Why Block Data Centers
Real customers shop from homes and offices - not from AWS or Google Cloud. Traffic from data centers is usually:
- Bots - Automated scripts running on cloud servers
- Scrapers - Copying your product data
- Attackers - Testing stolen credentials
- Reseller bots - Hoarding limited inventory
Blocking data center traffic eliminates most bot problems at the source.
Major Data Centers to Block
Tier 1 Cloud Providers
- Amazon AWS - Largest cloud, common bot source
- Google Cloud Platform - Second largest
- Microsoft Azure - Enterprise cloud
- Oracle Cloud - Growing platform
Popular Hosting Providers
- DigitalOcean
- Linode/Akamai
- Vultr
- OVH
- Hetzner
VPS and Budget Hosts
- Contabo
- Hostinger
- Scaleway
- Many others
Implementation
Set Up Data Center Blocking
- Open SecurEcommerce
- Navigate to Blocking > ISP Blocking
- Add data center ASNs or names
- Enable blocking
- Save settings
ASN Blocking
Each network has an ASN (Autonomous System Number):
- Amazon: AS16509, AS14618
- Google: AS15169
- Microsoft: AS8075
Add these ASNs to block entire networks.
What About Legitimate Traffic?
Safe to Block (Usually)
- General cloud provider traffic
- Unknown hosting ISPs
- Proxy/VPN infrastructure
Don’t Block
- Search engines - Googlebot, Bingbot need access
- Payment processors - Stripe, PayPal callbacks
- Shopify services - Shopify’s own infrastructure
- Your integrations - Apps that access your store
Whitelisting
Create whitelist entries for:
- Known good bot user agents
- Specific IPs for integrations
- Payment webhook sources
Effectiveness
Data center blocking typically stops:
- 80-90% of bot traffic
- Most scraping attempts
- Automated account creation
- Credential stuffing attacks
It’s one of the most effective single measures against bots.
Combining with Other Defenses
For maximum protection, combine data center blocking with:
- VPN blocking - Catch residential VPN traffic
- Country blocking - Geographic restrictions
- Rate limiting - Slow down remaining bots
- Content protection - Prevent manual copying
Monitoring and Adjustment
After enabling data center blocking:
- Check blocked traffic logs - Verify it’s working
- Monitor for complaints - Corporate users may be affected
- Whitelist as needed - Add legitimate services
- Review monthly - Update for new providers