Bitly/windowstxt Fix

The next time someone asks, "How do I control bots or scanners on my Windows web server?" don't just say robots.txt . Say, "Let me show you the windowstxt philosophy."

IF YOU ARE READING THIS, THE TRANSFER IS 98% COMPLETE. ABORT SEQUENCE: bitly/windowstxt bitly/windowstxt

Bitly, the URL shortening service, allows custom "back-halves" for links. Someone—likely a bored programmer in the early 2010s—had registered bitly/windowstxt as a redirect. Where did it go? The next time someone asks, "How do I

The script hosted at the (or similar links like bit.ly/windows10txt ) functions by utilizing Key Management Service (KMS) technology. Someone—likely a bored programmer in the early 2010s—had

But the creepy part was the final line of the text file:

<rule name="Block bad bots" stopProcessing="true"> <match url=".*" /> <conditions> <add input="{HTTP_USER_AGENT}" pattern="BadBot" /> </conditions> <action type="AbortRequest" /> </rule>

A prominent tech YouTuber, known for debunking myths, decided to prove it was fake. He set up a fresh install of Windows 7 on a virtual machine. He disabled all network sharing. He typed bitly/windowstxt into the address bar.