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

Answer 1

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.