How to prevent malicious code from calling my javascript

Question

I have this code inside a file located at http://example.com/analytics.js and referenced in the HMTL head. The below code is kind of Javascript pseudo code to what I want to do

function collectStatistics(){ // this function will send the page view to my server recordPageView(window.location.href); }

How can I prevent malicious code and spammers from abusing my recordPageView function? Simplest thing they can do is to put it inside a loop in the browser console and if I throttle it, they can put a timer inside the loop ... etc

Thanks

T.J. Crowder · Accepted Answer · 2012-04-17 12:24:22Z

5

You can't. Client-side code is entirely hackable, full stop. Anyone viewing the page can readily trigger calls to collectStatistics, in a loop or otherwise. Or they can take it a step further, see what you're sending in recordPageView, and do it directly.

All you can do is track this stuff server-side and look for patterns of abuse, which is exactly what Google and others do with their ad networks.

answered Apr 17, 2012 at 12:24

T.J. Crowder

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5 Comments

Mutaz Over a year ago

So how google analytics and facebook and others are doing it and collecting their statistics and avoiding spammers? There should be something to avoid the noise can be caused by spammers!

Mutaz Over a year ago

Sorry I commented on your incomplete answer... Yes, I see

T.J. Crowder Over a year ago

@Mutaz: LOL Sorry, I don't remember editing it (but I totally believe that I did).

Mutaz Over a year ago

@t-j-crowder do you have any idea about the patterns could be successfully applicable to this case?

T.J. Crowder Over a year ago

@Mutaz: I'm afraid not, it's not one of my areas of expertise. It's a complex and endlessly changing subject, like spam.

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