The server blocks or challenges automated visitors
ai_unknown_bots_blockedShort answer
Your server answers automated requests (including AI bots) with a block or a verification page. Glimana saw this with a neutral, non-browser user agent, which means the rule is a blanket one rather than a bot-specific one. Real AI crawlers do not solve challenges, so they probably cannot read your pages either. Check the bot protection of your host or CDN (Cloudflare Bot Fight Mode, LiteSpeed reCAPTCHA, Imunify360) and allow verified search and AI bots. This is an indicator measured from our server; confirm it with your server logs.
Why it matters
This issue affects whether your site can be used as a source in AI assistants' answers. Blanket bot protection is tuned for scrapers, but legitimate crawlers that are not on the vendor's verified list get the same treatment. Googlebot and Bingbot are usually exempt because every WAF recognises them; newer AI search bots often are not.
How Glimana detects it
Glimana fetches a sample of pages with a generic non-browser user agent and fires when the response is a 403 or a challenge page while a browser-like fetch succeeds. The finding is an indicator. Compare with The server or WAF blocks AI bots, which tests specific bot user agents.
How to fix it
Cloudflare users: turn off Bot Fight Mode (it cannot be customised) and use Super Bot Fight Mode or Bot Management with "verified bots" allowed. LiteSpeed hosts: ask to disable the reCAPTCHA challenge for verified bots. Imunify360: add the bot user agents or IP ranges to the whitelist.
Not applicable to stores served directly by Shopify; check any proxy or firewall you placed in front.
Review WAF rules that match "unknown bot" scores, cf.client.bot, or empty Accept-Language headers, and add exceptions for verified search and AI categories.
How the fix is verified
Re-tested weekly or with Re-test; the task closes when automated requests get the normal page.