---
title: "Cloudflare WAF - Web Application Firewall"
description: "Protect your applications without sacrificing performance. Edge-based WAF with zero-day protection, low false positives, and automatic security updates."
url: "https://www.cloudflare.com/products/waf"
---

# WAF

> Cloudflare WAF inspects HTTP/S requests at the edge, using managed and custom rules to identify and block malicious payloads before they can compromise your application.

## Key Features

- OWASP Top 10 protection
- Zero-day vulnerability defense
- Low false positive rate
- API-managed rules
- Content scanning
- Custom rule support
- Global edge enforcement

## Benefits

### Zero-Day Protection at Scale

When a new vulnerability emerges (like Log4j), our security team writes and deploys a rule that protects our entire network in hours or minutes. Developers are often protected before they even have time to patch their own code.

### Low False Positive Rate

Our Managed Rulesets are run against massive volumes of diverse traffic, allowing us to fine-tune them to be highly effective without blocking legitimate users.

### Performance and Ease of Use

The WAF is deployed across our entire global network, so protection is enforced close to the user, adding virtually zero latency. Fully managed via API, fitting seamlessly into CI/CD workflows.

## Use Cases

### OWASP Top 10 Protection

Blocking the OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities, such as SQL injection (SQLi) and Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), targeting web applications and APIs.

### Virtual Patching for CVEs

When a CVE is announced for a library or framework a developer is using, use the WAF to block exploits targeting that specific CVE.

### Inline Malware Gateway

Pipe file-upload endpoints through WAF Content Scanning to act on the returned cf.waf.content_scan.* fields and quarantine or rewrite dangerous files on the fly.

### Automated Security Updates

Benefit from our network's scale and intelligence with auto-updating security rules that protect against emerging threats without manual intervention.

## Resources

- [Full Documentation](https://developers.cloudflare.com/waf): Complete technical documentation
- [Get Started](https://dash.cloudflare.com/sign-up): Sign up and start building
- [Pricing](/plans.md): See pricing details

## Related Products

- [DDoS Protection](/products/ddos.md): Mitigation Solutions
- [Rate Limiting](/products/rate-limiting.md): Abuse prevention
- [SSL](/products/ssl.md): Secure Your Site with SSL
- [Turnstile](/products/turnstile.md): A CAPTCHA Replacement Solution

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*This is a markdown version of [https://www.cloudflare.com/products/waf](https://www.cloudflare.com/products/waf) for AI/LLM consumption.*