How to Use the Block Traffic Tool
The Block Traffic tool in Site Tools allows you to prevent suspicious visitors, user agents, bots, applications, and services from connecting to your website by blocking their IP addresses or country ranges of IP addresses.
How to block an IP in SiteGround Site Tools – Video Tutorial
Why Would I Need to Block Traffic
There are cases when bad actors target your website and try to disrupt its operations. They include:
- Hackers
- Malicious user-agents and bots
- Services and applications that try to establish unsolicited connections
These threats could affect your business and cause serious damage. Some of the common ways in which they can harm your website are:
- Hijacking your website
- Stealing sensitive information
- Overloading your server
If you’ve established that your website is under attack, you can use the Block Traffic tool in Site Tools to block suspicious entities from connecting to your website before they can cause any harm.
How to Block IPs from Accessing My Site?
To block an IP address from accessing your site, go to Site Tools > Security > Block Traffic. Choose the domain for which you want to block access. Add the IP address or a whole range in IP/IP Range and click Block.
You can also use (*) as a wildcard character if needed, i.e. 192.168.100.*.
How to Remove an IP Block?
Go to Site Tools > Security > Block Traffic > Manage Blocked IPs. Click Delete (delete icon) and a pop-up will appear.
Choose Confirm,and the block will be removed.
How to Block Traffic from Specific Countries
Apart from blocking individual IP addresses or IP ranges, you can block the traffic from entire countries. Go to Site Tools > Security > Block Traffic > Block Country. Choose the domain for which you want to block access. Pick the desired country to block in the Country dropdown and click Block.
How to Remove a Country-Specific Traffic Block
Go to Site Tools > Security > Block Traffic > Block Country. Click Delete (delete icon) and a pop-up will appear.
Choose Confirm and the block will be removed.
Best Practices for Using the Block Traffic Tool
When using the Block Traffic tool, you should follow good practices to make sure that your website’s functionality is not compromised. They include:
- Examine the Access Logs–Before blocking an IP, IP range, or country, examine the access logs in Site Tools. It will give you vital information about the suspicious agents that are affecting your website, such as, timestamps, agent type, IP address, and URLs they access.
- Use IP Checkers–Use online IP checkers to obtain more information about the origin of the suspicious IP. Such tools can give you extra clues about the IP, such as its country of origin, city, its associated hostname, etc.
- Use Country Block as a Last Resort—Do not use the country block feature randomly. Use it as a last resort, if all other means failed. Instead of blocking the suspicious IP’s country, examine the IP details and first try to block its IP range, so you don’t block legitimate traffic or services from your website.
- Regularly Update Your Block List— Review and update your blocked IP list on a regular basis to ensure that you are not inadvertently blocking legitimate traffic. Over time, IP addresses can change hands, and an IP that was once malicious may no longer pose a threat.
- Monitor Website Performance—Continuously monitor your website’s performance and user feedback to identify potential issues caused by blocking. This ensures that legitimate users are not affected by blocked traffic.
- Utilize a Holistic Security Approach—Use the Block Traffic tool as part of a broader security strategy. Combine it with other security measures such as firewalls, SSL certificates, security plugins like Security Optimizer (for WordPress), and regular security audits to provide comprehensive protection. Consider our Site Scanner, which brings extra layers of protection to your site and actively scans it for various threats.
- Stay Informed About Emerging Threats—Stay tuned to the latest cybersecurity threats and trends. This knowledge can help you anticipate potential risks and adjust your blocking strategy accordingly.
