What is Cloud WAF? 7 outstanding benefits of using Cloud WAF

Cloud WAF (Cloud Web Application Firewall) is an advanced security service designed to protect web applications hosted in the Cloud environment. It is strategically positioned to intercept and analyze web traffic before it reaches the application layer. At its core, Cloud WAF is capable of detecting and neutralizing numerous network threats such as DDoS, SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and sophisticated application-layer attacks. Cloud WAF differs from traditional on-premises WAFs through its deployment model. As a cloud-native application, it leverages the flexible scalability and distributed nature of cloud infrastructure. This architecture provides Cloud WAF with dynamic adaptability, allowing it to scale up or down according to fluctuating web traffic volumes and increasingly sophisticated security threats.

General model of Cloud WAF

The web application firewall (WAF) market is witnessing remarkable growth, with a value of $8.45 billion in 2023 and expected to surpass $97.5 billion by 2036. The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for this market from 2024 to 2036 is estimated at 20.7%. These figures reflect a strong rise in network threats and an increasing demand for effective security solutions.

Growth drivers

• Increase in healthcare attacks: In 2021, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the expansion of healthcare services, the healthcare sector became a prime target for DDoS attacks. Out of 849 security incidents recorded by Verizon, 571 were data breaches. To protect sensitive information, healthcare organizations are increasingly relying on Cloud WAF to fend off these threats.
• Rise in data security regulations: Regulations such as PCI DSS, HIPAA, GDPR, and CCPA are forcing organizations to enhance their data security levels, and Cloud WAF is an optimal solution to meet these requirements.
• Growth of IoT and advanced technologies: By 2023, the number of IoT devices had increased by 56% compared to 2020, reaching 16 billion devices. It is forecasted that by 2025, these devices will generate up to 78 zettabytes (ZB) of data. With this increase, the need for WAF security to protect data and systems from cyber attacks also rises accordingly.
• Transition to Cloud computing: According to a Flexera report, 92% of businesses have either moved or are in the process of moving part of their infrastructure to the cloud. With its scalability and ease of deployment, Cloud WAF is gradually becoming a leading security solution.

Challenges

• Complexity of Technology: Developing and deploying a WAF system that can "accurately" differentiate between legitimate and malicious traffic is a major challenge, requiring a deep understanding of infrastructure and web protocols.
• Deployment and Management Costs: The cost of deploying and managing a WAF can account for up to 15-20% of a business's total IT budget, creating a significant barrier for small and medium-sized enterprises (2024, Forrester).

Deploying Cloud WAF in modern digital ecosystems offers numerous benefits in protecting and ensuring the optimal operation of web applications, including:

1. Protection against large-scale DDoS attacks

DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks are becoming increasingly complex and dangerous, with the potential to cause significant financial damage. According to a 2024 report, each minute of disruption from a DDoS attack can cost businesses up to $22,000, especially affecting online retailers and small enterprises (2024, Learn Hub).

Cloud WAF operates by continuously monitoring incoming and outgoing website traffic, using advanced AI (Artificial Intelligence) and ML (Machine Learning) algorithms to detect anomalies or suspicious behavior patterns. Upon detecting a DDoS attack, Cloud WAF automatically activates mitigation measures, including filtering harmful traffic, distributing load across multiple servers, and employing techniques such as rate limiting and IP blocking to ensure system stability and security. These features enable Cloud WAF to not only detect but also intelligently and effectively mitigate threats, protecting businesses from severe risks without interrupting services.

See more: Opportunities and challenges of applying AI to DDoS attack mitigation.

2. Enhance security with AI/ML technology

As cyber threats become more complex and unpredictable, applying AI/ML technology has become an essential factor in security. These technologies not only help detect new threats but also adapt to previously unidentified attack strategies, effectively reducing risks.

Cloud WAF integrates advanced AI/ML technologies to continuously monitor and protect web applications 24/7, thereby minimizing the risk of attacks in a continuous and efficient manner, ensuring the safety of business systems.

3. Mitigate risks from Top 10 OWASP security vulnerabilities

The Top 10 OWASP list includes the most common security vulnerabilities, and protecting against them is a top priority for any organization. According to recent reports, vulnerabilities from the Top 10 OWASP still pose significant risks, especially as the volume of cyber attacks continues to rise (2023, Varonis). To address this, Cloud WAF provides customized security policies, continuously updated to detect and mitigate risks from these vulnerabilities, helping businesses maintain stable operations.

4. Ensure compliance with data security regulations

In an environment with increasingly stringent data security regulations, compliance with standards such as GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) is mandatory for any business handling sensitive data. Non-compliance can result in severe consequences, including substantial fines and irreparable damage to reputation. According to a 2023 report, the average cost of a data breach has risen to $4.45 million, marking a 15% increase from three years ago, reflecting the growing complexity and devastation of cyber attacks (Cobalt).

Cloud WAF not only provides advanced security layers to protect data in compliance with legal requirements but also continuously updates to meet the latest international standards. With the capability to automatically monitor and analyze abnormal traffic behavior, Cloud WAF can prevent potential threats before they cause breaches. This not only helps businesses avoid legal and financial risks associated with data breaches but also strengthens customer and partner trust in the company's ability to protect information.

