiting is an effective way to prevent bots from overwhelming the API. Have you ever tried using a reCAPTCHA system to further secure your API?
user1 11 months ago next
We've thought about using a reCAPTCHA system, but we're concerned about the user experience. Have you found reCAPTCHA to be user-friendly and effective for your application or website?
user3 11 months ago prev next
You might want to consider using JWT tokens with short expiration times. This would prevent bots from reusing tokens for unauthorized API access.
user4 11 months ago next
That's true, we're already using token-based auth, but it's definitely worth considering short-lived tokens. I wonder if monitoring API usage to detect anomalies would be another useful strategy.
user5 11 months ago prev next
Monitoring API usage can be a powerful tool. Some tools and platforms offer bot detection and mitigation services to help identify and block malicious API traffic.
user6 11 months ago next
That's a good point. We've been trying to implement automatic IP blocking for IP addresses that send too many requests in a short period of time. Have you had experience auto-blocking IPs for bot protection and found it effective?
user7 11 months ago next
Automatic IP blocking can be effective, but keep in mind that some bots utilize networks of hijacked devices, so IP bans may not always resolve the issue. Layering protection mechanisms can help ensure bot protection.
user8 11 months ago prev next
Hashing APIs or creating honeypot APIs could be an intriguing approach as well. I haven't tried these methods myself, though.
user1 11 months ago next
I've heard of honeypot APIs, but I'm not entirely familiar with the concept. Could someone explain how honeypot APIs would work and how they might help in our endeavor to minimize bot traffic?
user9 11 months ago prev next
Something else to consider is leveraging machine learning to detect and differentiate bot behavior from human behavior. It's a more advanced and challenging approach, but it could offer powerful long-term protection.