AWS WAF Security Automations

The Security Automations for AWS WAF protects web applications from common web-based attacks by automating the deployment of AWS WAF rules. This toolset leverages AWS CloudFormation to deploy a preconfigured set of AWS WAF rules that filter out malicious traffic, ensuring application availability and security.

Technically, the solution includes several key components. It deploys AWS Managed Rules to protect against a wide range of common application vulnerabilities and unwanted traffic. Additionally, it sets up manual IP lists for allowing or denying specific IP addresses, and it configures rules to protect against SQL injection, XSS, and HTTP flood attacks. The solution also includes a log parser and an IP Lists Parser Lambda function, which process application access logs and third-party IP reputation lists to block suspicious IP addresses.

Operationally, the solution is deployed using an AWS CloudFormation template, which provisions the necessary AWS WAF settings, Amazon Athena queries, and scheduled AWS Lambda functions. This architecture allows for real-time monitoring and updating of WAF rules based on the analysis of access logs and external IP reputation lists. However, it is important to note that the deployment must be launched from the us-east-1 Region, and there are specific considerations for managing IP retention and handling large volumes of traffic.

From a technical details perspective, the solution supports the latest version of AWS WAF (AWS WAFV2) and includes features like a honeypot to lure and deflect bad bots. The Lambda functions are scheduled to run periodically to update the WAF rules, and the solution collects operational metrics to improve its quality and features. However, there are limitations, such as potential issues with deploying newer releases through AWS CloudFront, which require careful handling during the deployment process.