Management of bot detection in a content delivery network

1. A method of operating a cache node in a content delivery network comprising:

identifying a content request without a valid token for content not cached on the cache node;

in response to the content request, generating a synthetic response for the content request, wherein the synthetic response includes at least a request for a proof of work and fingerprinting attributes associated with an end user device that generated the content request, wherein the request for a proof of work comprises a problem to be solved by the end user device;

communicating the synthetic response to the end user device;

obtaining a response from the end user device to the synthetic response;

determining that the content request is associated with a bot based on the response;

in response to determining that the content request is associated with a bot, preventing a second content request to an origin server to obtain the content;

identifying a second content request without a valid token for second content not cached on the cache node;

in response to the second content request, generating a second synthetic response for the content request, wherein the second synthetic response includes at least a request for a proof of work and fingerprinting attributes associated with a second end user device that generated the second content request;

communicating the second synthetic response to the second end user device;

obtaining a second response from the second end user device to the second synthetic response;

determining that the second content request is not associated with a bot based on the response; and

in response to determining that the second content request is not associated with a bot:

obtaining the second content from an origin server; and

providing the second content to the second end user device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the proof of work comprises a java script proof of work function.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fingerprinting attributes comprise a browser version, an IP address associated with the end user device, or an operating system version.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the content request is associated with a bot based on the response comprises:

providing at least one of the fingerprinting attributes to at least one service,

obtaining an indication from the at least one service that the end user device comprises a bot; and

determining that the content request is associated with a bot based on the indication.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the content request is associated with a bot based on the response comprises:

generating a score based on the fingerprinting attributes;

determining that the content request is associated with a bot based on the score satisfying at least one criterion.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising, in response to determining that the second content request is not associated with a bot:

generating a token for the second end user device; and

providing the token to the second end user device.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising caching the second content in the cache node.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining one or more bot preferences from a customer of the content delivery network, wherein the one or more bot preferences indicate at least at least one criterion associated with a bot;

generating a score based on the fingerprinting attributes;

determining that the content request is associated with a bot based on the score satisfying the at least one criterion.

9. A computing apparatus comprising:

a storage system;

a processing system operatively coupled to the storage system; and

program instructions stored on the storage system to provide bot detection in a content delivery network that, when executed by the processing system, direct the processing system to:

identify a content request without a valid token for content not cached on the cache node;

in response to the content request, generate a synthetic response for the content request, wherein the synthetic response includes at least a request for a proof of work and fingerprinting attributes associated with an end user device that generated the content request, wherein the request for a proof of work comprises a problem to be solved by the end user device;

communicate the synthetic response to the end user device;

obtain a response from the end user device to the synthetic response;

determine that the content request is associated with a bot based on the response;

in response to determining that the content request is associated with a bot, prevent a second content request to an origin server to obtain the content;

identify a second content request without a valid token for second content not cached on the cache node;

in response to the second content request, generate a second synthetic response for the content request, wherein the second synthetic response includes at least a request for a proof of work and fingerprinting attributes associated with a second end user device that generated the second content request;

obtain a second response from the second end user device to the second synthetic response;

determine that the second content request is not associated with a bot based on the response; and

in response to determining that the second content request is not associated with a bot:

obtain the second content from an origin server; and

provide the second content to the second end user device.

10. The computing apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the proof of work comprises a java script proof of work function.

11. The computing apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the fingerprinting attributes comprise a browser version, an IP address associated with the end user device, or an operating system version.

12. The computing apparatus of claim 9 , wherein determining that the content request is associated with a bot based on the response comprises:

providing at least one of the fingerprinting attributes to at least one service,

obtaining an indication from the at least one service that the end user device comprises a bot; and

determining that the content request is associated with a bot based on the indication.

13. The computing apparatus of claim 9 , wherein determining that the content request is associated with a bot based on the response comprises:

generating a score based on the fingerprinting attributes;

determining that the content request is associated with a bot based on the score satisfying at least one criterion.

14. The computing apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the program instructions further direct the processing system to, in response to determining that the second content request is not associated with a bot:

generate a token for the second end user device; and

provide the token to the second end user device.

15. The computing apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the program instructions further direct the processing system to cache the second content in the cache node.

16. The computing apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the program instructions further direct the processing system to:

obtain one or more bot preferences from a customer of the content delivery network, wherein the one or more bot preferences indicate at least at least one criterion associated with a bot;

generate a score based on the fingerprinting attributes;

determine that the content request is associated with a bot based on the score satisfying the at least one criterion.

17. A method comprising:

identifying a content request without a valid token for content not cached on the cache node;

in response to the content request, generating a synthetic response for the content request, wherein the synthetic response includes at least a request for a proof of work and fingerprinting attributes associated with an end user device that generated the content request, wherein the request for a proof of work comprises a problem to be solved by the end user device;

obtaining a response from the end user device to the synthetic response;

determining whether the response satisfies at least one criterion defined by a customer of the content delivery network to indicate a bot;

when the response satisfies the at least one criterion, preventing a second content request to an origin server to obtain the content; and

when the response fails to satisfy the at least one criterion:

obtaining the content from an origin server; and

providing the content to the end user device.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

when the response fails to satisfy the at least one criterion:

generating a token for the end user device; and

providing the token to the end user device.