How to improve web application security with a web application firewall (WAF)?

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Understanding Web Application Firewalls: Enhanced Protection for Your Digital Assets

Exploring WAF Types, Implementation Strategies, and Best Practices for Robust Cybersecurity

A Web Application Firewall (WAF) is a security solution designed to monitor, filter, and block malicious traffic trying to access your web applications. It scrutinizes incoming requests and applies predefined rules to identify and mitigate potential threats. Various types of WAFs exist, including network-based, host-based, and cloud-based WAFs, each offering unique features and benefits.

Implementing a Web Application Firewall involves configuring it to meet your application’s specific needs. This process typically includes setting up rules, policies, and custom security settings to ensure optimal protection. Opting for a cloud-based WAF solution provides several advantages such as scalability, easy deployment, and centralized management.

In this whitepaper, certified SANS instructor Serge Borso discusses how and where a WAF extends the security capabilities of a traditional firewall to stop 90% of the worst types of cyberattacks. You’ll also learn the top use cases for a WAF, best practices, and how to use a WAF to meet security compliance requirements.

Watch this on-demand webinar to discover how a WAF goes beyond a standard firewall and helps you meet security industry compliance

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How to improve your security posture with a WAF

Watch this on-demand webinar to discover how a WAF goes beyond a standard firewall and helps you meet security industry compliance

Watch the webinar

WAF whitepaper key learnings

Key Considerations for Optimizing Web Application Security with AWS WAF

WAF deployment, best practices, and compliance

WAFs offer versatile deployment options, including cloud-based, on-premises, and hybrid models, to suit diverse organizational needs. Implementing best practices for WAF configuration, integrating them into existing security infrastructure, and continuously monitoring and tuning policies not only enhances protection against web application vulnerabilities but also aids in meeting critical regulatory compliance requirements such as PCI DSS and HIPAA.

WAF use cases: Blocking malicious traffic and enhanced logging

WAFs offer robust protection against a wide range of threats, including the OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities, DDoS attacks, malicious bots, and API exploits, while providing enhanced logging and security analytics capabilities. By integrating real-time threat intelligence, WAFs can adapt to emerging threats, offering comprehensive and up-to-date protection for web applications and APIs, making them an essential component of modern cybersecurity strategies.

The role of WAFs as purpose-built security tools

WAFs serve as specialized security tools designed to protect web applications from a wide range of threats, offering capabilities that complement and enhance traditional security measures. Unlike general-purpose firewalls, WAFs provide deep application-layer visibility and protection, making them an essential component of a comprehensive defense-in-depth strategy that addresses the unique security challenges posed by modern web applications and APIs.

WAFs as change agents in organizational security

WAFs can serve as powerful catalysts for transforming an organization's approach to security, fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement. By integrating WAF testing into the development process, enhancing collaboration between security and development teams, and leveraging WAF-driven insights, organizations can shift towards a more proactive and holistic security posture that aligns with DevSecOps principles and drives ongoing security awareness and training initiatives.