Bots Target DDR5 Memory in AI Shortage Scalping

A cybersecurity firm has uncovered an automated scalping operation targeting DDR5 memory modules amid shortages driven by surging demand from artificial intelligence data centers. The campaign, which focuses on real-time pricing and inventory data, has generated millions of web scraping requests across consumer and industrial product listings, exacerbating supply constraints for everyday buyers.

DataDome, a company specializing in bot mitigation, reported blocking more than 10 million requests from a single sophisticated bot in recent months. The automated tool queried product pages at intervals of about 6.5 seconds, averaging 551 hits per listing and exceeding 50,000 requests per hour across targeted e-commerce and distribution sites. This intensity is nearly six times higher than legitimate shopper traffic, according to the firm's analysis.

The operation extends beyond retail DDR5 kits popular among PC builders, such as those from Corsair, Crucial, and Kingston. Bots also monitored upstream components, including DIMM sockets from suppliers like Amphenol and TE Connectivity, as well as CAMM2 connectors and industrial-grade modules from providers like Apacer and Micron. This...