On Wednesday, Barracuda Networks released version 7.8 of their Web Application Firewall (WAF), which was developed with the aim of lowering the impact Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks have on an organization.
The latest DDoS enhancements in version 7.8 center on automated attacks from botnets. These types of attacks have gained traction in the media and boardroom recently, due to the monthly attacks on major banks and other organizations such as Spamhaus. While the overall number of attacks has stayed consistent, Barracuda said, the dramatic increase in the ferocity and duration demonstrates the need for some kind of protection.
Barracuda’s WAF lives on the network and application layers of the network, and has the ability to filter traffic based on geographic origin, IP addresses, and client types. In version 7.8, this type of control has been boosted to include botnet identification via IP reputation.
Further, the improvements also include client fingerprinting, which will distinguish botnets from human users by injecting JavaScript challenges into the website. This fingerprinting exists alongside automated CAPTCHA challenges that are presented without altering the WebApp itself. Lastly, Barracuda has introduced new client browser controls to set client browser behavior to reduce the risk of client attacks.
Version 7.8 is available now at no cost to existing customers who are on an active subscription plan, or to those with an active virtual appliance license. Otherwise, prices range from $4,999.00 to $61,599.00 depending on model of WAF selected.
More information is available online.
Related: Web Application Firewalls – Three Benefits You May Not have Considered
