Inside the battle against bad bots

GeekWire

Technology, Tech News, News

4.4 • 116 Ratings

🗓️ 3 December 2022

⏱️ 32 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

For anyone reading the news about Ticketmaster and Taylor Swift, or Twitter and Elon Musk, the problem of malicious bots might seem insurmountable.

These automated programs can snap up concert tickets in the blink of an eye, or pose as humans on social media, among countless other mischievous tasks. Bad bots are a big problem, accounting for one-quarter to as much as one-half of global internet traffic, or even more, by different estimates.

But they are not invincible.

That's the assessment of F5 CEO François Locoh-Donou. Seattle-based F5 is one of a growing number of tech companies that offer solutions to detect, deter, and defeat bots.

"You beat that automation — that bad automation from bad actors — with better technology, and that better technology does exist today," he says.

Locoh-Donou joins us to discuss the issue on this week's GeekWire Podcast. Plus, his take on the economy, and the future of the physical office.

With GeekWire co-founder Todd Bishop. Produced by Curt Milton.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcript

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0:00.0	For anyone reading the news about Ticketmaster and Taylor Swift or Twitter and
0:06.0	Elon Musk, the problem of malicious bots might seem insurmountable.
0:11.0	The site was supposed to be opened up for 1.5 million verified Taylor Swift fans.
0:16.4	We had 14 million people hit the site, including bots, another story, which are not supposed
0:21.3	to be there.
0:22.2	These automated programs can snap up concert tickets in the blink of an eye
0:26.3	or poses humans on social media,
0:28.9	among countless other mischievous tasks.
0:32.1	Bad bots are a big problem, accounting for one quarter to as
0:36.4	much as one half of global internet traffic or even more by some estimates, but
0:41.7	they are not invincible. I read the articles and everybody's
0:45.1	talking about Ticketmaster's infrastructure and servers has been overwhelmed for
0:49.7	this volume of tickets. It isn't servers and volume of tickets. It is
0:54.3	bought. It is unwanted automation. That's the assessment of
0:57.9	Francois Loco Donu, CEO of Seattle-based F5, which is one of a growing number of tech companies in the
1:05.1	industry that offer solutions to detect, deter and ultimately try to defeat
1:10.1	bots. Companies have a responsibility to take this issue, this prevalence of bots more seriously to address it because it did distorting the digital world that we live in.
1:21.0	Could the ticket master problem be solved with the right technology?
1:24.8	Yes, 100%.
1:36.5	I'm GeekWire co-founder Todd Bishop. Coming up this week we go inside the battle against bad bots with F5 CEO, Francois Loco de no. Doo Nue.
1:49.0	Francois, thank you very much for joining us. Thank you, Todd.
1:50.0	It's a pleasure to be with you.
	...

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