We can have at our disposal many types of tools that aim to protect our security. We have antivirus, firewall and other programs that are available for all kinds of operating systems and devices. In this article we are going to explain what is an application firewall or WAF. It is one more option that helps protect our security, although it has differences compared to a normal firewall. Let’s explain it.
What is an application firewall
An application firewall , or better known as WAF, is a variety of firewalls that aims to monitor, filter, or block HTTP traffic that passes through a web application.
As we see it is different from a normal firewall . In this case a WAF can filter the specific content of a web application and not all SQL, XSS or cross site request forgery traffic.
This type of firewall can be network, host or cloud based and is sometimes implemented through a reverse proxy and is located in front of 1 or more websites or applications. Its mission is to inspect each packet and it uses a base of rules to investigate and eliminate possible irregularities that may cause vulnerabilities in the network.
A WAF parses HTTP requests and enforces a set of regulations that describe which parts of that release are secure and which elements are malicious and can pose a problem.
Keep in mind that this type of firewall by itself is not a definitive security solution. However it can be interesting along with other tools.
It should also be noted that an application firewall is especially useful for organizations offering services and products over the Internet that include online shopping, online banking and other business interactions between the customer and the website.
A WAF has the advantage over traditional firewalls that it offers greater visibility of sensitive software data that is communicated through the use of the HTTP software layer.
You can avoid intruders at the utility layer that are commonly bypassed by conventional network firewalls. Also, as another advantage of a WAF, is that it can protect primarily web-based applications without necessarily gaining access to the application code.
Types of application firewall
We can mention that there are two types of application firewall. One of them is host or device based while the other type is network based. Its objective is the same, to protect the security of web applications.
The host-based WAF is completely included in the application code. In this case they may have complications to control because they require application libraries and depend on the resources of nearby servers to run successfully. Therefore more development and the work of device analysts is needed.
On the other hand we have a web- based application firewall. In this case it is typically hardware based and can reduce latency due to the fact that they can be installed locally on premises through compromised computers, as close to utility as possible.
The main problem in this case is value. There is an anticipated capital expense, in addition to the cost of ongoing maintenance.
There’s also the option of a cloud-based application firewall. A WAF hosted in the cloud can defend the application without having access.
In short, as we have seen an application firewall is different from a traditional firewall, although its objective is none other than to always preserve security. We already know that a key factor for private users and companies is to always keep their devices in good condition, safe and preserve privacy. For this we must have tools that protect us. There are many types and it is important to know that they are present for all types of devices and operating systems.