The most wearisome and fundamental trouble in app-development is to ensure its high security. The enhanced security practices an application adopts, the better is its performance.
While we consider applications safety, WAF ( **W**eb **A**pplication **F**irewall) deserves a mention. A profoundly acclaimed security tool, WAF plays a vital role in filtering, blocking, and jamming malicious elements.
Moving ahead in this article, we will try to educate you on everything related to WAF.
### What does WAF stand for?
WAF stands for _Web Application Firewall_. This firewall solution commonly monitors data packets and filters them for the presence of malware or viruses. It performs the data monitoring/filtering for to and from data packets.
The WAF tool can be delivered in a cloud, host, and network-based structure. It requires a reverse proxy to ensure good efficiency while standing forward-facing before one or more web applications.
It can be either used in combination with other applications or as a sole warrior. Based on the requirement, WAF can operate on a lower level or a higher level. Standards used for WAF regulations are PCI DSS and HIPAA (1996).
### How the WAF works?
As we had told above, the application layer is where WAF is deployed and behaves like a two-way guard. While at the job, WAF monitors HTTP or HTTPS traffic entering or exiting to a particular web app. Whenever a malevolent element is observed in the traffic, WAF becomes active and eliminates it.
To make the process a bit more simplified, WAF predefined what is vindictive and whats not. WAF follows these rules all through the process. Mainly, WAF analyses the GET and POST part of the HTTP traffic. GET retrieves data from the server while POST is used to guide the data to the server to alter its original condition.
### The importance of the WAF
As per the security veterans, using the WAF network is crucial for organizations endowing online products or services. These services include social media marketing, mobile application development, and digital banking.
Implementation of WAF firewall in such service delivery helps at multiple fronts. For instance:
* WAF activation makes protecting sensitive data an easier job.
* Malicious traffic to data like customer payment details, card data, personal information, and many more can be prevented with it. Data leaks will be least possible.
* Such organizations need to store huge sensitive information overcloud or in a backend database. To access these databases, a web app is used. Also, for the seamless operation of mobile and IoT device transactions, the application layer should be fail-proof.
* Hackers keep an eye on these databases and devices and leave no opportunity to target them. Placing a WAF security barrier in front of the web application is a smart move as hackers wont be able to access the database.
* Organizations maintaining databases online or using online services need to fulfill certain compliance requirements. For instance, firms supporting payment via credit or debit card need to meet [PCI DSS compliance]().
Such compliances have made the use of a WAF firewall. So, if youre using one, youre adhering to the industry standards and letting your customer believe that you think about their data security and are professional players.
When combined with security measures like IPS, IDS, or customary firewalls, WAF security practice enhances the security model, making it stronger, and reduces the incidents of security/data breaches.
### Types of Web Application Firewalls
From the deployment processs perspective, WAFs are of 3 types:
1. **Host-based WAFs**
Such WAFs are basically hardware tools used widely to control the latency. They are deployed at the clients location with the help of specific devices. They stay in close proximity with targeted applications.
WAF vendors offering this type of firewall replicate filtering rules and settings on all the linked appliances. Because of this, network-based WAFs are best suited for extensive deployment.
But, its not always a great deal to make as its operational cost is high. If you consider this, get ready to make huge upfront investments. Also, its too demanding on the operational front.
**2. Network-based WAF**
This type of WAF is assimilated completely into the application code and is less demanding. The implementation cost of host-based WAFs is comparatively lower than network-based WAFs.
Despite that, such WAFs come with assorted customization options. However, their management is a huge challenge as they necessitate extensive application libraries and local server resources support. One has to deploy a huge number of developers, DevOps experts, and system analysts.
**3. Cloud-based WAF**
The most pocket-friendly WAF option to date, cloud-based WAFs are the wisest choice to make if one needs an immediate turnkey solution without spending much on implementation and management.
As all the technical support and resources to make WAFs work are already deployed on the cloud and can be accessed over a simple login, they are the most straightforward option. The subscription choices are also multiple.
