search
HomeOperation and MaintenanceNginxNginx HTTP firewall and WAF

Nginx is a high-performance HTTP server widely used in Web development. It is often used to build reverse proxy, load balancing, dynamic caching and other Web solutions. Due to its reliability, security and scalability, more and more web applications adopt Nginx as their basic service. However, due to the widespread nature and openness of web applications, they are often targets of hackers and malicious attacks. In such an environment, protecting the security of web applications is particularly important. Therefore, the Nginx development team proposed two important security features: HTTP firewall and WAF.

1.HTTP Firewall

HTTP Firewall (HTTP Firewall) is a security measure that can identify and block malicious attacks based on the HTTP protocol. Under the HTTP protocol, each request contains an HTTP header, so an attacker can attack by modifying the HTTP header. For example, an attacker might send an HTTP request with malicious parameters to exploit a vulnerability in an application, and an HTTP firewall could handle such a request.

Nginx’s HTTP Firewall is an open source module that helps web applications protect against some of the most common web attacks, such as cross-site scripting (XSS), SQL injection, file inclusion, request spoofing, and more. It can track visitors' HTTP requests and intercept, filter and defend against malicious requests.

Here are some configurable options and examples for HTTP firewall:

  • client_header_buffer_size: Specifies the size of the client HTTP header buffer.
  • client_body_buffer_size: Specifies the size of the client HTTP body data buffer.
  • client_max_body_size: Specifies the maximum length allowed by the HTTP body data sent by the client.
  • http2_max_field_size: Specifies the maximum length of the HTTP/2 request header field.
  • http2_max_header_size: Specifies the maximum size of the HTTP/2 request header.

The above are only a small part of the configuration options, which need to be set specifically according to the needs of the web application. However, it should be noted that HTTP firewalls can only provide basic security protection measures and still need to be supplemented by other functions, such as WAF.

2.WAF

WAF (Web Application Firewall) is a firewall specially designed for Web applications. It can not only intercept and block attacks based on the HTTP protocol, but also target Web applications. Application-specific vulnerabilities are protected. WAF usually runs between the web server and the application, intercepting malicious requests, attack payloads and harmful traffic.

Nginx’s WAF module is an open source application that can be customized through custom rules. It detects and blocks malicious traffic and attack payloads reaching web applications, such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting, OS attacks, and HTTP protocol attacks. The WAF module also supports custom rules files to meet more specific application needs. In addition to relying on regular rule packets, it can also be combined with other third-party rule engines, such as ModSecurity.

Here are some examples of WAFs:

  • blacklist_by_ip: Reference blacklist to block web requests from malicious IP addresses.
  • block_sql_injection: Detect and block SQL injection attacks.
  • block_xss: Detect and block cross-site scripting attacks.
  • block_brute_force: Detect and block brute force attacks.
  • block_file_inclusion: Detect and block file inclusion attacks.

A specific set of rules needs to be developed based on the specific needs and security threats of the web application.

Summary

Nginx’s HTTP firewall and WAF functions are a complete web protection system. When configured correctly, it can greatly improve the security of web applications and protect the organization's information security. However, it should be noted that the security issue cannot be completely solved, and continuous evaluation and testing are still required to ensure its effectiveness and adaptability.

The above is the detailed content of Nginx HTTP firewall and WAF. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

Statement
The content of this article is voluntarily contributed by netizens, and the copyright belongs to the original author. This site does not assume corresponding legal responsibility. If you find any content suspected of plagiarism or infringement, please contact admin@php.cn
NGINX Unit: Key Features and CapabilitiesNGINX Unit: Key Features and CapabilitiesApr 25, 2025 am 12:17 AM

NGINXUnit is an open source application server that supports multiple programming languages ​​and provides functions such as dynamic configuration, zero downtime updates and built-in load balancing. 1. Dynamic configuration: You can modify the configuration without restarting. 2. Multilingual support: compatible with Python, Go, Java, PHP, etc. 3. Zero downtime update: Supports application updates that do not interrupt services. 4. Built-in load balancing: Requests can be distributed to multiple application instances.

NGINX Unit vs. Other Application ServersNGINX Unit vs. Other Application ServersApr 24, 2025 am 12:14 AM

NGINXUnit is better than ApacheTomcat, Gunicorn and Node.js built-in HTTP servers, suitable for multilingual projects and dynamic configuration requirements. 1) Supports multiple programming languages, 2) Provides dynamic configuration reloading, 3) Built-in load balancing function, suitable for projects that require high scalability and reliability.

