Merge branch 'ag/imap-send-resurrection': The Unwelcome Guest of Anubis

If you're seeing this message, it's likely because the administrator of this website has set up Anubis, a powerful tool designed to protect servers from AI-powered scrapers. While it may seem like a minor inconvenience, Anubis is a necessary measure in the fight against these malicious actors who threaten to overwhelm our online resources.

Anubis operates on a simple yet effective principle: Proof-of-Work (PoW). This scheme was initially proposed as a solution to reduce email spam, but its application here has a more profound impact. At an individual scale, the added load is negligible, but when mass scrapers join forces, Anubis's presence becomes a significant hurdle.

The idea behind Anubis is multifaceted. On one hand, it serves as a placeholder solution that buys time for developers to work on more sophisticated methods of fingerprinting and identifying headless browsers – the very scourge Anubis aims to combat. By delaying legitimate users' access to certain resources, Anubis nudges AI companies toward a more targeted approach.

However, this comes with a caveat: Anubis requires the use of modern JavaScript features, which are disabled by plugins like JShelter. To bypass this challenge, one must enable JavaScript, making it a necessary step for anyone seeking to access content behind Anubis's defenses. This new reality reflects a changed social contract around website hosting, with AI-powered scrapers posing an unprecedented threat.

While a no-JS solution is still in development, the necessity of enabling JavaScript to navigate Anubis's challenges highlights the evolving landscape of online security. As we continue to grapple with these issues, one thing is clear: Anubis remains a vital component in our collective fight against malicious actors.

And so, if you're seeing this message, rest assured that it's part of a larger effort to protect our online world from the scourge of AI-powered scrapers. While it may seem like an unwelcome guest, Anubis is a necessary measure in the ongoing battle for internet security.