In our previous blog post, AI in Cybersecurity: Transforming Threat Detection and Prevention, we explored how artificial intelligence is changing the face of cybersecurity. But while AI brings innovative tools to enhance security, it’s also introducing new challenges. Recently, a rise in the use of AI web crawlers has added unexpected costs and security concerns for website owners. In this follow-up, we’ll discuss how this new type of web crawlers are affecting website bandwidth, increasing server loads, and what TrevNet is doing to protect our clients from these issues.
A Growing Burden on Website Bandwidth
The use of AI web crawlers has surged, with various tech companies deploying these bots to gather data more efficiently. These crawlers often operate without considering the impact on websites they visit, generating heavy, continuous traffic that can lead to increased bandwidth costs and affect site performance. These web crawlers are designed to mimic human browsing behavior, making them difficult to detect and block with basic security systems, which adds to the challenge.
AI web crawlers differ from traditional crawlers because they use machine learning and natural language processing (NLP) to interpret and prioritize web content. This enables them to parse complex site structures and gather data for AI products, but their persistent activity often strains server resources, creating bandwidth spikes and added server load.
Impact on Website Costs and Performance
Excessive crawling by AI web crawlers presents two main issues for websites:
- Increased Bandwidth Costs: Websites experience bandwidth surges due to these crawlers, sometimes consuming between 250GB to 500GB of data per day. This can result in additional usage fees if unmanaged.
- Server Load and Performance: Persistent bot traffic from AI web crawlers places a significant load on servers, leading to slower website performance. This not only degrades user experience but can also cause higher costs due to increased server resource consumption.
- Security and Privacy Risks: The complexity of AI web crawlers allows them to mimic human browsing patterns, making them harder to detect and block. This poses potential security risks, as some bots may bypass standard detection systems, adding another layer of vulnerability.
TrevNet’s Approach to Protecting Clients from AI Web Crawlers
At TrevNet, we’re committed to managing the impact of AI web crawlers on our clients’ websites. To reduce the bandwidth burden and maintain strong website performance, we’ve implemented several protective measures:
- Enhanced Security Rules: Our servers have been equipped with advanced rules to identify, throttle, and block aggressive AI web crawlers. These rules have led to a significant decrease in bandwidth usage and improved resource allocation.
- Cloudflare’s “Bot Fight Mode”: By using Cloudflare’s Bot Fight Mode, we can detect and mitigate unwanted AI crawler traffic. This tool allows us to block malicious traffic while maintaining a smooth experience for genuine users.
- Adaptive Resource Management: By controlling CPU and memory usage, we’re able to ensure our clients experience faster load times and stable site performance, even in the presence of AI web crawlers.
The Call for Regulation and Industry Standards
As AI-driven data collection grows, major websites are taking steps to protect their data from overuse by AI web crawlers. For example, Reddit struck a deal with Google, imposing fees for allowing Google’s AI systems to access and use Reddit’s content through its Data API to improve search results and train models, while allowing Reddit to maintain existing restrictions on commercial use of this data.
Until more robust industry standards are in place, TrevNet will continue to proactively defend against these AI web crawlers, preserving our clients’ site performance and minimizing their costs.
Final Thoughts
AI in cybersecurity brings immense value, but it also poses new challenges, especially with the rise of AI web crawlers. These bots are essential for some companies’ data needs but can place a heavy burden on the websites they crawl. At TrevNet, we’re staying ahead of these trends, implementing solutions to protect our clients and maintain website efficiency.
As the digital landscape evolves, TrevNet remains committed to supporting clients by adapting to the latest challenges brought by AI and safeguarding their online presence. If you’re hosted with us, know that we’re here to manage the impact of AI web crawlers and keep your website running smoothly.