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I've noticed lately that the stats section of my blogger is oddly very high. Now, since I know that as much as I love writing and find peace in it I am not a particularly riveting writer, I seriously question the legitimacy of these figures.

Are there bots generating the traffic or could there be thousands of readers in Brazil and Vietnam reading what I write? I would be thrilled if there really were, but somehow I think not. 

What I don't get about it, though, is why they are targeting my blog. Wouldn't the creator of a website or blog be the one to generate false stats, not an outsider? I'm scratching my head on this one.

I Googled to find out more about fake stats and traffic bots:

AI Overview

In relation to bot activity and traffic, Brazil and Vietnam appear in several recent analyses and reports, particularly regarding cybercrime and bot farm operations. 

Brazil:

• Cybercrime Epicenter: Brazil is consistently ranked as a significant source of malware, bots, spam, and phishing attacks. A specific botnet, "Horabot," originating in Brazil, has been active since at least November 2020, delivering banking trojans and spam tools to victims, primarily Spanish speakers. This botnet targets sensitive information like credentials and financial data.
• Large-scale Botnets: Brazil has been identified as a hub for large botnet operations. The BadBox 2.0 botnet, for instance, infected 1.6 million devices globally, with 400,000 active within Brazil. These devices are used for launching DDoS attacks, spreading malware, and creating proxy networks for illicit activities.
• Political Manipulation: Bots have been observed as influential tools in Brazilian political discourse, particularly during elections. They can inflate the appearance of support for specific candidates or viewpoints by rapidly posting content at the extremes of the political spectrum. 

Vietnam:

• Bot Farm Operations: Vietnam is identified as a location for bot farms, which use numerous fake social media accounts to manipulate algorithms and create the impression of trending topics or public sentiment. Human operators in these farms might be assigned topics to provoke outrage, further driving engagement and virality.
• Sophisticated Scams: Vietnam-based hackers have been linked to using fake AI video generator websites to distribute malware, highlighting their use of advanced tactics.
• Growing Bad Actor Presence: In a 2019 analysis, Vietnam ranked among the countries hosting the most "bad actors" in absolute terms and generating a high proportion of malicious traffic relative to its population. 

General Trends:

• Advanced Bots and AI: The rise of advanced AI and machine learning is fueling the development of more sophisticated bots that can mimic human behavior and evade detection.
• Profitable Cybercrime: The increasing prevalence of bot attacks and bot farm operations indicates the high profitability of these activities for cybercriminals. 

In summary, both Brazil and Vietnam are significant locations in the landscape of online bot activity and cybercrime, with specific focus on botnets, fraudulent operations, and manipulation of online narratives.