Invalid Traffic (IVT) Definition
Invalid Traffic (IVT) is bot activity on a website.
Usually, invalid traffic consists of impressions and clicks generated by publishers themselves on ads placed on their sites. Automated tools are used to create false ad impressions and engage with ads. This bot traffic also spams websites to steal user data amongst other malicious activities.
Although IVT can include good bots such as search engine crawlers, it is mostly used to refer to malicious and fraudulent bots.
Two types of Invalid Traffic (IVT)
General Invalid Traffic
General invalid traffic is a group of IVT that is generally straightforward to identify. The activity can be quickly recognised as being automated and may occur as a continuous “low hum” of activity on many websites.
Sophisticated Invalid Traffic
Sophisticated illegitimate traffic accounts for the intelligent and intentional capability of an attacker to circumvent measures put in place to prevent threats such as ad fraud. SIVT aims to blend in with human activity using a range of means such as:
- Large-scale browser automation
- Cookie theft
- Session hijacking
Talk to our team of cyber-security experts today to discover more about our pioneering approach to bot management to help you detect unwanted bot activity and defend against it.
See also:
Empower your business with control over bot traffic and the ability to detect bots and block malicious traffic in real-time.