You can block any http user agents with GET / POST requests that scrape your content or try to exploit software vulnerability. Use the following syntax. Edit /usr/local/nginx/conf/nginx.conf file, enter:

vi /usr/local/nginx/conf/nginx.conf

In this example, block http user agent called wget:

Block http user agent – wget

if ($http_user_agent ~* (Wget) ) { return 403; }

Block Software download user agents

if ($http_user_agent ~* LWP::Simple|BBBike|wget) { return 403; }

Save and close the file. Reload nginx web server, enter:

service nginx reload

OR

/usr/local/nginx/sbin/nginx -s reload

How do I block multiple http user agents?

Use the following syntax:

if ($http_user_agent ~ (agent1|agent2|Foo|Wget|Catall Spider|AcoiRobot) ) { return 403; }

Case insensitive blocking: ~* vs ~

Please note the ~* makes it case insensitive as opposed to just a ~:

case sensitive http user agent blocking

if ($http_user_agent ~ (Catall Spider|AcoiRobot) ) { return 403; }

case insensitive http user agent blocking

if ($http_user_agent ~* (foo|bar) ) { return 403; }