Internet robot detection for network distributable markup

A computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having stored therein computer usable program code for bot detection, the computer usable program code, which when executed by a computer hardware system, causes the computer hardware system to perform

• embedding an activatable fragment within requested network distributable markup, the embedded activatable fragment configured to emit an activation signal in response to a presence of a human actor;
• and
• determining a presence of a bot interacting with the network distributable markup in response to failing to receive the activation signal from the embedded activatable fragment, wherein
• the activatable fragment includes a script that responds to a mouse movement by emitting the activation signal.

A bot detection method comprising:

• embedding an activatable fragment within requested network distributable markup, the embedded activatable fragment configured to emit an activation signal in response to a presence of a human actor;
• and
• determining a presence of a bot interacting with the network distributable markup, wherein
• the activatable fragment includes a script that responds to human activity by emitting an activation signal including a network address incorporating a key;
• the determining the presence of the bot comprises
• comparing the key with a key pre-stored in association with a requester of the network distributable markup and the network distributable markup, and
• the presence of the bot is determined upon the keys not matching.

A bot detection method comprising:

• embedding an activatable fragment within requested network distributable markup, the embedded activatable fragment configured to emit an activation signal in response to a presence of a human actor;
• and
• determining a presence of a bot interacting with the network distributable markup in response to failing to receive the activation signal from the embedded activatable fragment, wherein
• the embedding the activatable fragment comprises:
• configuring a link to an extraneous resource to emit the activation signal upon activation by a content browser rendering the requested network distributable markup, and
• embedding the extraneous resource within the requested network distributable markup, and
• the extraneous resource is selected from the group consisting of
• an activatable link to an empty content style sheet,
• an activatable link to a transparent pixel, and
• an activatable link to empty audio.

A content distribution data processing hardware system configured for bot detection, the system comprising:

• a content server configured to distribute Web pages to requesting clients;
• and,
• bot detection logic comprising program code configured to
• embed an activatable fragment within a requested Web page, the embedded activatable fragment configured to emit an activation signal in response to a presence of a human actor, and
• determine a presence of a bot interacting with the requested Web page in response to failing to receive the activation signal from the embedded activatable fragment wherein
• the activatable fragment includes a script that responds to a mouse movement by emitting the activation signal.

A computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having stored therein computer usable program code for bot detection, the computer usable program code, which when executed by a computer hardware system, causes the computer hardware system to perform

• embedding an activatable fragment within requested network distributable markup, the embedded activatable fragment configured to emit an activation signal in response to a presence of a human actor;
• and
• determining a presence of a bot interacting with the network distributable markup, wherein
• the activatable fragment includes a script that responds to human activity by emitting an activation signal including a network address incorporating a key;
• the determining the presence of the bot comprises
• comparing the key with a key pre-stored in association with a requester of the network distributable markup and the network distributable markup, and
• the presence of the bot is determined upon the keys not matching.

A computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having stored therein computer usable program code for bot detection, the computer usable program code, which when executed by a computer hardware system, causes the computer hardware system to perform

• embedding an activatable fragment within requested network distributable markup, the embedded activatable fragment configured to emit an activation signal in response to a presence of a human actor;
• and
• determining a presence of a bot interacting with the network distributable markup in response to failing to receive the activation signal from the embedded activatable fragment, wherein
• the embedding the activatable fragment comprises:
• configuring a link to an extraneous resource to emit the activation signal upon activation by a content browser rendering the requested network distributable markup, and
• embedding the extraneous resource within the requested network distributable markup, and
• the extraneous resource is selected from the group consisting of
• an activatable link to an empty content style sheet,
• an activatable link to a transparent pixel, and
• an activatable link to empty audio.