The challenge with this WAF type is to filter the application traffic that a third-party provider generates or sends. In this scenario, cloud-based WAFs demand an application to be hosted on wide hosting locations.
### Advantages of the Web Application Firewall
WAF helps organizations make their applications strong from the core and ensure that they bypass the customary threats. This one resource can keep your web application protected from below-mentioned attacks:
* Cross-site scripting or XSS involves introducing spiteful scripts in someone elses browser.
* [SQL injection]() wherein cybercriminals can affect the SQL database by altering its configuration. By doing so, attackers will steal the crucial data.
* Web session hijacking attack refers to hacking an ID session by attackers and portraying it as a reliable resource. Attackers steal the ID details mostly from the URL or cookies.
* [DDoS attacks]() mean flooding a network with unwanted traffic and so that the desired user is not able to access it.
* Other than dealing with all these attacks, WAF bears another advantage and it is protecting the web-based application without working with the original application code. It saves a huge deal of time and effort.
### Models of WAF operation
For efficacious data packet content filtering, WAF adopts two lines of attacks. Here is a detailed overview of these two:
* **Whitelisting**
The most commonly used approach, whitelisting involves denying all the requests and allowing only the trusted ones by WAF. It features a list of reliable IP addresses and allows requests based on that list only. This approach doesnt demand many resources and can be at your service instantly. This makes it more famous than blacklisting.
But, it comes with a few downsides as well. For instance, knowingly or unknowingly, it blocks non-threatening traffic as well. As its filtration net is wide, a lot of traffic is filtered and reduces its accuracy.
* **Blacklisting**
The next approach is blacklisting that involves allowing all the data packets to pass through and applying a predefined signature to keep menacing web traffic at bay. While whitelisting uses IP addresses to define evil traffic, blacklisting uses rules for this job. If youre trying to protect a public website or application then blacklisting is the best practice to implement as there would be a huge amount of unknown traffic received on such platforms and its hard to decide whether or not its benign.
While you plan to deploy this approach, keep in mind that blacklisting is highly demanding and requires more information to sieve the data packets.
_No matter which approach you use, WAF deals with HTTP/HTTPS traffic and takes every possible action to make it more secure._
_Besides the above, sometimes, application security demands the best of both worlds. Thats the scenario where _**_Hybrid_**_ approach comes to the rescue. It blends whitelisting and blacklisting methodologies to an inappropriate proposition._
### Firewall vs. Web Application Firewall
On the surface, the firewall and WAF seem the same. And, they are similar to each other on multiple fronts. But, they are not identical. Some fundamental differences exist. While youre planning to bring anyone into action, understanding the differences is imperative.
A firewall is a wide terminology used for assorted firewalls deployed for protecting computer networks. While at service, it filters the data packets. Firewalls are distinguished from each other based on the protection they offer and their delivery model. For instance, few firewalls use packet filtering while others use proxies, NGFW, or stateful inspection.
You can compare WAF with proxy firewalls. Still, there is a difference. A firewall doesnt shield the system from attacks happening on a basic level. WAF lays its attention on [Layer 7 logic]().
WAF or Web Application Firewall is utilized principally for safeguarding web applications against threats in the cyberworld. Its work begins from the application layer. So, no matter what the approach is, the implementation of WAF is always done at the application layer.
### Wallarm WAF
Wallarm [Cloud WAF]() is a tech-infused and leading tool capable of protecting key APIs like [gRPC](), [SOAP](), [REST](), and WebSocket. With this single WAF security tool, one can safeguard workloads, applications, and APIs. All you need to do is change the DNS.
The best part is its 100% customization. The WAF tool comes with flexible costing so that one pays only for the needed assistance. It can handle caching, optimization, and other aspects are well taken care of. As this tool operates automatically, a lot of manual work will be eliminated.
_Originally published at _[_https://www.wallarm.com_]()_._
Read More
References
Back to Main
