Policy configuration

BotStopper uses Anubis policy files to allow, deny, challenge, and weigh requests. Policies can use YAML or JSON. Put bot rules in the top-level bots list. Set the policy file with --policy-fname or POLICY_FNAME.

The shipped policy challenges browser traffic and includes rules for known bots and crawlers. Custom rules can use request paths, user agents, headers, IP ranges, or CEL expressions.

Policy topics

• Bot rules: matching, rule order, actions, challenge configuration, and IP filtering.
• Request weight: WEIGH rules, thresholds, and headers for downstream risk calculations.
• Storage: memory, bbolt, S3-compatible storage, Valkey, and Redis Sentinel.
• Metrics: listener configuration, debugging, TLS, mTLS, and HTTP basic authentication.
• Logging: log levels, standard error, file rotation, and systemd access.
• Honeypot: the built-in honeypot entry point and configuration.

Related configuration

• Default allow behavior
• Imports
• CEL expressions
• Weight thresholds
• Challenge methods and extensions
• Custom status codes
• Open Graph
• Imprint / Impressum

See configuration for deployment configuration.