WAFs protect web applications by inspecting HTTP traffic and blocking malicious requests before they reach the application.
What WAFs protect against
- SQL injection attacks.
- Cross-site scripting (XSS).
- Remote file inclusion.
- Local file inclusion.
- Command injection.
- HTTP protocol violations.
- Known vulnerability exploits.
- Bot and scraper traffic.
Cloud WAF services
- AWS WAF: Integrated with CloudFront, ALB, API Gateway.
- Azure WAF: Works with Application Gateway, Front Door.
- Google Cloud Armor: Protects Cloud Load Balancers.
- Cloudflare WAF: Edge-based protection.
Rule types
- Managed rules: Pre-built rulesets (OWASP Core Rule Set, AWS Managed Rules).
- Custom rules: Organization-specific patterns.
- Rate limiting: Block excessive requests.
- Geo-blocking: Restrict by country/region.
- IP reputation: Block known malicious IPs.
Deployment modes
- Detection mode: Log but don't block (tuning phase).
- Prevention mode: Actively block matching requests.
Best practices
- Start in detection mode to tune rules.
- Use managed rulesets as baseline.
- Add custom rules for application-specific patterns.
- Implement rate limiting for login pages and APIs.
- Enable logging and integrate with SIEM.
- Regularly review and update rules.
- Test WAF rules before production deployment.
Limitations
- Cannot protect against business logic flaws.
- May cause false positives blocking legitimate traffic.
- Requires ongoing tuning and maintenance.
- Does not replace secure coding practices.
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