What is Web Application Firewall?

A Web Application Firewall (WAF) is a specialized security solution designed to protect web applications by filtering and monitoring HTTP/HTTPS traffic between a web application and the Internet. It protects the web application from various cyber threats such as cross-site scripting (XSS), SQL injection, and other common web exploits.

Unlike traditional firewalls that focus on blocking unauthorized access at the network level, WAFs operate at the application layer (Layer 7 of the OSI model), inspecting incoming and outgoing traffic based on predefined security rules. By analyzing requests, WAFs can detect and mitigate malicious traffic in real-time, helping to safeguard web applications from vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers, thus enhancing overall web security and compliance.

FortiWeb, Fortinet's web application firewall (WAF), combines traditional WAF features with advanced security mechanisms like machine learning, behavioral analysis, and integration with threat intelligence services. It provides a comprehensive defense against the evolving security challenges that web applications face.