Download AWS Web Application Firewall

Author: m | 2025-04-25

AWS Web Application Firewall protects the applications from malicious attacks. The working of WAF in AWS mentioned below. AWS Firewall Manage: It Manages multiple AWS Web Application Firewall Deployments; Let’s examine those use cases, starting with AWS WAF. AWS Web Application Firewall. AWS Web Application Firewall (AWS WAF) is a cloud firewall that uses various

AWS Web Application Firewall: An

And exposed/cached by an Amazon CloudFront distribution.The portal backend is built with AWS Step Functions, AWS Lambda, Amazon DynamoDB and exposed to the frontend as a REST API with Amazon API Gateway.EC2 Image Builder is used to create workstation and connection gateway images (AMIs & Launch Templates) together with AWS Systems Manager automation which prepares the EC2 instances used for the workstations.For users to connect to workstations:They leverage the NICE DCV client (available for multiple OS, to download here)The Network load balancer (NLB) load balances the TCP or UDP traffic from the users to a dynamically scalable fleet of connection gateways.The NICE DCV Connection Gateway fleet is based on Amazon EC2 instances and can scale up and down with an autoscaling group.Workstations are also based on EC2 instances and contains the NICE DCV Server software.The solution leverage several security services such as Amazon Cognito for the authentication on the frontend, AWS WAF (Web Application Firewall) to protect the frontend (IP allow list), AWS KMS to encrypt data at rest and obviously AWS Identity and Access Management(IAM) to manage permissions. Note that if required by your company, you may need to perform additional penetration tests on the web portal.You can get more information in the Detailed architecture.🎒 RequirementsAn AWS Account must be available and the deployment machine must be able to deploy on this account. (How to create an AWS account | AWS Command Line Interface)The user or role deploying the solution must have the following policies:PowerUserAccessIAMFullAccessTerraform v.1.2.2+ must be installed

AWS Web Application Firewall (AWS WAF)

Firewall (WAF) comes in.Introduction to WAFA WAF is a web application firewall that helps protect your web applications. Think of it like the specialized commando unit of your network security, specifically trained to protect your web applications and websites from threats that conventional network firewalls might miss. WAFs are particularly good at protecting against application layer attacks.The Difference Between a Regular Firewall and a WAFA conventional firewall and a WAF differ in the type of traffic they monitor and protect. A traditional firewall, such as pfSense CE, primarily focuses on protecting network traffic at the transport layer, while a WAF concentrates on HTTP/HTTPS traffic at the application layer.So, while a regular firewall checks if the delivery truck (packet) coming to your warehouse (network) is on the approved list, a WAF checks what’s inside the truck (inspects the data) to ensure it’s not carrying anything harmful.Discussing How a WAF Works and Where It is Placed in a NetworkJust as an airport uses both metal detectors and luggage scanners for security, a comprehensive network security approach uses both firewalls and WAFs.A WAF is generally placed in front of your web applications, acting as a protective shield. It examines web traffic and uses rules (often known as web security rules) to filter out malicious activity such as Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), SQL Injection, and DDoS attacks.AWS WAF is a web application firewall that helps protect your web applications running on AWS, but you can also set up a WAF using the open-source pfSense software on your own hardware.The WAF functions like a cyber traffic cop, directing the flow of data between your web applications and the external network. By using content filtering, it can block, allow, or redirect web traffic based on predefined security policies. It’s like a specialized bouncer for your web applications,

AWS WAF (Web Application Firewall) and AWS

Tool separately.Remember, the choice between pfSense and AWS WAF will depend on your specific needs and environment. Like choosing between different car models, you need to consider your budget, needs, and preferences.FAQsDoes pfSense provide API?Yes, pfSense does offer an API (Application Programming Interface) which allows for programmatic interaction with its various functions. This is particularly useful for developers and administrators who wish to automate tasks or integrate pfSense functionalities into other systems. By leveraging this API, you can manage settings, monitor system statuses, or even integrate with third-party applications in a streamlined manner.What companies use pfSense as a WAF?A variety of organizations, spanning from small businesses to large enterprises, use pfSense as a Web Application Firewall (WAF). These companies span across multiple industries like IT services, healthcare, education, e-commerce, and more. They opt for pfSense due to its comprehensive features, flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and strong open-source community support. However, for privacy reasons and due to the open-source nature of pfSense, specific company names are not typically disclosed.What are the top alternatives for pfSense?Fortinet FortiGate: Renowned for its robust security features and comprehensive network protection.Cisco ASA Firewall: Known for its advanced threat protection and integration with other Cisco security products.Sophos UTM: Appreciated for its user-friendly interface and versatile security features.WatchGuard Firebox: Praised for its high-performance capabilities and intuitive management tools.What are the hardware requirements to run pfSense as WAF?To run pfSense as a Web Application Firewall (WAF), the hardware requirements will depend largely on the volume and nature of your network traffic. However, as a general guideline, pfSense recommends a system with at least a 1 GHz CPU and 1 GB of RAM for basic operation. For more demanding environments with high traffic loads, you’ll need a multi-core processor, upwards of 4 GB of RAM, and a server-grade network interface card. For. AWS Web Application Firewall protects the applications from malicious attacks. The working of WAF in AWS mentioned below. AWS Firewall Manage: It Manages multiple AWS Web Application Firewall Deployments;

