A Web Application Firewall (WAF) is a security technology that helps protect web applications from attacks by inspecting HTTP traffic between clients and web applications. It operates by examining HTTP traffic to detect and block attacks before they reach the application server.
The primary reason why we need a WAF is to protect web applications against common attacks, such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), cross-site request forgery (CSRF), and many others. These attacks can be launched by cybercriminals who want to exploit vulnerabilities in web applications and steal sensitive data, compromise servers or install malware.
By using a WAF, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of successful attacks against their web applications, which can lead to data breaches, financial loss, and reputational damage. WAFs also help to ensure compliance with security standards, such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), which requires the use of a WAF to protect web applications that handle sensitive payment information.
In conclusion, WAF is an essential cyber security technology for any organization that has web applications exposed to the internet.
