It’s easy to assume that the people visiting your website are exactly that—people. But the reality is far more complicated. Bots, not humans, are now driving a growing percentage of the internet. In fact, according to the 2025 Imperva Bad Bot Report, over 51% of all internet traffic originates from automated programs, rather than real users.
That statistic should be a wake-up call for business leaders in industries such as healthcare, legal, professional services, construction, manufacturing, and nonprofit sectors across Central Texas. These bots are shaping what appears online, how your customers interact with you, and the true security of your digital presence.
Understanding Bot Internet Traffic
Bots—short for robots—are software programs designed to run automated tasks online. Some are incredibly helpful. Others are deeply harmful. What matters most is how well your organization understands and manages them.
Helpful bots include:
- Search engine crawlers that help your website show up in Google
- Monitoring bots that track performance or uptime
- Chatbots that improve customer service
- Social media bots for post scheduling and engagement
But those are just the friendly faces of bot internet traffic.
The Dark Side of Bot Activity
Many bots aren’t helpful. In fact, they can be downright destructive.
According to Imperva:
- 37% of all internet traffic now comes from malicious bots
- Travel and retail sectors saw the highest bot activity, but every industry is being affected
- Malicious bot traffic has increased for six consecutive years
For Austin-based businesses, this poses a serious threat. Credential-stuffing bots can compromise patient portals in the healthcare industry. Scraping bots might steal sensitive data from legal or nonprofit websites. Automated denial-of-service attacks can bring down manufacturing platforms or construction bidding portals in mere seconds.
How to Fight Back Against Bad Bots
The good news? You don’t have to sit back and hope for the best. There are practical, proven strategies your business can implement right away to defend against malicious bot internet traffic.
1. Improve Your Password Hygiene
Strong passwords are your first line of defense:
- Use a unique password for each account
- Avoid common patterns or easily guessed credentials
- Turn on multi-factor authentication (MFA) wherever possible
2. Add Smart Website Defenses
Think of your website as your digital front door. Here’s how to keep it secure:
- CAPTCHA tests: Help identify real humans and stop bots at the gate
- Honey pots: Feed bots fake data to track or neutralize their activity
- Traffic throttling: Slow down bot access to make it inefficient for attackers
3. Invest in a Bot Detection Platform
Professional-grade bot mitigation systems can monitor real-time traffic, detect suspicious activity, and automatically block bad actors. Many solutions integrate easily with your current firewall or web application setup.
Why Business Leaders Can’t Ignore the Shift
It’s no longer enough to have a great website or solid cybersecurity tools. As bots increasingly take over the web, your visibility, performance, and reputation all hang in the balance.
For organizations that rely on local search visibility or online portals, like law firms, clinics, manufacturers, and nonprofits, falling victim to bot traffic can mean:
- Slower website speeds
- Higher bounce rates
- Lower search rankings
- Increased risk of data breaches
If you’re not actively managing bot internet traffic, you’re already behind.
Need help defending your business against malicious bot traffic? Reach out to CTTS and schedule a cybersecurity assessment tailored to your industry.
FAQs About Bot Traffic
Q1: Are all bots harmful to my business?
No. Many bots are helpful, like Google’s search crawlers and legitimate chatbots. The key is distinguishing between good and bad bots using detection systems and website defenses.
Q2: How can I tell if bots are attacking my website?
Unusual spikes in traffic, slower loading times, high bounce rates, and login attempt alerts are common signs. A bot detection tool can confirm suspicious patterns.
Q3: What’s the first step to protecting my site from malicious bots?
Start with password security and CAPTCHA systems. Then, layer in more advanced protections like bot filtering, traffic monitoring, and automated alerts.
Contact CTTS today for IT support and managed services in Austin, TX. Let us handle your IT so you can focus on growing your business. Visit CTTSonline.com or call us at (512) 388-5559 to get started!