NGINX Unit: The Architecture and How It WorksNGINX Unit: The Architecture and How It WorksApr 23, 2025 am 12:18 AM

NGINXUnit improves application performance and manageability with its modular architecture and dynamic reconfiguration capabilities. 1) Modular design includes master processes, routers and application processes, supporting efficient management and expansion. 2) Dynamic reconfiguration allows seamless update of configuration at runtime, suitable for CI/CD environments. 3) Multilingual support is implemented through dynamic loading of language runtime, improving development flexibility. 4) High performance is achieved through event-driven models and asynchronous I/O, and remains efficient even under high concurrency. 5) Security is improved by isolating application processes and reducing the mutual influence between applications.

Using NGINX Unit: Deploying and Managing ApplicationsUsing NGINX Unit: Deploying and Managing ApplicationsApr 22, 2025 am 12:06 AM

NGINXUnit can be used to deploy and manage applications in multiple languages. 1) Install NGINXUnit. 2) Configure it to run different types of applications such as Python and PHP. 3) Use its dynamic configuration function for application management. Through these steps, you can efficiently deploy and manage applications and improve project efficiency.

NGINX vs. Apache: A Comparative Analysis of Web ServersNGINX vs. Apache: A Comparative Analysis of Web ServersApr 21, 2025 am 12:08 AM

NGINX is more suitable for handling high concurrent connections, while Apache is more suitable for scenarios where complex configurations and module extensions are required. 1.NGINX is known for its high performance and low resource consumption, and is suitable for high concurrency. 2.Apache is known for its stability and rich module extensions, which are suitable for complex configuration needs.

NGINX Unit's Advantages: Flexibility and PerformanceNGINX Unit's Advantages: Flexibility and PerformanceApr 20, 2025 am 12:07 AM

NGINXUnit improves application flexibility and performance with its dynamic configuration and high-performance architecture. 1. Dynamic configuration allows the application configuration to be adjusted without restarting the server. 2. High performance is reflected in event-driven and non-blocking architectures and multi-process models, and can efficiently handle concurrent connections and utilize multi-core CPUs.

NGINX vs. Apache: Performance, Scalability, and EfficiencyNGINX vs. Apache: Performance, Scalability, and EfficiencyApr 19, 2025 am 12:05 AM

NGINX and Apache are both powerful web servers, each with unique advantages and disadvantages in terms of performance, scalability and efficiency. 1) NGINX performs well when handling static content and reverse proxying, suitable for high concurrency scenarios. 2) Apache performs better when processing dynamic content and is suitable for projects that require rich module support. The selection of a server should be decided based on project requirements and scenarios.

The Ultimate Showdown: NGINX vs. ApacheThe Ultimate Showdown: NGINX vs. ApacheApr 18, 2025 am 12:02 AM

NGINX is suitable for handling high concurrent requests, while Apache is suitable for scenarios where complex configurations and functional extensions are required. 1.NGINX adopts an event-driven, non-blocking architecture, and is suitable for high concurrency environments. 2. Apache adopts process or thread model to provide a rich module ecosystem that is suitable for complex configuration needs.

See all articles

Hot AI Tools

Undresser.AI Undress

Undresser.AI Undress

AI-powered app for creating realistic nude photos

AI Clothes Remover

AI Clothes Remover

Online AI tool for removing clothes from photos.

Undress AI Tool

Undress AI Tool

Undress images for free

Clothoff.io

Clothoff.io

AI clothes remover

Video Face Swap

Video Face Swap

Swap faces in any video effortlessly with our completely free AI face swap tool!

Hot Tools

SecLists

SecLists

SecLists is the ultimate security tester's companion. It is a collection of various types of lists that are frequently used during security assessments, all in one place. SecLists helps make security testing more efficient and productive by conveniently providing all the lists a security tester might need. List types include usernames, passwords, URLs, fuzzing payloads, sensitive data patterns, web shells, and more. The tester can simply pull this repository onto a new test machine and he will have access to every type of list he needs.

PhpStorm Mac version

PhpStorm Mac version

The latest (2018.2.1) professional PHP integrated development tool

SublimeText3 Chinese version

SublimeText3 Chinese version

Chinese version, very easy to use

MantisBT

MantisBT

Mantis is an easy-to-deploy web-based defect tracking tool designed to aid in product defect tracking. It requires PHP, MySQL and a web server. Check out our demo and hosting services.

Atom editor mac version download

Atom editor mac version download

The most popular open source editor