GET is the most common way requests are handled on the web.
Mainly, an HTTP conversation consists of GET and POST request methods: Analyzing HTTP and RulesetsĪs we mentioned, a WAF protects web-based applications in a way that it analyzes HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) requests.īy applying a set of rules, it can differentiate which parts of an HTTP conversation are malign and which parts are benign. Web application firewalls are usually deployed as a software, hardware, or as a waf-as-a-service package with tailor-made policies that fit your website’s needs. If a standard proxy server functions only as an intermediary to protect a user’s private network, a reverse proxy - in this case, the modus operandi of WAF - does the same for a web app.īy inspecting HTTP requests through user-defined policies, a WAF filters data packets and is solely focused on protecting against web-based application attackers.Ī good example is the CAPTCHA test, which is a part of WAF that can filter out and block bots or other malicious programs while allowing access for humans. To secure your web application from malicious traffic, the web application firewall inspects HTTP/S traffic to and from your web service applications via a reverse proxy firewall.