Wikipedia uses a complex system of checks and balances. Learn how network security Wikipedia is protected from malicious editors.
Network Security Wikipedia
Wikipedia articles are protected from malicious edits by a complex system of checks and balances. This Wikipedia article describes how Wikipedia articles are protected from malicious edits. This is a simplified explanation of the process.
Before an edit to a Wikipedia article can be made, the IP address of the computer doing the edit must be verified as belonging to a valid user. The process by which this happens is called “IP blocking.” If an IP address is blocked, the blocked user will see an error message prompting him or her to contact an administrator.
How Does It Work?
This is why they need to make the edit and have their IP address unblocked. To unblock one’s IP address, one must submit proof that they are eligible to make edits on Wikipedia. This is done by sending an e-mail to [email protected], who will contact the individual.
Then ask them for some details to confirm that they are indeed eligible to make edits on Wikipedia. This process is called “e-mail confirmation.” If someone tries to unblock their IP address without having it properly, e-mail confirmed this would result in another block placed on their IP address.
Once an IP address has been confirmed, it remains so until it has been blocked several times. So, once this happens, the editor must start over with e-mail confirmation again. Also, once someone has had their IP address confirmed, they are allowed to make edits without first getting it unblocked by an administrator.
Any edits made from a blocked IP address will automatically be reverted (undoable) also if someone tries to make two or more edits from one of these blocked IP addresses within a short period. Since all of those edits will be reverted as well.
Bots Prohibition
Recently, there was a new addition called “bots.” A bot is a program that runs automatically once it has been given certain commands. Bots have certain advantages over humans, like never getting tired and never having an emotional reaction while editing Wikipedia articles.
The disadvantage is that they are only programmed with certain commands. It can lead them into making bad edits that won’t be reverted because they are being made by a bot and not a human editor. The use of bots is strictly prohibited on Wikipedia unless given permitted by administrators.
This is for specific purposes like fixing templates or cleaning up articles about obscure topics that people don’t normally edit. Certain users are disruptive. This means that they make a lot of bad edits like adding spam, promotional content, or certain types of vandalism.
They can be thrown out of the project by being blocked from editing Wikipedia. So, by having their IP address blocked when they try to edit Wikipedia from a certain IP address. The admins won’t do this unless they have been warned and told not to continue with their disruptive editing.