Getting blocked by Cloudflare
May 30, 2026 | 1:43 pm
#138
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike.. but I wanna go home with the armadillo
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus. Eurobonus Millionaire
Posts: 38,730
I just typed a lengthy review of a hotel and posted it, only to be redirected to the Cloudfare thingy. I jumped the hoop, only to have the review disappear. I'd have been exceptionally unhappy if I hadn't copied the review first. I certainly wouldn't have been writing it again.
ST annoying. I feel your pain as I'm often not smart enough to remember to copy first..
Jun 3, 2026 | 6:13 pm
#139
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: TPE / HSZ
Programs: CX GO (=SPH), IHG Diamond Amb, Hertz 5*, Accor, Hilton, National
Posts: 7,243
I just typed a lengthy review of a hotel and posted it, only to be redirected to the Cloudfare thingy. I jumped the hoop, only to have the review disappear. I'd have been exceptionally unhappy if I hadn't copied the review first. I certainly wouldn't have been writing it again.
Jun 4, 2026 | 9:00 am
#140
Join Date: Apr 2023
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 675
I think it is clear by now that either the IB staff don't care and are happy for the current situation to continue, or they are completely incompetent and unable to fix the problem.
Jun 4, 2026 | 12:08 pm
#141
Administrator
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: Internet Brands
Posts: 4,443
The current situation is that if we lift the security settings, the site goes down, ya jerk.
Jun 4, 2026 | 1:39 pm
#142
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Diamond Metal (OWE), SK Gold (STE+, LTG), UA Platinum(*G),Marriott Titanium (LTP)
Posts: 26,615
It does make you wonder who this prolonged would get a kick out of trying to take down a site like this? Lufthansa being unhappy with the harshness of the tone?
(I know one should not look for reason, as it is probably just because they can)
(I know one should not look for reason, as it is probably just because they can)
Jun 4, 2026 | 3:11 pm
#143
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Stockholm
Programs: Various
Posts: 3,591
What we know for sure is that whoever is behind the botnet is vehemently against using US based computers to attack the site.
Jun 4, 2026 | 4:59 pm
#144
Join Date: Oct 2021
Location: London (née Melbourne)
Programs: Qantas Platinum (Oneworld Emerald)
Posts: 1,367
This must be one of the most prolonged and heavily targeted attacks on any one site in the history of the internet. But with attackers who haven’t been smart enough to realise they can get past the protections if they just use a UK or US internet connection, since those have been allowed to skip these Cloudflare security protections entirely.
Would love to know who or what’s behind it.
Would love to know who or what’s behind it.
Jun 4, 2026 | 5:53 pm
#145
Join Date: Apr 2023
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 675
Is there something that the attackers are doing that is unique to IB?
Jun 4, 2026 | 5:53 pm
#146
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Diamond Metal (OWE), SK Gold (STE+, LTG), UA Platinum(*G),Marriott Titanium (LTP)
Posts: 26,615
This must be one of the most prolonged and heavily targeted attacks on any one site in the history of the internet. But with attackers who haven’t been smart enough to realise they can get past the protections if they just use a UK or US internet connection, since those have been allowed to skip these Cloudflare security protections entirely.
Would love to know who or what’s behind it.
Would love to know who or what’s behind it.
Jun 5, 2026 | 4:37 am
#147
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Saipan, MP 96950 USA (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands = the CNMI)
Programs: UA Silver, Hilton Silver. Life: UA .60 MM, United & Admirals Clubs (spousal), Marriott Platinum
Posts: 18,071
Not all of the U.S. is "safe" either, including the CNMI and perhaps Guam. 
Jun 5, 2026 | 5:47 am
#148
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 52,796
- scraping/harvesting forums like FT for information for their AI models
- signing up spam accounts
- bruteforcing the ancient vb login to gain access to the member accounts
FT and other IB sites look at where most of their traffic comes from (one must presume US&UK) their first WAF rule on cloudflare is a strict Geo-block (block any country you or your users don't live or travel to) to instantly kill 90% of the garbage.
https://developers.cloudflare.com/wa...-access-rules/
https://developers.cloudflare.com/waf/
Jun 5, 2026 | 6:30 am
#149
Join Date: Jul 2022
Location: Madrid
Programs: IB Platino / OWE. Mucci (de Barajas)
Posts: 3,292
Its not only an occasional DDOS attack but bots are systematically
- scraping/harvesting forums like FT for information for their AI models
- signing up spam accounts
- bruteforcing the ancient vb login to gain access to the member accounts
FT and other IB sites look at where most of their traffic comes from (one must presume US&UK) their first WAF rule on cloudflare is a strict Geo-block (block any country you or your users don't live or travel to) to instantly kill 90% of the garbage.
https://developers.cloudflare.com/wa...-access-rules/
https://developers.cloudflare.com/waf/
- scraping/harvesting forums like FT for information for their AI models
- signing up spam accounts
- bruteforcing the ancient vb login to gain access to the member accounts
FT and other IB sites look at where most of their traffic comes from (one must presume US&UK) their first WAF rule on cloudflare is a strict Geo-block (block any country you or your users don't live or travel to) to instantly kill 90% of the garbage.
https://developers.cloudflare.com/wa...-access-rules/
https://developers.cloudflare.com/waf/
Jun 5, 2026 | 6:33 am
#150
Join Date: Oct 2021
Location: London (née Melbourne)
Programs: Qantas Platinum (Oneworld Emerald)
Posts: 1,367
Geo-blocking seems to be the latest security fad. At least flyertalk has a way to get through and it isn’t just blocking outright. Many UK sites and apps are now blocking any non-UK traffic. I’ve even seen it in restaurants with QR code ordering where it blocks people using a phone from another country. Obviously whoever configured it didn’t think about tourists or expats.
