Jul/Aug 19 - ChannelVision Magazine

Bots can be defined as programs or scripts that execute automated tasks. They can be used for positive purposes, such as monitoring websites and picking up content for search engines. However, there are bad bots that are used for malicious pur- poses including stealing data, spamming websites, aiding in distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks and other nefarious intentions. According to Rad- ware, 21.5 percent of total internet traffic in the first quarter of this year was comprised of bad bots. Many businesses, however, remain in the dark about these programs. There’s an opportunity at hand for agents to spread awareness, and to sell bot management programs that protect corporate net- works from harmful traffic. We spoke with Ron Winward, security evangelist for North America at Radware, who shared some insight about this emerging cybersecurity trend. Battle of the Bots H umans aren’t the only ones surfing the web anymore. Businesses now must contend with a growing army of bots, which are lurking beneath the surface and growing in sophistication with each passing year. Bot management may be the most important security tool your customers don’t have By Gerald Baldino EMERGENT 12 Channel Vision | July - August, 2019