ShieldFont fights AI scraping by handing crawlers the wrong words

Help Net Security

Overview

Isaque Seneda and Gabriel Abrucio have developed a unique web font called ShieldFont, designed to combat AI scraping. This font displays one set of words to users while providing a different set in the page's underlying source code. As a result, when a web scraper attempts to extract text from the HTML, it receives misleading information, which could protect sensitive content from being misused or analyzed by automated tools. ShieldFont was initiated in October 2025 with backing from the type foundry Playtype. This innovation is particularly relevant as businesses and content creators increasingly face challenges from AI technologies that scrape data from websites for various purposes. By using ShieldFont, they may better safeguard their intellectual property and maintain control over how their content is presented online.

Key Takeaways

  • Affected Systems: Websites using ShieldFont
  • Action Required: Implement ShieldFont on websites to obscure text from scrapers.
  • Timeline: Newly disclosed

Original Article Summary

Isaque Seneda and Gabriel Abrucio built a web font that draws one set of words on screen and leaves a different set in the page’s source code. A person reading in a browser sees the writing as written. A scraper pulling the HTML gets different words in the same grammar, at the same URL, off the same bytes. ShieldFont started in October 2025 with support from the type foundry Playtype. The site that deploys it … More → The post ShieldFont fights AI scraping by handing crawlers the wrong words appeared first on Help Net Security.

Impact

Websites using ShieldFont

Exploitation Status

No active exploitation has been reported at this time. However, organizations should still apply patches promptly as proof-of-concept code may exist.

Timeline

Newly disclosed

Remediation

Implement ShieldFont on websites to obscure text from scrapers.

Additional Information

This threat intelligence is aggregated from trusted cybersecurity sources. For the most up-to-date information, technical details, and official vendor guidance, please refer to the original article linked below.

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