Web Application Firewall For Website Protection

Internet protection is highly necessary, especially if the company interacts with customers’ personal data. A Web Application Firewall (WAF) is one of the most important tools to protect web applications.

So, what is WAF? It is a particular system that constantly monitors the HTTP traffic of a web application to create a protective shield against such risks or attacks. In a way, a specific WAF evaluates which of the requests is hostile, and in doing so, it removes every other unwanted traffic from the server.

In this article, we will also look at how WAF in security for e-commerce websites can be different from standard firewall technologies such as Next Generation Firewall (NGFW). Threats WAFs protect against include SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and cross-site request forgery (CSRF). WAF can improve web security through monitoring, threat identification, IP blocking, and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS).

How WAFs Differ from Traditional Firewalls

While traditional firewalls, such as NGFWs, work by filtering traffic based on ports, protocols, and IP addresses, they are primarily aimed at defending against network-level threats. Conceptual network-based and host-based firewalls aim to prevent hostile parties from accessing an organization’s internal facilities. Still, they are ineffective in preventing application-layer attacks based on web vulnerabilities.

However, a Web Application Firewall is designed to filter and capture HTTP traffic to protect web applications. WAFs can identify prohibited traffic and prevent attacks involving applications’ vulnerabilities like SQL injections or Cross-Site Scripting (XSS). These application-level attacks can often evade traditional NGFWs because they entail tampering with proper requests or exploiting cookies in the target web application’s front end, back end, or database.

Despite having an NGFW, it is crucial to incorporate a WAF since it offers more layers of protection, following e-commerce website security requirements. An NGFW offers important network-level security, while a WAF is tailored to protect web applications from complex attacks. This combination assures that we deal with both network-level threats and application-level threats.

Threats That a WAF Protects Against

A WAF provides essential defense against several elementary internet threats and perilous classes of web application attacks. Here are a few key threats that WAFs shield websites from:

1. SQL Injection (SQLi)

SQL injection is a form of attack in which the attacker inserts SQL code into an input form field to get the web application to act on it in the database. If successful, the attacker can read, alter, or delete the data as they want it without the owner’s knowledge.

WAF Protection: A WAF filters out possibly unsafe SQL queries from the database using different rules that help eliminate probably dangerous inputs, intending to protect the data from duplication or loss.

2. Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)

In an XSS attack, the attacker introduces and embeds scripts in the web application’s front end, which execute in the browser of users who visit the web page. This could result in session hijacking, theft of login credentials, or even transfer to other fraudulent websites.

WAF Protection: WAFs clean and regulate user input data; they prevent the introduction of unauthorized script code into web pages, safeguarding users’ data and the website’s proper functioning.

3. Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)

CSRF is a form of attack where a malicious user exploits a user’s interaction with a web application and forces them to perform specific actions they did not intend, for example, changing account details or transferring funds.

WAF Protection: Thus, by checking whether the requests are legitimate and came from the authenticated user, the WAF effectively prevents unauthorized actions, thus reducing the likelihood of a CSRF attack.

4. Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)

A DDoS attack targets a particular website’s traffic generation, diminishing its availability to genuine users.

WAF Protection: WAFs counter DDoS attacks by filtering or blocking traffic deemed to be coming from a hostile state and permitting the other traffic to pass through unimpeded.

WAF’s Security Features for E-commerce Websites

WAFs contain many features that can be useful for improving a site’s protection. These features do not only cover traffic filtering, but they also offer strong protection against various types of threats.

1. Traffic Monitoring

One of the main strengths of utilizing a WAF is the constant traffic monitoring it facilitates. Since WAFs can analyze patterns in real-time, they can quickly identify suspicious traffic behaviors, like multiple failed login attempts and high levels of traffic, which are signs that a particular form of attack could be looming. This feature is useful when identifying the threats and taking measures to prevent them.

2. IP Filtering

IP filtering allows WAF to block IP addresses of known attackers or addresses originating from risky geographical locations. On the other hand, the trusted IP addresses can be included in a whitelist whereby the critical users are always granted access while the undesirable people are locked out.

3. Automatic Threat Detection and Response

Thanks to complex algorithms, machine learning capabilities, and heuristic analysis, WAFs can identify and mitigate threats in real-time. Threat detection and threat management save the organization from digital attacks and reduce the potential of service interference or even data leaks.

4. DDoS Protection

WAFs are important tools for DDoS protection as their use eliminates questionable traffic while keeping legitimate users connected. This is especially relevant if the service provider is hosting e-commerce websites since the loss of uptime means a loss of cash income. Reducing outage time during a DDoS attack eliminates business risks such as reputation loss and customers’ loss of trust.

5. Encryption and Access Control

WAFs can also help to enforce encryption standards, guaranteeing that data exchange between the user and the site is confidential. Further, WAFs support a higher level of access control by using user credentials and prohibiting access to restricted zones of the web application.

Can a WAF Prevent All Types of Cyber Attacks?

Even though a WAF covers many of the threats in the application layer, it cannot protect against all forms of cyber attack. However, there are some types of attacks like social engineering, such as phishing attacks or insider threats, which WAF does not protect. Also, the backend infrastructure misconfigurations or weak third-party applications and libraries can be attacked even if a WAF is implemented.

Nevertheless, WAF is a critical layer of security that should not be disregarded while implementing a security concept. When integrated with Other Security Layers such as NGFWs, Encryption protocols, Secure Code practices, and Frequent updates, A WAF dramatically lowers the chances of leakage, system interruption, and brand erosion.

How Much Does a Web Application Firewall Cost?

Generally, the costs of employing a WAF will vary depending on the solution that one opts for, whether an on-premise or a cloud one, the traffic that the organization receives, and the security features that the solution will provide.

On-premises WAF

These solutions demand a significantly higher initial capital expenditure for the incorporation of the hardware and software, including prices that vary from $5000 to $50000 depending on the company’s size and the software’s requirements.

Cloud-based WAF

These are mostly paid solutions, and their pricing typically ranges from $20 to $300 per month. Generally, the price depends on the traffic processed by WAF and the functionality requested for usage, such as DDoS protections or SSL encryption.

Managed WAF services

For enterprises looking to continually protect their applications without the additional costs of self-managing, a WAF cost can be anywhere from a hundred dollars up to several thousand dollars per month, depending on the level of protection required and the traffic volume.

Conclusion

Given the continuously changing nature of cyber threats, a Web Application Firewall (WAF) is mandatory for shielding sites from cyber threats. WAFs are indispensable for web application protection, starting with the ability to stop SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and cross-site request forgery and ending with such features as DDoS protection, IP filtering, and traffic monitoring.

While no single tool can prevent all cyberattacks, a WAF, combined with NGFWs, encryption, and strong access controls, provides robust defense, meeting the security features for eCommerce website requirements and safeguarding customer trust.