E-Business
Key Considerations in Using a Web Application Firewall
Cyber security specialists are realising more and more the growing danger of application layer threats to a network.
While there is no denying the need to remain aware of distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, application layer attacks are very difficult to detect and provide little or no advanced warning before attacking your applications.
This is according to Simon McCullough, major channel account manager at F5, the specialist in application delivery networking and technology for the delivery of web applications, as well as security and network and cloud resources.
McCullough said, “Administrators and security teams are finding it increasingly difficult to keep up-to-date with the latest attacks and protection measures. Applications are the gateway to data and data is what hackers are after. In an attack on applications, traditional network firewalls are not a defence. Here, you need a web application firewall (WAF).
“As we become increasingly aware of the dangers posed by application layer threats, it is useful to revisit the F5 White Paper, ‘Key Considerations in Choosing a Web Application Firewall’, which notes that a robust WAF is a requirement of network security. This has come about in a cyber landscape in which enterprises are extending their businesses by using more web-based and cloud-hosted applications, which in turn are inviting increasingly sophisticated attacks that threaten enterprise data.”
McCullough said the White Paper offers a number of useful considerations in choosing your WAF.
He noted that the first consideration is the choice of WAF deployment model, which includes: hardware WAF appliance to protect critical applications maintained in a traditional data centre; deploying a WAF as a software-based virtual edition (VE), which is a cost-effective option for small-to-medium-size businesses or those wanting to deploy protections closer to the app; and cloud-based WAF (WAF-as-a-Service) to intercept web traffic before it enters the network or reaches the server in the cloud.
He said, “The White Paper distinguishes between initial basic considerations when deploying a WAF, and further advanced considerations.”
Basic considerations when deploying a WAF
Network architecture and application infrastructure
Web application firewalls are designed to watch and respond to HTTP/S traffic. They are most often deployed as appliances in the line of traffic between the requester and the application server, inspecting requests and responses before forwarding them. Inline deployments tend to be most effective in actively blocking malicious traffic based on policies and rules that must be applied judiciously to avoid dropping legitimate traffic. A WAF can also be deployed “out of band”, which allows the WAF to observe traffic from a monitoring port. This non-intrusive “passive” deployment option is ideal for testing the WAF without impacting on traffic, yet still enabling the WAF to block malicious requests.
Security effectiveness and detection techniques
Today’s leading WAFs employ a combination of techniques to ensure accurate detection coverage that does not block legitimate traffic.
Traditionally, the most widely used WAF configuration has been a negative security model, which allows all transactions except those that contain a threat/ attack.
In recent years, positive security models have become popular. This approach blocks all traffic, allowing only those transactions that are known to be valid and safe. The positive approach is based on strict content validation and statistical analysis.
An integrated positive and negative approach can also be implemented.
Performance, high availability and reliability
WAF capabilities should include these features:
- Caching copies of regularly requested web content to reduce repeated requests to back-end servers.
- Automatic content compression to provide for more efficient network transport.
- Hardware-based SSL acceleration to speed SSL processing and reduce the burden on back-end web servers.
- Load balancing web requests across multiple back-end web servers to optimise performance.
- Connection pooling to reduce back-end server TCP overhead by allowing multiple requests to use the same back-end connection.
Virtual patching and scanner integration
Although developers apply best practices in secure coding, and perform adequate security testing of applications, all applications are prone to vulnerabilities. Additional tools are needed to detect, validate and patch software exposures until a new application code is made available.
Virtual patching requires no immediate changes to the software, and it allows organisations to secure applications immediately upon dynamic application testing. Virtual patches are a key component of a strong WAF, often requiring integration with a vulnerability scanner.
PCI DSS compliance
Malicious attacks designed to steal sensitive credit card information are increasing, with more and more security breaches and data thefts occurring daily. The PCI DSS requirements have been revised in an attempt to prevent these types of attacks and keep customer data secure.
Protection against application attacks
With the continued growth of multi-layered attacks, IT managers need a strong WAF solution. A good WAF ensures application security and availability by providing comprehensive geolocation attack protection from layer 7 DDoS, SQL injection, Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) Top Ten application security risks, cross-site scripting, and zero-day web application attacks. It also can prevent execution of fraudulent transactions, stop in-browser session hijacking, and secure AJAX applications and JSON payloads.
When evaluating a WAF, make sure you understand the full scope of protections it offers to ensure that your business receives the best coverage.
