Offline-mode (cracked) servers are exceptionally vulnerable because bots do not need valid Microsoft accounts to join. Implement a Free Auth Captcha

Avoid sharing your raw numeric IP address. Use free DNS providers like Cloudflare to manage your domain, and set up SRV records to mask your underlying hosting infrastructure where possible. Conclusion

Bots rapidly connect and disconnect, filling the server logs, triggering resource-heavy join events, and spamming the in-game chat.

anti_bot: enabled: true throttle_limit: 2 throttle_time: 30000

If you want to stress-test your own server, use legitimate tools like JMeter with Minecraft protocol plugins, or ask your server host for permission and guidance.

: Lower this value to drop dead or unresponsive bot connections faster. Step 2: The Best Free Anti-Bot Plugins

If you want to tailor this defense strategy to your specific setup, let me know:

Have a specific bot attack pattern we didn't cover? Check the logs and search for the error message—chances are, someone has already posted a free fix on the SpigotMC forums.