
Most WAFs offer rule-based protection against application-level attacks such as SQL injection or cross-site scripting, but several of the options on this list also offer features as far down as the IP layer such as DDoS protection and load balancing. Web application firewall (WAF) definitionĪ WAF is a critical component of an enterprise security infrastructure, providing protection between end users and your web application, potentially at multiple layers of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model. In a modern infrastructure, where attacks are more sophisticated and cloud-based resources are commonplace, these security measures are often still in place, but can be further enhanced by a web application firewall (WAF). Traditionally, web application security was handled using a combination of the corporate firewall, authentication to an LDAP directory, and a hardened web server in the DMZ network.


As web applications mature and become more popular, organizations need to focus more on maintaining a positive security footprint around them.
