On a positive note, one type of SpamBOT appears to have been either removed or greatly downsized in its use on the Gnutella network. This is probably due to the network population having shrunk considerably in size over this decade. But possibly also in small part due to my efforts back in 2014 (also thanks to Bigjx) to have WireShare armed with blocking such SpamBOTs at 3 levels, one of which includes using the hostiles security file thus rendering such SpamBOTs powerless on the greater population of the network. Normally whilst using Phex in ultrapeer mode there would be a SpamBOT attempting to connect once every 1 to 3 minutes. But over past two weeks have not seen any. Nor have I seen any appear on GWC’s. At least one type of GWC now blocks such SpamBOTs reducing their ability to find hosts to connect with. My last finding of these type of SpamBOTs was via using Gnucleus and only via finding them on the host file in July and prior to that via a GWC in May. Edit: Still getting block hits for a few previously active spambots, but not many.

Edit November: Well, the SpamBOTs are still around after all. Perhaps in smaller numbers.

There are still other types of active BOTs on the network. Browse and download BOTs for example. Some identify as standard programs, an example such as a BOT that identifies itself as LW 4.16 (fake as it lacks a minor version) that connects in leaf mode and found in various ip ranges. The Japanese Browse-BOT is a Cabos version that also only connects as a leaf. Neither of these give file-share data which suggests they are either firewalled or not wired to pass such information to the network.

Terrorist BOT
There’s also the Trend Micro black hat bot which is more of a generic BOT in that it not only attacks and menaces the Gnutella network but anything on the internet, including websites. It is a terrorist BOT. Trend Micro executives (and perhaps also the company's shareholders) should be jailed for operating this damaging BOT that attempts to steal information from any location of the computer. These BOTs can also have a contributing DDoS effect, rendering a website inaccessible.