AWS Web Application Firewall: An Overview and

Per month.The exact cost for your business will vary, so check out their pricing configurations here.Amazon Web Services (AWS) WAF: Best for highly customized rulesThe AWS WAF is offered by Amazon and protects your website and web applications from common security gaps and malicious bots.Amazon’s service is focused on keeping your web properties secure and available so that your business is not impacted.Plus, its firewall software allows you to create highly customized security rules and logic to further refine your web traffic and content filtering.If your business desires greater control over the cybersecurity process, the AWS WAF may be the right choice for you.Key Features:Customized rules filter web traffic with the ability to maintain centralized rules across multiple websitesBot Control provides visibility and control over common bot traffic that can consume resources and cause downtimeAccount Takeover Prevention stops unauthorized logins and compromised credentialsPros and Cons:ProsConsThe WAF is very easy to implement and offers simple integrations with other Amazon services that can further help you manage traffic, access, and performanceThe AWS WAF provides real-time visibility of traffic metrics to help you improve security rules and better protect your web assetsDeploying and creating security rules is a simple process using APIsThe WAF requires additional integrations if you want to protect websites that are not hosted on AWSAWS does not offer managed services so your in-house team needs to have some cybersecurity knowledgeCosts can be high for organizations that do not use the tool at significant volumePricing:As of January 2023, AWS bills customers for their WAF on a pay-per-usage basis.Instead of paying a subscription fee each month, you are invoiced depending on the number of control lists, security rules, and web requests your organization uses.Costs vary somewhat but generally follow the structure seen below.You can also see a detailed explanation of the AWS WAF pricing here.Azure WAF: Best for comprehensive security coverageAzure’s WAF is offered by Microsoft as a cloud-native service that protects your website and web applications from common attacks and security gaps.The service is easy to deploy with preconfigured rulesets that cover the Open Web Application Security Project’s Top 10 security risks. Custom rules can also be added or modified for additional protection.You can rest easy with this choice because Azure’s firewall protection is backed by the cybersecurity investments and expertise at Microsoft.Key Features:Managed rulesets provide advanced malware protection based on the latest cybersecurity intelligenceEasy-to-navigate user interfaceAlerts for security administrators regarding

AWS Web Application Firewall - GeeksforGeeks

Compliance.Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (Virtual Appliance): The Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) is a security appliance that protects corporate networks and data centers. It provides users with highly secure access to data and network resources – anytime, anywhere. The remote users can use Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client on the endpoints to securely connect to the resources hosted in the Data Center or the Cloud.Cisco Next-Generation Firewall / Firepower Threat Defense (Virtual Appliance): The Cisco Firepower NGFW helps you prevent breaches, get visibility to stop threats fast, and automate operations to save time. A next-generation firewall (NGFW) is a network security device that provides capabilities beyond a traditional, stateful firewall by adding capabilities like application visibility and control, Next-Generation IPS, URL filtering, and Advanced Malware Protection (AMP).Scalable and Resilient Remote VPN architecture for AWS (Single-VPC & Multi-AZ)Due to layer-2 abstraction in the cloud, it not possible to provide native firewall high availability, firewall clustering, and VPN clustering. AWS offers native services like AWS route53, AWS route tables that enable DNS based load balancing.Figure 2: Cisco Remote Access VPN scalable design using AWS Route53Traffic Flow:The remote access VPN user initiates a VPN connection using a hostname (example: answamivpn.com), and the DNS server returns an IP address. AWS route53 monitors all the firewalls using AWS route53 health checksRemote user makes the connection to the firewallAccess the resources hosted in AWSRecommendation for the architecture shown in figure 2:Each availability zone (AZ) should have multiple firewalls (ASAv or NGFWv)Each firewall should have a dedicated

AWS Web Application Firewall Add-on

Hosted in AWS.Recommendation for the architecture shown in figure 3:Each availability zone (AZ) should have multiple firewalls (ASAv or NGFWv)Each firewall should have a dedicated VPN pool (i.e. separate VPN pool for each firewall)VPN pool should be outside of VPC CIDR range, avoid overlapping networksControl traffic using AWS route tableEnable weighted average load balancing on AWS route53Use AWS Transit Gateway for interconnecting VPCFor a hybrid cloud architecture, terminate VPN on the firewalls at the edge in the secure hub vpc or use VPN attachment on the AWS transit gateway.AWS route53 should track firewalls public IP/elastic IP using port 443Cisco Duo: Multi-factor authenticationCisco Umbrella Roaming Security Module: DNS layer security and IP enforcementCisco AMP enabler: File and Malware analysisCisco ISE: Authentication and PostureSWC: VisibilityDetailed information on the architecture described in figure3 is available this video: Remote Worker Design Guide (Published – April 2020)In addition to the above information, we recommend checking out our Cisco Secure Remote Worker design guide that addresses a specific use case of remote access VPN connection covered in the SAFE Internet Edge Architecture Guide. The design for remote access VPN connections includes the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client, Cisco Duo, Cisco Umbrella, and Cisco Advanced Malware Protection (AMP) for Endpoints.Design Guide: Swami (CCIEx2: 21208)Security Solutions ArchitectCisco Systems Inc.Cisco Blog: Channel: links:Cisco SAFE design guide for AWS: SAFE Cloud Architecture Guide: SAFE secure remote worker: Stealthwatch Cloud: AMP for Endpoints: Duo: Umbrella: ASA: Next-Generation Firewall: Web Service: Load Balancer: Route53: Route Table: Transit Gateway: Live Sessions:NGFWv and ASAv. AWS Web Application Firewall protects the applications from malicious attacks. The working of WAF in AWS mentioned below. AWS Firewall Manage: It Manages multiple AWS Web Application Firewall Deployments; Let’s examine those use cases, starting with AWS WAF. AWS Web Application Firewall. AWS Web Application Firewall (AWS WAF) is a cloud firewall that uses various