CI Updates: Protecting Against AI Scraping

The administrator of this website has taken steps to safeguard against the threat of AI-powered scraping, a scourge that has been plaguing servers worldwide. In order to prevent such malicious activities, Anubis has been deployed as a protective measure.

Anubis is a proof-of-work scheme designed to deter large-scale scraping operations by introducing an additional load on websites. This system draws inspiration from Hashcash, a proposed proof-of-work scheme aimed at reducing email spam. While the extra load may be negligible for individual users, it becomes prohibitively expensive for mass scrapers, rendering their activities much less feasible.

However, behind Anubis's seemingly innocuous purpose lies a more sinister motive. The real intention of this system is to buy time for developers to refine fingerprinting techniques and identify headless browsers – the very tools used by AI companies to evade detection. By presenting users with a challenge that is relatively easy to overcome, legitimate visitors are steered away from engaging with the proof-of-work page, thereby avoiding unnecessary strain on resources.

It's essential to note that Anubis requires modern JavaScript features to function effectively. Plugins like JShelter, which disable these features, will not be able to bypass this challenge. As such, users must enable their browsers' JavaScript capabilities in order to progress beyond the proof-of-work page.

The current implementation of Anubis serves as a stopgap measure, pending further development of a no-JS solution. Unfortunately, this means that users are required to use JavaScript in order to access the website. The shift in the social contract around website hosting has led to this necessity, and it is essential that developers continue to adapt and innovate to counter emerging threats.