# When AI Attacks

URL: /show/self-hosted/146/
> We're joined by Xe Iaso, who discusses a creative solution to relentless AI bots and the unexpected delights of running an outrageously overpowered homelab.

- Show: [Self-Hosted](/show/self-hosted/)
- Episode: 146
- Date: 2025-04-04
- Hosts: alex, chris
- Guests: xe
- Duration: 00:47:30
- Audio: https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/7296e34a-2697-479a-adfb-ad32329dd0b0/b86f1cc2-3279-4029-ab19-7b5236d56f7a.mp3



Sponsors:
- [Tailscale](/sponsors/tailscale.com-ssh/index.md): Tailscale is a Zero config VPN. It installs on any device in minutes, manages firewall rules for you, and works from anywhere. Get 3 users and 100 devices for free.
- [Unraid](/sponsors/unraid.net-ssh/index.md): A powerful, easy operating system for servers and storage. Maximize your hardware with unmatched flexibility.




### Episode Links

  * [⚡ Grab Sats with Strike Around the World](https://strike.me/download/ "⚡ Grab Sats with Strike Around the World") — Strike is a lightning-powered app that lets you quickly and cheaply grab sats in over 110 countries.
  * [🇨🇦 Bitcoin Well](https://bitcoinwell.com/referral/jupiter "🇨🇦  Bitcoin Well") — Empowering sovereign ownership with free automatic self-custody 🔒
  * [🎉 Boost with Fountain FM](https://fountain.fm "🎉 Boost with Fountain FM") — Podcasts and music powered by community. Share, discover and support over 4 million shows and emerging artists.
  * [Xe Iaso's Blog](https://xeiaso.net/ "Xe Iaso's Blog")
  * [Support Xe on Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/cadey "Support Xe on Patreon")
  * [Block AI scrapers with Anubis - Xe Iaso](https://xeiaso.net/blog/2025/anubis/ "Block AI scrapers with Anubis - Xe Iaso") — I got tired of this and made a tool to stop them for good. I call it Anubis. Anubis weighs the soul of your connection using a sha256 proof-of-work challenge in order to protect upstream resources from scraper bots. It's a reverse proxy that requires browsers and bots to solve a proof-of-work challenge before they can access your site, just like Hashcash.
  * [Building native packages is complicated - Xe Iaso](https://xeiaso.net/blog/2025/anubis-packaging/ "Building native packages is complicated - Xe Iaso") — Normally when I make projects, I don't expect them to take off. I especially don't expect to front page news on Ars Technica and TechCrunch within the span of a few days. I very much also do not expect to say sentences like "FFmpeg uses a program I made to help them stop scraper bots taking down their issue tracker". The last week has been fairly ridiculous in that regard.
  * [TecharoHQ/anubis](https://github.com/TecharoHQ/anubis "TecharoHQ/anubis") — Anubis weighs the soul of your connection using a sha256 proof-of-work challenge in order to protect upstream resources from scraper bots.
  * [Open source devs are fighting AI crawlers with cleverness and vengeance](https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/27/open-source-devs-are-fighting-ai-crawlers-with-cleverness-and-vengeance/ "Open source devs are fighting AI crawlers with cleverness and vengeance") — In a “cry for help” blog post in January, FOSS developer Xe Iaso described how AmazonBot relentlessly pounded on a Git server website to the point of causing DDoS outages. Git servers host FOSS projects so that anyone who wants can download the code or contribute to it.
  * [The surreal joy of having an overprovisioned homelab - Xe Iaso](https://xeiaso.net/talks/2025/surreal-joy-homelab/ "The surreal joy of having an overprovisioned homelab - Xe Iaso") — Tonight I’ll tell you what gets me excited about my homelab and maybe inspire you to make your own. I'll get into what I like about it and clue you into some of the fun you get to have if one of your projects meant to protect your homelab goes hockey-stick.
  * [Talos Linux](https://www.talos.dev/ "Talos Linux") — Talos Linux is Linux designed for Kubernetes – secure, immutable, and minimal.
  * [Apollo: Sunshine fork](https://github.com/ClassicOldSong/Apollo "Apollo: Sunshine fork") — The easiest way to stream with the native resolution of your client device
  * [ansible-vault-bitwarden: Manage ansible-vault passwords securely with Bitwarden CLI](https://github.com/guiand888/ansible-vault-bitwarden "ansible-vault-bitwarden: Manage ansible-vault passwords securely with Bitwarden CLI")
  * [Amcrest 4MP ProHD Indoor WiFi Camera](https://amcrest.com/4mp-wifi-camera-pan-tilt-ip4m-1041w.html?srsltid=AfmBOoqiz7UigicHx_bUhJw5VDxSVYRhCIuC5VqbcvlUbOw8A3-3Brjr "Amcrest 4MP ProHD Indoor WiFi Camera") — – 2. 4ghz WiFi IP camera features immaculate 4MP (2688x1520P at 30fps video using excellent low light capability utilizing the CMOS image sensor and chipset. Cover more ground using super-wide 90° viewing angle and remote pan/tilt. 
  * [IPTV+: My Smart IPTV Player on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/iptv-my-smart-iptv-player/id1525121231 "IPTV+: My Smart IPTV Player on the App Store")
  * [Jupiter Broadcasting Meetup](https://www.meetup.com/jupiterbroadcasting/ "Jupiter Broadcasting Meetup")
  * [SSH 146 Boost Barn](https://paste.docs.lol/code/ObeyLevelness "SSH 146 Boost Barn") — Thank you to everyone who supported episode 146!



