AWS WAF vs Imperva WAF: What are the differences?

Introduction

AWS WAF and Imperva WAF are both web application firewalls that provide security and protection for web applications. However, there are key differences between the two that set them apart in terms of features and functionality.

1. Deployment Model: AWS WAF is a cloud-based service that is fully managed by Amazon Web Services. It is tightly integrated with other AWS services and can be easily deployed and scaled within the AWS cloud infrastructure. On the other hand, Imperva WAF offers both cloud-based and on-premises deployment options, providing flexibility for organizations that have specific requirements for hosting their web application security solutions.

2. Security Expertise and Research: AWS WAF is built and maintained by a team of security experts at Amazon Web Services. It benefits from the large-scale security research and expertise of AWS, which is constantly updated to protect against new and emerging threats. Imperva WAF, on the other hand, has its own dedicated research and threat intelligence team that focuses on web application security, providing specific expertise in this area.

3. WAF Rule Management: AWS WAF provides a rule-based system where users can create and manage rules for filtering and inspecting web traffic. The rule management process is done through the AWS Management Console or through the AWS WAF API. Imperva WAF, on the other hand, offers more advanced rule management capabilities, allowing users to create custom rules, define rule priorities, and easily manage and apply rule sets to web applications.

4. Integration with Application Delivery: AWS WAF seamlessly integrates with other AWS services such as Amazon CloudFront, Elastic Load Balancing, and Amazon API Gateway. This allows for easy deployment and integration of the WAF solution into existing application delivery infrastructures. Imperva WAF also integrates with various application delivery solutions, offering compatibility with different load balancers, proxies, and CDN providers.

5. Advanced Threat Intelligence: AWS WAF leverages AWS Shield, which provides advanced DDoS protection and threat intelligence capabilities. It benefits from the global visibility and automatic protection mechanisms of AWS Shield, allowing it to respond to and mitigate DDoS attacks effectively. Imperva WAF, on the other hand, offers its own DDoS protection solution, providing advanced threat intelligence and proactive mitigation techniques to protect web applications against various types of attacks.

6. Pricing and Licensing Model: AWS WAF follows a pay-as-you-go pricing model, where users pay for the resources and services they consume. The pricing is based on the number of requests, rules, and data processed. Imperva WAF offers both subscription-based and usage-based licensing models, providing options for organizations with different budgetary requirements.

In summary, while both AWS WAF and Imperva WAF offer web application firewall solutions, they differ in deployment model, security expertise, WAF rule management, integration with application delivery, advanced threat intelligence, and pricing/licensing models. Organizations should consider these differences while evaluating and selecting a WAF solution that best fits their specific needs and requirements.