5. Optimize performance and minimize latency

The performance of web applications plays a crucial role in maintaining user satisfaction and conversion rates. However, cyber attacks can not only threaten security but also cause congestion, increasing latency and severely affecting application performance. Studies show that a 1-second increase in latency can reduce conversion rates by up to 7%, highlighting the importance of maintaining optimal performance for web applications.

Cloud WAF provides a robust layer of protection against attacks while integrating advanced traffic management and load balancing technologies. By optimizing traffic flow and efficiently distributing load, Cloud WAF helps reduce latency, ensuring web applications operate smoothly even when facing cyber threats. This not only maintains security but also enhances user experience, improving conversion rates and optimizing overall system performance.

6. Easy deployment and centralized management

As more organizations adopt cloud services, the ease of deploying and managing security solutions becomes increasingly important. According to a 2024 report, 86% of organizations using cloud services appreciate security solutions that are both effective and easy to deploy and manage (Varonis). To meet this need, Cloud WAF offers a centralized management interface and API integration support, making it easy for IT administrators to set up and monitor security systems. This not only saves time and effort but also ensures that organizational data and applications are consistently protected in the cloud environment.

7. Flexible and optimized cost

The cost of cyber attacks is expected to reach $10.5 trillion annually by 2025 (2024, Cobalt). In this context, deploying cloud security solutions like Cloud WAF is not only a cost-saving measure but also provides exceptional flexibility in security. With Cloud WAF, businesses can customize the level of protection based on actual needs and only pay for what they use, thus optimizing their budget while ensuring comprehensive protection.

7 outstanding benefits of using Cloud WAF

These reasons further highlight the importance of integrating Cloud WAF into a business’s overall security strategy. As cyber threats become more complex and dangerous, Cloud WAF not only effectively protects web applications and sensitive data but also helps businesses respond flexibly to future security challenges.

In the face of the relentless and increasingly sophisticated rise in cyber attacks, protecting enterprise systems and data has become more critical than ever. To meet this demand, VNETWORK offers the VNIS solution, a comprehensive security platform for Web/App/API protection.

VNIS integrates the world’s leading CDNs (Multi-CDN) into a single platform, providing a system with flexible scalability and high efficiency. With over 2,300 CDN PoPs (Points of Presence) worldwide, a total bandwidth exceeding 2,600 Tbps, domestic uplink capabilities up to 10 Tbps, and the ability to handle over 8,000,000 CCU (Concurrent Users), VNIS can process more than 9 billion requests per day. The VNIS system ensures 99.99% uptime through its Multi-CDN operational mechanism, which minimizes infrastructure downtime risks and upholds SLA commitments to customers.

VNIS operates as an intermediary layer between the user and the client’s origin server. When a request comes from the internet, it is processed through two primary protection layers. Valid requests from real users are forwarded to the origin server for information access, while requests showing signs of malicious activity are analyzed and blocked by VNIS’s two protection layers, ensuring that the origin server remains safeguarded against all attacks.

The VNIS solution incorporates AI Load Balancing and Multi-CDN technologies, which enhance performance and accelerate website access under normal conditions. The AI Load Balancing system, combined with Real User Monitoring (RUM), provides detailed analysis of attack sources and reports real user interactions with the website. This helps efficiently coordinate traffic to the website and balance the load across multiple servers with options such as IP hash, round-robin, or failover, improving system responsiveness and stability.

In the event of a large-scale DDoS attack, the AI Load Balancing and CDN layers will distribute traffic across CDN server clusters, minimizing the impact of the attack and maintaining stable website operation. Additionally, VNIS is equipped with Multi WAF featuring multiple Cloud WAF clusters globally. This allows VNIS to leverage dense Cloud infrastructure to quickly isolate threats during sudden spikes in website traffic. The WAF network monitoring system (Scrubbing Center) coordinates all activities of Cloud WAF clusters in various countries, enhancing DDoS mitigation effectiveness.

Hackers often employ various forms of attacks. When attacks at layer 3 (network) and layer 4 (transport) become ineffective, they may shift to layer 7 (application) by exploiting vulnerabilities on websites, plugins, or servers to execute attacks like SQL Injection, XSS Injection, bots, crawlers, etc. To counter these threats, VNIS provides a WAF layer to shield vulnerabilities and only allows valid requests to access the origin server.

VNIS operation model

In addition to its robust infrastructure and advanced technology, VNIS places significant emphasis on human factors with a team of security experts in countries such as Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. Our SOC system, in conjunction with experts, provides comprehensive monitoring, continuous 24/7/365 alerts, ensuring early detection of issues and prompt responses to maintain stable operations even under attack. With outstanding quality, VNIS has been highly regarded and recommended for global use by prestigious organizations such as ISO, Gartner, and the Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam.

The solution is highly regarded by reputable organizations

In the context of increasing cyber attacks, protecting your business with the Cloud WAF - VNIS solution is not just an option but an essential necessity. Contact VNETWORK now at hotline: +84 (028) 7306 8789 or email: contact@vnetwork.vn to consult about the VNIS solution and safeguard your system against all cybersecurity threats, ensuring safety and stability for your enterprise.