Robots.txt Tester
Test and validate your robots.txt file to ensure search engines can properly crawl your website.
User Agent Rules
No allow paths specified
Seconds between requests (leave empty for no delay)
Sitemaps
No sitemaps specified
What is a robots.txt file?
A robots.txt file is a text file that website owners create to instruct web robots (typically search engine crawlers) how to crawl pages on their website. The robots.txt file is part of the Robots Exclusion Protocol (REP), a group of web standards that regulate how robots crawl the web, access and index content, and serve that content up to users.
Security Risks in robots.txt Files
Your robots.txt file can unintentionally expose sensitive paths or weaken security by highlighting critical directories, files, or endpoints to the public. Here's a breakdown of common risky patterns and why they're problematic:
Directly Exposing Sensitive Paths
Disallow: /admin
Disallow: /wp-admin
Disallow: /backup
Disallow: /config
Disallow: /includes
Risk:
- These rules explicitly reveal the existence of sensitive directories
- Malicious actors can use this information to target attacks
- Brute-force attempts may focus on exposed paths (e.g., `/admin/login`)
Overly Broad Wildcards
Disallow: /*.php$
Disallow: /*.sql$
Disallow: /logs/*
Risk:
- Blocking all `.php` or `.sql` files hints at server-side scripts or databases
- Wildcards like `/logs/*` could expose debug logs or user activity records
Accidental "Allow" Rules for Sensitive Areas
Allow: /dashboard
Allow: /api/v1/users
Risk:
- Overrides like `Allow` in restrictive rules might unintentionally expose internal tools or APIs
Typos or Non-Standard Directives
Disalow: /secret
Noindex: /private
Risk:
- Typos render rules ineffective, leaving sensitive paths crawlable
- Non-standard directives are ignored by crawlers, creating a false sense of security
Blocking Critical SEO Assets
Disallow: /css/
Disallow: /js/
Disallow: /sitemap.xml
Risk:
- Blocking CSS/JS breaks how search engines render pages, harming SEO
- Hiding `sitemap.xml` limits crawlers' ability to discover valid pages
Exposing Development/Test Environments
Disallow: /staging
Disallow: /test
Disallow: /dev
Risk:
- Reveals the existence of non-production environments, which often have weaker security
Version Control or Backup Files
Disallow: /.git
Disallow: /.svn
Disallow: /backup.zip
Risk:
- Exposes version control directories, which can leak source code if not properly secured
- Filenames like `backup.zip` attract attackers looking to download database dumps
Query Parameters with Sensitive Data
Disallow: /*?user_id=
Disallow: /*?token=
Risk:
- Highlights URLs with parameters that might expose user IDs, session tokens, or API keys
Why This Matters
Security Through Obscurity
Blocking paths in `robots.txt` does not secure them—it only asks crawlers to avoid them. Sensitive paths should be protected via authentication (e.g., `.htaccess`, firewalls, or login systems).
Public Visibility
The `robots.txt` file is publicly accessible (e.g., `yoursite.com/robots.txt`), so attackers can easily view blocked paths.
Best Practices for Security
Use proper authentication and authorization for sensitive areas instead of relying on robots.txt
Consider using generic paths that don't reveal the technology or purpose (e.g., "/restricted/" instead of "/admin/")
Implement proper security headers and access controls on your web server
Regularly audit your robots.txt file for security implications