Combating a Bot Attack and Restoring Email Services
How We Helped a Colorado RV Park Recover from a Devastating Spam Attack
The Challenge:
An RV park nestled in the scenic landscapes of Colorado experienced a sudden disruption to their email services. Their website became the target of a bot attack, leading to a flood of spam emails being sent from their server. This triggered their ISP, hosting provider, and domain registrar to block all email traffic from the domain, significantly impacting their business communication.
Our Approach:
Our team at Coqui Cloud immediately launched a comprehensive investigation to identify the root cause and implement a swift resolution. We collaborated with the client and the involved service providers to gather information, analyze logs, and conduct network diagnostics.
Key Findings:
- The website's signup and login forms were vulnerable to automated bot attacks.
- Malicious actors exploited this vulnerability to create a large number of fake accounts.
- These fake accounts were used to send spam emails, triggering the blocking actions.
Solution:
- Immediate Mitigation:
- We identified and suspended all fraudulent accounts.
- We worked with the service providers to get the email traffic unblocked.
- We implemented temporary measures to mitigate the bot attacks.
- Long-Term Security Enhancement:
- We implemented a robust authentication system using Cloudflare Turnstile to block automated bot attacks.
Results:
- Email Services Restored: Full email functionality was restored within days.
- Enhanced Security: The website's security posture was significantly improved.
- Client Satisfaction: The client was pleased with our prompt and effective response.
Key Takeaways:
This incident highlights the importance of strong website security. Proactive solutions like Cloudflare Turnstile can prevent costly disruptions.
Case Study: Combating a Bot Attack and Restoring Email Services