Website security: Spot a bot to stop a botnet

One of the most significant threats faced by computer networks is from "bots." A bot is simply a program that runs on a computer without the owner's knowledge and carries out any of a number of tasks over the network and the wider internet. It can run the same tasks, such as sending emails or accessing a specific page on the internet, at a much higher rate than would be possible if a person were to carry out the task. A collection of bots in a network, used for malicious purposes, is a botnet and while they are often organized and run by a so-called botmaster there are bots that are available for hire for malicious and criminal activity. Bots might be illicitly installed on computers in the home, schools, businesses, government buildings and other installations.