Why Block Hosting Providers
Web hosting companies provide servers for websites - not for shopping. Traffic from hosting providers is typically:
- Scraping bots - Automated data collection
- Proxy services - Traffic routing through servers
- Automated tools - Scripts and bots
- Malicious activity - Attacks and fraud
Real customers use residential or business ISPs, not hosting companies.
Types of Hosting to Block
Shared Hosting Providers
- GoDaddy hosting
- Bluehost
- HostGator
- SiteGround
- DreamHost
VPS Providers
- Linode (Akamai)
- DigitalOcean
- Vultr
- Contabo
- Hostinger VPS
Dedicated Server Providers
- OVH
- Hetzner
- Leaseweb
- ServerMania
Specialty Hosts
- Gaming server providers
- Proxy hosting services
- Bulletproof hosting
Implementation
Block by ISP Name
- Open SecurEcommerce
- Navigate to Blocking > ISP Blocking
- Add hosting provider names
- Enable blocking
- Save configuration
Block by ASN
For more precise blocking, use ASN numbers:
- Each hosting company has assigned ASNs
- Block the ASN to block all their IPs
- More accurate than name matching
Building Your Block List
Start with Major Hosts
Begin by blocking the largest hosting providers:
- OVH (AS16276)
- Hetzner (AS24940)
- DigitalOcean (AS14061)
- Linode (AS63949)
- Vultr (AS20473)
Add Based on Traffic
Review your blocked traffic logs:
- Identify suspicious hosting providers
- Research the company
- Add to block list if appropriate
Regular Updates
New hosting providers appear regularly:
- Monthly review of traffic sources
- Add new suspicious hosts
- Remove if causing false positives
Exceptions and Whitelisting
Always Whitelist
- Shopify - Their servers need access
- Payment processors - Webhook callbacks
- Your apps - Integration traffic
- Search engines - Crawlers for SEO
Consider Whitelisting
- Marketing tools accessing your site
- Analytics and monitoring services
- Legitimate API integrations
Effectiveness
Blocking hosting providers typically reduces:
- Bot traffic by 60-80%
- Scraping attempts significantly
- Proxy-based fraud
- Automated attacks
Monitoring Results
After implementing:
Positive Signs
- Reduced bot traffic in analytics
- Fewer scraping attempts
- Less fraudulent activity
- Cleaner traffic data
Watch For
- Legitimate service disruption
- Customer complaints (rare)
- Needed whitelist additions
Combining with Other Blocking
For comprehensive protection:
- Hosting + Data Centers - Block all server traffic
- + VPN Blocking - Catch anonymized traffic
- + Country Blocking - Geographic restrictions
- + Rate Limiting - Slow what gets through