securing-api-gateway-with-aws-waf

# Securing API Gateway with AWS WAF ## When to Use - When deploying API Gateway endpoints that require protection against common web attacks - When implementing rate limiting and throttling to prevent API abuse and DDoS attacks - When building bot detection and mitigation for API endpoints exposed to the internet - When compliance requires WAF protection for all public-facing API endpoints - When customizing access controls based on IP reputation, geolocation, or request patterns **Do not use** for network-level DDoS protection (use AWS Shield), for application logic vulnerabilities (use SAST/DAST tools), or for internal API security between microservices (use service mesh authentication and authorization). ## Prerequisites - AWS API Gateway (REST or HTTP API) deployed with public endpoints - IAM permissions for `wafv2:*` and `apigateway:*` operations - CloudWatch and S3 or Kinesis Firehose configured for WAF logging - Understanding of the API's expected traffic patterns for rate limiting configuration - IP reputation lists or threat intelligence feeds for custom IP blocking ## Workflow ### Step 1: Create a WAF Web ACL with Managed Rule Groups Create a Web ACL with AWS Managed Rules for baseline protection against OWASP Top 10 attacks. ```bash # Create a WAF Web ACL with managed rule groups aws wafv2 create-web-acl \ --name api-gateway-waf \ --scope REGIONAL \ --default-action '{"Allow":{}}' \ --visibility-config '{ "SampledRequestsEnabled": true, "Cl...