Data classification of protected applications
More and more attackers are encrypting their attacks, therefore your WAF solution needs to be able to understand the application and the data that it is protecting. If that data is encrypted, your WAF must be able to decrypt the information and then classify the data within the apps in order to provide additional protection. A strong WAF can terminate SSL traffic, expose what is inside it, and make security decisions based on the encrypted data.
Visibility and reporting
Reports provide visibility into attack and traffic trends, long-term data aggregation for forensics, acceleration of incident response, and identification of unanticipated threats before exposure occurs. Many WAFs also integrate with database security products to give administrators a real-time view into the operation of their websites, and provide reports on web-based attempts to gain access to sensitive data, subvert the database, or execute denial of service (DoS) attacks against the database.
Advanced considerations when deploying a WAF
McCullough notes further advanced considerations when deploying a WAF, as set out by the F5 White Paper, as follows:
- Automatic attack detection to identify more evasive bot sequences that may escape traditional detection methods, and identify unauthorised, automated attacks upon the first attempt to access an application.
- Device ID and fingerprinting in order to identify a client.
- SSL offload to other network resources, allowing applications to dedicate important CPU resources to other processing tasks, which can improve performance.
- Behavioural analysis to understand volumetric traffic patterns and scan for anomalous behavior, as well as assess average server response time, transactions per second, and sessions that request too much traffic – to use as a baseline for determining whether an attack has commenced.
- Security operations centre: A responsive security team should include experts who analyse threats and malware, and who reverse engineer code to uncover how attacks work and how to mitigate them. The WAF vendor should work with you to mitigate threats as they arise, as well as enhance your organisation’s own security practices.
- Anti-fraud capabilities: More advanced WAF solutions integrate with web fraud detection services to simplify deployment, streamline reporting, and strengthen the overall application security posture by thwarting requests from validated fraudsters.
- Ease of management: You should be able to deploy your WAF with security policies that immediately address common attacks on web applications, including HTTP(S) attacks.
- Scalability and performance: Organisations need to ensure application availability, even when under attack.
- Vendor release cycle: With the threat landscape changing so quickly, vendors that offer more frequent release can help decrease your window of exposure and reduce the risk of your applications becoming compromised by a new or emerging threat.
Anton Jacobsz, managing director at Networks Unlimited, a value-added distributor of F5 in Africa, concludes, “Application attacks have definitely been increasing over the past few years, due to the increasing proliferation of useful web apps which, concomitantly, increase a network’s vulnerability. Web application firewalls detect and block malicious attacks woven into safe-looking website traffic that may have slipped through the traditional security solutions, by examining incoming HTTP requests before they even reach the server.”
Okitipi Samuel, a Nigerian man, has been taken into custody by the Nigeria Police Force for his alleged role in a global cyberattack on Microsoft 365 users.
Benjamin Hundeyin, Force public relations officer, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja while briefing journalists on the outcome of investigations carried out by the National Cybercrime Centre of the Nigeria Police Force.
Hundeyin said the centre, under the leadership of Ifeanyi Uche, its director and Commissioner of Police, commenced investigations in collaboration with Microsoft, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Secret Service, and the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency.
According to him, investigations revealed that a phishing toolkit known as “Raccoon 0365” was used to create fake Microsoft login portals to harvest user credentials and unlawfully access email accounts belonging to corporate organisations, financial institutions, and educational institutions in several countries.
“This investigation commenced following credible intelligence received from Microsoft USA through the FBI, indicating that a malicious phishing toolkit known as Raccoon0365 was being used to create fake Microsoft login portals, harvest user credentials, and unlawfully access the email accounts of corporate organisations, financial institutions, and educational establishments,” Hundeyin said.
He added that between January and September 2025, several reports of unauthorised access to Microsoft 365 accounts were traced to phishing emails designed to mimic legitimate Microsoft login pages, enabling business email compromise, internal phishing, data breaches, and other cyber-enabled fraud.
Hundeyin said digital forensic analysis and cryptocurrency tracing identified wallets connected to the illegal operation.
He noted that operatives were deployed to Lagos and Edo states, leading to the arrest of three suspects identified as Joshua, James, and Okitipi Samuel between September 20 and October 4, 2025.
“Following extensive digital forensic and technical intelligence analysis, the centre conducted cryptocurrency tracing that identified suspicious wallets connected to cash-out schemes.
“Acting on actionable intelligence, operational teams were deployed to Lagos and Edo states, resulting in the arrest of Joshua, James, and Okitipi Samuel. Searches at their residences led to the recovery of mobile devices, laptops, and other digital exhibits linked to the fraudulent scheme,” he said.
Hundeyin identified Okitipi Samuel, also known as “0365” and Moses Felix as the principal suspect and developer of the phishing infrastructure.
