• Automated and malicious traffic rises for a fifth consecutive year

• Bad bots account for 32% of all internet traffic

• 44% of all account takeover attacks target API endpoints

Thales, in partnership with Imperva, presents the 2024 Bad Bot Report, offering valuable insights into the escalating challenges posed by automated bot traffic on the internet. With bad bots comprising a significant portion of online activity, organizations face mounting risks to their digital assets and operations. This report sheds light on emerging trends and key areas of concern for businesses worldwide.

1. Increase in Bad Bot Traffic:

   • In 2023, bad bot traffic accounted for 32% of all internet traffic, representing a persistent and escalating threat to online platforms.
   • Notable regions with high levels of bad bot traffic include Ireland, Germany, and Mexico, underscoring the global nature of this phenomenon.

2. Emergence of Generative AI:

   • The adoption of generative AI and large language models (LLMs) has led to a surge in simple bot activity, reaching 39.6% in 2023.
   • This technology facilitates web scraping and automated crawling, enabling non-technical users to create automated scripts for various purposes.

3. Rise in Account Takeover Attacks:

   • Account takeover (ATO) attacks increased by 10% in 2023, with 44% of such attacks targeting API endpoints, up from 35% in the previous year.
   • Financial services, travel, and business services sectors were among the most targeted industries.

4. API Vulnerabilities and Exploitation:

   • APIs serve as a popular vector for automated attacks, with 30% of API attacks originating from automated threats.
   • Business logic vulnerabilities within APIs make them susceptible to exploitation, allowing cybercriminals to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data.

5. Industry-Specific Bot Challenges:

   • Gaming continues to face the largest proportion of bad bot traffic, followed by retail, travel, and financial services sectors.
   • Advanced bad bots, capable of mimicking human behavior, pose a significant threat to industries such as law & government, entertainment, and financial services.

6. Evasion Techniques and Residential Proxies:

   • Bad bots increasingly utilize residential ISPs and mobile user agents to evade detection, with residential proxies accounting for 25.8% of bad bot traffic.
   • The combination of mobile user agents and residential IPs enables sophisticated actors to camouflage malicious activity more effectively.

The 2024 Bad Bot Report underscores the growing prevalence and sophistication of automated bot traffic, posing multifaceted challenges to organizations worldwide. As bad bots continue to evolve and proliferate, businesses must prioritize investment in bot management and API security solutions to mitigate risks and safeguard their digital assets effectively. By adopting proactive measures and leveraging advanced technologies, organizations can defend against the escalating threat landscape posed by malicious automated traffic.