What are security devices that monitor and filter HTTP traffic to protect web applications?

Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) are specifically designed to monitor and filter HTTP traffic to protect web applications. They inspect incoming and outgoing web traffic for malicious activities, such as attempts to exploit vulnerabilities in a web application, and apply security rules to block harmful requests. By analyzing the context of web sessions, WAFs can effectively identify abnormal patterns that may signify an attack, such as SQL injection or cross-site scripting.

Unlike traditional firewalls, which mainly operate at the network level to control traffic based on IP addresses and ports, WAFs focus on the application layer, providing a deeper level of protection tailored for the needs of web-based applications. This capability makes WAFs essential for safeguarding sensitive data and maintaining the integrity of web services in environments where web applications are increasingly targeted by cyber threats.