Blocking VPNs and bots via Cloudflare firewall remains critical in 2025 to prevent credential stuffing, ad fraud, and DDoS attacks. This guide details configuration steps, advanced rule implementation, and monitoring practices aligned with Cloudflare’s 2025 updates.
Why Block VPNs and Bots in 2025?
Malicious actors increasingly use residential VPNs and AI-driven bots to bypass security systems. Cloudflare reports a 37% rise in VPN-originated attacks since 2023.
Risks of Unblocked VPNs/Bots
- Ad Fraud: Fake clicks drain advertiser budgets.
- Data Scraping: Competitors steal pricing or content.
- Account Takeovers: Credential stuffing via VPN IP pools.
Cloudflare Firewall Features for 2025
Cloudflare’s 2025 firewall integrates machine learning to classify VPNs and bots in real time.
Feature | Functionality |
---|---|
AI Threat Detection | Flags IPs linked to VPNs/proxies automatically. |
Bot Analytics | Tracks bot traffic types (e.g., crawlers, scrapers). |
ASN Blocking | Blocks entire VPN provider networks (e.g., AS60068). |
Rate Limiting | Restricts requests from suspicious IPs. |
Step-by-Step Configuration
1. Enable Cloudflare Bot Fight Mode
- Navigate to Security > Bots in the Cloudflare dashboard.
- Activate Bot Fight Mode to challenge common bots.
- Enable JavaScript Detections for advanced mitigation.
2. Block VPNs via Firewall Rules
- Go to Security > WAF > Firewall Rules.
- Create a rule with:
- Field: IP Source
- Operator: “Is in List”
- Value: Cloudflare’s VPN IP List
- Set action to Block.
3. Restrict High-Risk ASNs
- Use the ASN field in firewall rules to block networks like:
- AS16509 (Amazon AWS) – Often abused for bot hosting.
- AS36351 (Hostwinds) – Common in brute-force attacks.
4. Mitigate DDoS Attacks
- Under DDoS Protection, activate Advanced TCP Protection.
- Set HTTP request threshold to 100 requests/minute.
Advanced Tactics for 2025
Zero-Trust Integration
- Pair Cloudflare firewall with Cloudflare Zero Trust to:
- Require device attestation before granting access.
- Enforce mTLS (Mutual TLS) for API endpoints.
Custom Bot Score Thresholds
- In Security > Bots, adjust Bot Scores to:
- Block scores ≤ 20 (definite bots).
- Challenge scores 21–40 (suspicious traffic).
Monitoring and Maintenance
- Traffic Analytics Dashboard
- Filter logs by
Bot Score
andIP Threat Score
. - Export data to SIEM tools like Splunk or Datadog.
- Filter logs by
- Automated Alerts
- Configure alerts for spikes in
HTTP 429
(rate-limiting) errors.
- Configure alerts for spikes in
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Problem | Solution |
---|---|
Legitimate Users Blocked | Whitelist IPs via Security > WAF > Tools > IP Access Rules. |
False Bot Positives | Adjust Bot Score thresholds or disable “FingerprintJS” detection. |
VPNs Bypassing Rules | Combine ASN blocking with Country Restrictions. |