{"id":47592,"date":"2024-07-01T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-07-01T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dhblog.dream.press\/blog\/?p=47592"},"modified":"2025-05-21T21:10:01","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T04:10:01","slug":"web-application-firewall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/web-application-firewall\/","title":{"rendered":"Web Application Firewall (WAF): What It Is And How To Use It"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Ever tried to get into a hot nightclub in Vegas?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stay with me here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if you haven\u2019t, you\u2019re probably familiar with the concept of bouncers. Among other things, they\u2019re responsible for eyeing the lineup \u2014 and kicking out anyone dressed in flip flops, a raggedy tee shirt, or an animal-themed onesie that would not only make them overheat but would definitely<\/em> overshadow the famous DJ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just like those bouncers, web application firewalls (WAFs) review all the traffic trying to reach a web app so that security professionals, as well as regular ol\u2019 website owners and managers, don\u2019t have to worry about any riff-raff making its way in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ready to fast-track your WordPress website security<\/a> by taking advantage of WAFs?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article will introduce you to the core concepts of WAF and how to bring this security method to your WordPress website<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is A Web Application Firewall (WAF)?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Diagram<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Usually, when someone just says \u201cfirewall<\/a>,\u201d they\u2019re referring to network firewalls. These are security tools that automatically monitor traffic on your network<\/a> and choose to allow or block visits to\/from certain sites and sources based on predetermined security rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This kind of firewall is a barrier between trusted networks,\u00a0like websites a cybersecurity team has already vetted,\u00a0and untrusted networks, like unknown sites hackers could use to break into your systems and collect data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

\n\t\n\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n

Network<\/h3>\n

A network is a group of computers that share resources and communication protocols. These networks can be configured as wired, optical, or wireless connections.<\/p>\n \n Read More <\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

A web application firewall (WAF) is a type of firewall that\u2019s configured to work specifically with web apps.

What\u2019s that mean, exactly? Let\u2019s dive deeper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How WAF Technology Protects Web Applications<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

WAFs \u201cwatch\u201d bi-directional web-based (HTTP\/HTTPS) traffic moving between web applications and the internet, sussing out and shutting down malicious actors before they make it to your web application. WAFs do so via filtering, monitoring, and blocking bad traffic and application layer attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are the main methods WAFs deploy to filter through requests and eliminate the worst of them before they hit the web server:<\/p>\n\n\n\n