WAAP vs WAF: What is the Difference?

A Web Application Firewall (WAF) is a specialized security solution that shields a web application from the internet, safeguarding the server by detecting and blocking malicious HTTP and HTTPS traffic to and from a web service.

Similar to a WAF, Web Application and API Protection (WAAP) is a term used to describe cloud-based services designed to protect these vulnerable web applications and APIs. They defend your web apps and APIs from a wide variety of attacks.

How a WAF works

WAFs often function as reverse proxies between the internet and protected web applications. However, you can also deploy WAFs in various configurations, including inline, cloud-based, or on-premises, to suit specific security requirements. Regardless of the deployment method, a WAF inspects all incoming traffic before it reaches application servers, creating a protective shield against potential threats.

A WAF's primary function is to analyze HTTP conversations between clients and servers. This analysis examines vital components such as headers, bodies, and query parameters across all request types. The WAF identifies HTTP traffic that matches known attack patterns or violates established security rules. It then proactively blocks dangerous requests before they reach the application, thus safeguarding web apps.

How WAAP works

A WAAP (Web Application and API Protection) is a powerful security system built to shield web applications and APIs from a wide range of cyber threats, including injection attacks, bots, and API abuse. It integrates essential tools such as a web application firewall (WAF), API gateway, bot management, and  DDoS protection to ensure systems and data security.

WAAP provides multiple layers of protection for your web applications and APIs by examining network traffic, behavior, and threat intelligence to identify issues and safeguard your digital assets. Key WAAP capabilities include: traffic monitoring and analysis, threat intelligence integration, machine learning and AI-driven detection, behavioral analysis, API schema validation, bot management, access control and authentication, a cloud based architecture, and CDN integration. 

WAAP vs WAF

The simplest comparison of a WAAP and WAF is that WAAP services or solutions usually include a WAF’s capabilities, in addition to other capabilities. WAAP solutions expand upon a WAF to include API security, bot mitigation, and DDoS protection.

What are the key similarities between WAAP vs WAP?

WAF and WAAP solutions are similar in two key areas:

They are both very adaptable to modern environments

Both WAAP and WAF work well at protecting a wide variety of infrastructures. From cloud-native dynamic clusters to serverless, they both safeguard application traffic from the evolving threat landscape. 

They both protect at Layer 7 of the OSI Model 

They both help protect Layer 7- the application layer. Common attack types at this layer include DDoS attacks, brute force attacks, SQL Injection, cross-site scripting, and more. 

What are the key differences between a WAAP vs WAF? 

A WAAP solution offers additional security capabilities compared to a WAF. While a WAF works to monitor traffic and block any malicious activity, WAAP solutions take it a step further, with DDoS and bot mitigation offerings. 

WAF focuses on Layer 7 of the OSI model, while WAAP protects at Layer 7 AND Layers 3 and 4. At layer 3, the network later, WAAP solutions help identify and mitigate DDoS risks. At layer 4, the transport layer, WAAP helps to identify bot traffic and mitigate DDoS attacks. 

Do you need both WAF and WAAP?

While the security solutions needed within an organization should be selected based on specific needs and the organization's risk tolerance, general best practice should be to incorporate BOTH WAF and WAAP solutions as part of a multi-layered and robust security program strategy. Most organizations have complex applications and environments, with lots of traffic and APIs - this necessitates a WAF + WAAP approach. 

Implementation of a WAF is a great first step in building out a security program, but WAAP offers a more complete security capabilities for a broader range of threats. Best practices should therefore be use of both. 

How Fastly can help

Despite all its benefits, implementing comprehensive WAAP protection can pose challenges — your team must configure rules across multiple tools while staying ahead of evolving threats. Fastly's Next-Gen WAF  addresses these issues by providing a unified solution that offers comprehensive safeguards for your digital operations in an accessible package. 

Key advantages of Fastly include:

• Advanced threat detection:  Fastly uses contextual analysis to identify and block sophisticated tactics without extensive customization, reducing time spent tuning different services.

• Flexible deployment: The solution can be deployed across different environments to protect applications and APIs, regardless of their location within your infrastructure or global distribution.

• Comprehensive protection:  Fastly's Next-Gen WAF defends against 

• OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities, including cross-site scripting, bot attacks, account takeovers, and API abuse attempts targeting your workforce.

• Real-time visibility: Detailed insights into traffic and security events enable your team to quickly diagnose and resolve issues affecting digital services for employees and customers.

• API security:  Fastly's Next-Gen WAF provides customized protections for various API types, including RESTful, SOAP, and GraphQL that power your operations.

• Integration support: The solution can be easily connected with existing tools, streamline management, and fit into your workflows.

• Scalable performance:  Fastly maintains robust security and performance, even under heavy workloads.

• Bot Management: Fastly Bot Management delivers deep bot visibility and protection for today’s modern web environments. 

• Fastly DDoS Protection: Helps keep any application and API available and performant with our adaptive solution built to automatically (and accurately) mitigate DDoS at any scale.