WAF solutions protect businesses from web-based attacks targeted at applications. This includes attacks against the Domain Name System (DNS) and File Transfer Protocol (FTP), as well as Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), Secure Shell (SSH), and Telnet. Network firewalls operate at OSI model Layers 3 and 4, which protect data transfer and network traffic. A WAF mitigates this by acting as a reverse proxy that protects the targeted server from malicious traffic and filters requests to identify the use of DDoS tools.
They also target web application protocols HTTP and HTTPS, which are used to connect web browsers and web servers.įor example, a Layer 7 DDoS attack sends a flood of traffic to the server layer where web pages are generated and delivered in response to HTTP requests. This includes attacks against applications like Ajax, ActiveX, and JavaScript, as well as cookie manipulation, SQL injection, and URL attacks. WAFs protect attacks at OSI model Layer 7, which is the application level. These are defined by the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model, which characterizes and standardizes communication functions within telecommunication and computing systems. The key technical difference between application-level firewall and network-level firewall is the layer of security they operate on. Without it, any computer with a public Internet Protocol (IP) address is accessible outside the network and potentially at risk of attack. Its primary objective is to separate a secured zone from a less secure zone and control communications between the two. Learn more about what is a WAF?Ī network firewall protects a secured local-area network from unauthorized access to prevent the risk of attacks. This is increasingly important as businesses expand into new digital initiatives, which can leave new web applications and application programming interfaces (APIs) vulnerable to attacks. It then detects and blocks malicious requests before they reach users or web applications. As a result, WAFs secure business-critical web applications and web servers from zero-day threats and other application-layer attacks. This differs from a standard firewall, which provides a barrier between external and internal network traffic.Ī WAF sits between external users and web applications to analyze all HTTP communication. This increases protection from attacks against web applications, which are stored on a remote server, delivered over the internet through a browser interface, and appealing targets for hackers.Ī WAF protects web applications by targeting Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) traffic. But the growth of bring your own device (BYOD), public cloud, and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions means they need to add a web application firewall (WAF) to their security strategy. Traditionally, businesses have protected their data and users with network firewalls, which lack the flexibility and transparency to protect against modern security threats. This is especially the case with firewalls, as web application firewalls and network firewalls protect organizations from different types of attacks. It is therefore essential to understand the importance and differences between WAF security and network firewall security that help in preventing web attacks and broader network attacks. In the modern age of sophisticated cyberattacks and digital innovation, it is vital for businesses to understand the threats they face and what their security defenses protect them from.
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