DEFENDING MODERN WEB PLATFORMS AGAINST AUTOMATED ACCESS: A PRACTICAL METHODOLOGY FOR BOT RESISTANCE AND FAIR HUMAN ACCESS

This research paper presents a practical framework for protecting modern web applications from automated access and bot-driven abuse while maintaining smooth access for legitimate users. The study covers key risks such as scraping, credential stuffing, and API misuse, and proposes a layered defense model combining WAF controls, bot management, behavioral analytics, adaptive challenges, API hardening, and continuous monitoring. It includes a production-oriented methodology, implementation roadmap, risk and constraint analysis, and measurable evaluation criteria. The paper is designed to support real-world security hardening decisions for web platforms that need both resilience and usability.