ModSecurity

ModSecurity

ModSecurity is an open source web application firewall that provides protection against common web attacks like XSS, SQLi, RFI, etc. It works by intercepting and inspecting all HTTP traffic between a web app and clients.
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web-security xss-protection sql-injection-protection open-source

ModSecurity: Open Source Web Application Firewall

ModSecurity is an open source web application firewall that provides protection against common web attacks like XSS, SQLi, RFI, etc. It works by intercepting and inspecting all HTTP traffic between a web app and clients.

What is ModSecurity?

ModSecurity is an open source web application firewall (WAF) that enables web application protection from a range of attacks such as cross-site scripting (XSS), SQL injection, remote file inclusion (RFI), and much more. It works by intercepting and inspecting all HTTP traffic flowing between the web application and clients. As an external module that can be incorporated into web servers like Apache and Nginx, ModSecurity provides a robust and specialized security layer for web apps.

Some key capabilities and features of ModSecurity include:

  • Real-time monitoring, analysis, and interception of all HTTP traffic.
  • Highly configurable rule-based engine to detect and block sophisticaled attack vectors.
  • Extensive library of rules that protect against OWASP Top 10 and other threats.
  • Capability to work transparently with minimal changes to existing infrastructure.
  • Detailed logging and visualization for effective audit and forensic analysis.
  • Support for HTTP and reverse HTTP proxy mode deployments.
  • Seamless integration with Apache and Nginx using modules.
  • Active community support for rules and feature updates.

With robust capabilities tailored to handle modern application security threats, ModSecurity is an essential security layer for organizations looking to harden their web applications in a complex threat landscape.

ModSecurity Features

Features

  1. Real-time request analysis
  2. Detection of common web attacks
  3. Customizable rules
  4. Integration with web servers
  5. Logging and monitoring

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Open source and free

Effective protection against common attacks

Large ruleset maintained by community

Highly customizable

Works with many web servers

Cons

Can block legitimate traffic if rules not tuned properly

Requires expertise to configure and maintain

Can impact performance if not optimized

Not a complete web app security solution


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