Stop Malicious Bots at the Door

Every day, your WordPress API is bombarded by bots, scrapers, and automated tools—many of which disguise themselves with fake or suspicious user agents. With API Security, you can validate and block unwanted user agents before they ever reach your data, keeping your API safe, clean, and high-performing.

The Problem

Fake User Agents = Open Door for Attackers

What is a User Agent?

• A user agent is a string sent by browsers, apps, and bots to identify themselves to your server.
• Legitimate clients (like browsers or mobile apps) use standard, recognizable user agents.
• Attackers and scrapers often use fake, missing, or suspicious user agents to bypass basic security.

Why is This Dangerous?

• Automated Attacks: Bots use fake user agents to brute force, scrape, or spam your API.
• Data Theft: Scrapers harvest your content and data, often pretending to be Googlebot or browsers.
• API Abuse: Malicious tools flood your endpoints, slowing down your site and increasing costs.
• Evasion: Attackers rotate user agents to avoid detection and rate limits.

The Solution

User Agent Validation & Blocking

How API Security Protects You

• Validates every user agent on API requests.
• Blocks requests with missing, empty, or suspicious user agents.
• Maintains a blacklist of known bad bots and scrapers.
• Allows only trusted user agents (configurable for your needs).
• Works out of the box — no setup required.

What Gets Blocked?

• Empty or missing user agents (common for bots and attack scripts).
• Known malicious user agents (e.g., curl, python-requests, scrapers).
• Suspicious patterns (e.g., random strings, outdated browsers, fake Googlebot).
• Customizable: Add your own rules and exceptions.

How Attackers Exploit User Agents

1. Send requests with no user agent to avoid detection.
2. Impersonate browsers or search engines to bypass filters.
3. Rotate user agents to evade rate limits and bans.
4. Use automation tools (curl, wget, Postman, etc.) to attack your API.

With user agent validation, these attacks are stopped instantly.

Real-World Benefits

• Block Bad Bots: Stop scrapers, brute force tools, and spam bots at the first request.
• Reduce Server Load: Fewer bad requests means faster APIs and lower hosting costs.
• Protect Sensitive Data: Prevent automated tools from harvesting your content or user data.
• Improve Analytics: Only real users and trusted apps reach your API, giving you cleaner data.
• Peace of Mind: Know that your API is protected from the most common automated threats.

How It Works

• Checks every API request for a valid, trusted user agent.
• Blocks or rate-limits requests with suspicious or missing user agents.
• Maintains a blacklist of known bad user agents (and lets you add your own).
• Allows whitelisting of trusted apps, partners, or services.
• No configuration required — just activate and you’re protected.

Who Needs This?

• E-commerce stores: Block price scrapers and checkout bots.
• Membership sites: Prevent brute force and credential stuffing attacks.
• Headless WordPress: Ensure only your frontend and trusted apps access the API.
• Agencies & Developers: Secure client APIs from automated abuse.
• Anyone who values performance and data privacy for their WordPress site.

Get Protected in Seconds

• Install & activate API Security.
• User agent validation is enabled — no setup required.
• Enjoy a cleaner, safer API with less bot traffic and abuse.

The Bottom Line

Don’t let bad bots and scrapers abuse your API. User agent validation is a simple, powerful way to:

• Block automated attacks
• Protect your data and users
• Keep your API fast and reliable

API Security makes it effortless.