Cyber threats are constantly evolving, and attackers frequently develop new techniques and more advanced methods to bypass security measures the need for WAF solutions becomes essential.
HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is an application-layer protocol used for communication between web browsers and web servers, whereas it was never designed originally for complex applications so there are fundamental protocol level weakness or vulnerabilities, that can be exploited. Although HTTP protocol has evolved over time, with the most widely used versions being HTTP/1.1 and HTTP/2. HTTP/3 but still vulnerable on all levels like Headers, URLs, parameters, file types and WAF is able to take care for all of the uniquely designed applications.
Web Application Firewall (WAF) working?
A WAF is a solution for securing layer7 packets filtering, monitoring, and blocking any vulnerable traffic, and prevents any unauthorized data. It does this by adhering to a set of security policies that help determine traffic pattern, where a security policy refers to a set of rules and configurations that govern how the F5 device handles incoming and outgoing network traffic to ensure security, access control, and protection of applications and resources. Policies can be customized to meet the unique needs of web application or set of web applications.
Advance WAF solution act as reverse proxy and play a crucial role in load balancing, security, and performance optimization that protects the web app server from a potentially malicious client. A reverse proxy is a gateway that sits between client and servers. Traffic will not go to the servers directly, but the reverse proxy handles client requests will analyze if it legitimate and then communicates with backend servers. The response from backend servers is also sent back to the clients through the reverse proxy only and again a checklist will apply.
Key benefits of using a reverse proxy include:
- Load Balancing
- Web Acceleration
- SSL Termination
- Caching & Security
WAF Deployment Modes:
WAFs can come in the form of software, an appliance, or delivered as-a-service.
On-premise Web Application Firewall (WAF)
It is a security solution that is installed and deployed within the organization’s own data center or local infrastructure. Hardware appliances and virtual machines (software-based emulation) are two different approaches here. Each has its advantages and use cases, and the choice between these two depends on various factors such as performance requirements, cost, flexibility, and management preferences.
Hardware appliances can offer high performance and low latency as they are specifically designed for the task, they perform whereas scaling hardware appliances can be more cumbersome and costly compared to virtualized solutions.
VMs can be easily created, duplicated, modified, and deleted, providing great flexibility and adaptability whereas VMs introduce a performance overhead due to the virtualization layer, which can impact resource-intensive applications.
Cloud-based (Self-Managed)
A Cloud Web Application Firewall (WAF) operates as a cloud-based service and is designed to inspect, filter, and monitor HTTP/HTTPS requests and responses between a web application and its users. It’s essential to choose a reputable and reliable Cloud WAF provider with a proven track record in security and performance. Each provider may offer different features and pricing structures, so it’s important to evaluate your specific needs and compare offerings before making a decision. Here since operational team is maintaining security policies so still retaining control of traffic management and security policy settings.
LAB Task:
Login to the Netminion LAB to execute the demo steps, remember that to log in, you should have already set up an account. If you are having trouble logging in, please contact with our team on info@netminion.net or netminionsolutions@gmail.com
- Take the console access of PC, always ensure you are logging in on a device you own or have the right to access.
- Try to access the PHP auction website to explore the vulnerabilities, which is configured as a virtual server on the ASM box.
- To navigate to it use the virtual server as URL (Uniform Resource Locator), also let’s try to buy something here on the link – Category: Electronic & Photography > Consumer Electronics > Whatever (which is of 800 USD).
- Click on buy it but before that run the fiddler in background. Fiddler is a widely used web debugging proxy tool and packet capture tool developed by Telerik (now owned by Progress). It is primarily used by web developers, testers, and security experts to inspect, analyze, and debug the network traffic between a web browser (or any HTTP/HTTPS client) and a web server.
Fiddler is available as a free tool for Windows platforms and can be downloaded from the official website. Navigate to the Rules > Automatic Breakpoints > Before Requests (or press F11).
- Go back to the PHP auction website and click on “Buy it” button, remember we need to see the Fiddler now and need to navigate to Inspectors > Webforms > and change the price before run to completion. Also disable the automatic breakpoints applied in rules. While performing this operation we can see that price will get change for the user which is a big loss to the organization.
- To mitigate this parameter tampering violation let us associate the security policy under the virtual server and make desire modification, remember that security policy tuning is an iterative process. After implementing changes, closely monitor the impact on performance and security, and be prepared to make further adjustments as needed.
After applying the security policy if we try to expose the same vulnerability again using the fiddler, we will get a “support ID”, it is typically referring to the identification number associated. The support ID contains less than 19 digits. You can search the request violation event logs using the last four digits of the support ID, if it belongs to the same device the search will successful and you may check the reason why it is blocked.
Learning is a lifelong and continuous process, and I encourage you to take advantage of the resources available to you. Always be curious and never stop exploring new subjects and ideas.
Which Option is Best for You?
Some individuals prefer live classroom experience for immediate interaction, while others favor video recordings for flexibility and self-paced learning. There are various options available for accessing the resources –
- Live Classes:
- Real-time Interaction: Live classes offer real-time interaction with the instructor – you can ask questions, participate in discussions, and get immediate feedback.
- Structured Schedule: Live classes typically follow a set schedule, providing a structured learning experience.
- Accountability: Being part of a live class may help you stay accountable, as you have specific class times to attend.
- Instructor Guidance: You can benefit from the expertise and guidance of the instructor, who can address your queries and provide personalized attention.
- Video Recordings:
- Flexibility: Video recordings offer flexibility as you can watch them at your own pace and at a time that suits you best. This is particularly helpful for those with busy schedules or in different time zones.
- Replay and Review: You can rewatch specific parts of the video to reinforce understanding or review difficult concepts.
- Self-Paced Learning: Video recordings enable self-paced learning, allowing you to pause, rewind, and progress through the content at your own speed.
- Accessibility: You can access video content from anywhere with an internet connection, making it convenient for remote learning.
- Rental Lab Access:
- It provides several benefits, including cost-effectiveness, as users don’t need to invest in expensive equipment or infrastructure.
- It also allows users to focus on their specific needs without worrying about maintaining and managing the lab environment.
- If you are interested in renting lab access for a particular purpose, you can explore our various courses including F5 -LTM, GTM, ASM, APM, Palo, Check Point, Python, QOS, Multicast, CCIE, SD-WAN and a lot more.
People also ask: (FAQs)
We also offer a diverse library of pre-recorded videos for any online training or buy self-paced courses.
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