Updated
Updated · MR Online · Aug 3
Anubis Deploys Proof-of-Work Barrier to Curb AI Scraping as Downtime Hits Websites
Updated
Updated · MR Online · Aug 3

Anubis Deploys Proof-of-Work Barrier to Curb AI Scraping as Downtime Hits Websites

2 articles · Updated · MR Online · Aug 3

Summary

  • Anubis now presents visitors with a proof-of-work challenge designed to shield websites from aggressive AI scraping that can overload servers and make pages inaccessible.
  • The system borrows from Hashcash-style proof of work, adding little cost for individual users but raising computing costs sharply for mass scrapers operating at scale.
  • Site operators describe it as a stopgap while they build better bot detection, including fingerprinting techniques such as identifying headless browsers through font-rendering behavior.
  • Modern JavaScript is required to pass the challenge, and users running tools like JShelter may need to disable them for affected domains.

Insights

While Anubis blocks AI bots by taxing compute power, does this proof-of-work defense secretly punish legitimate users on older devices?
Could forcing your browser to solve math puzzles be the ultimate weapon against aggressive AI scraping, or just a battery-draining nightmare?