He added that investigations confirmed Samuel unlawfully used the email details of one of the arrested individuals without consent to register some of the accounts used in the operation.
The police spokesperson said further investigations revealed that the identities of Joshua and James were used without their consent.
“There was no evidence linking them to the creation or operation of the phishing scheme. They were victims of identity theft,” Hundeyin said.
He said a prima facie case had been established against Samuel for identity theft, unlawful access to computer systems, creation and distribution of malicious software, unauthorised interference with network data, and aiding and abetting fraud.
Hundeyin added that the suspect would be charged under relevant provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2024.
He said the suspect would be prosecuted in Nigeria, noting that the country has the capacity to enforce its cybercrime laws, although extradition could be considered if formally requested through due process.
Hundeyin assured Nigerians that the police, under the leadership of Kayode Egbetokun, inspector-general of Police, would continue to protect the country’s digital ecosystem and urged citizens to practise good cyber hygiene by being cautious when clicking links and sharing personal information online.
Speaking separately, Ifeanyi Uche, director of the National Cybercrime Centre, urged Nigerians to exercise caution online.
Uche advised members of the public to avoid clicking on links from unknown or unexpected sources, noting that such links often contain malware or phishing tools designed to compromise devices and personal data.
He warned that indiscriminate clicking of links or responding to unsolicited emails could lead to unauthorised access to personal and corporate accounts, urging citizens to “wash their cyber hands” by verifying sources before taking action online.
Nigeria has unveiled a comprehensive, multi-pronged strategy designed to localise WSIS+20 commitments. This roadmap accelerates national transformation by prioritising robust infrastructure, transparent internet governance, and advanced cybersecurity through deep stakeholder collaboration.
Unveiled in New York at the Nigerian high-level side event titled “Re-Imagining Digital Cooperation for Sustainable Development: From WSIS+20 Vision to Local Action,” the strategy cements Nigeria’s position as a primary architect of the world’s digital future.
Speaking at the event, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE represented by Director, Corporate Planning and Strategy, Dr. Dimie Shively Wariowei said Nigeria’s approach is deliberately aligned with the four core activity areas identified under the ongoing WSIS+20 review process.
According to him, the focus areas provide a practical framework for translating global digital commitments into measurable national outcomes, ensuring that international resolutions drive inclusive growth and sustainable digital development at the country level.
Inuwa identified digital infrastructure as the foundation of effective localisation, noting persistent challenges in extending connectivity to underserved and remote communities. Beyond infrastructure gaps, he highlighted affordability constraints and digital literacy deficits, stressing that addressing these issues remains central to Nigeria’s digital inclusion drive.
He explained that government alone cannot shoulder the burden of nationwide digital infrastructure deployment, given Nigeria’s vast geographical spread, hence the adoption of collaborative Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models. He disclosed that Nigeria, in collaboration with the World Bank, is implementing a major fibre-optic project spanning about 90,000 kilometres nationwide to boost connectivity.
The NITDA DG also revealed that the current National Broadband Plan, which has guided broadband expansion in recent years, is nearing completion, with plans underway to renew and reposition it for the next five years. The renewed plan, he said, will strategically target increased broadband penetration as a catalyst for digital access and economic growth.
On internet governance, Inuwa referenced Nigeria’s active participation in the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), noting that the country successfully hosted its annual national IGF. He said the forum operates on a multi-stakeholder model that brings together government, the private sector, civil society and the technical community to foster cooperation and informed policy dialogue.
Cybersecurity, he added, remains a critical pillar of Nigeria’s localisation efforts. He cited the existing Cybersecurity Act and ongoing efforts to strengthen the legal framework through a reviewed version currently awaiting parliamentary approval. These measures, he said, are designed to mitigate risks associated with increased internet use and to protect users and critical digital infrastructure.
Inuwa further stressed Nigeria’s ambition to play a leadership role in advancing digital cooperation across Africa through inclusive, multi-stakeholder engagement. He underscored the importance of coordinated national data collection, noting that reliable, country-specific data is essential for tracking progress and presenting Africa’s digital development story on the global stage.
He concluded that sustained engagement and follow-up actions arising from the WSIS+20 review would strengthen digital cooperation among African countries and ensure that global digital commitments translate into tangible national and regional impact.
Stakeholders commended Nigeria’s efforts in the digital space, acknowledging the country’s growing role in shaping Africa’s digital future.
Earlier, Ms. Jennifer Chung, Co-Convener of the Informal Multi-Stakeholder Sounding Board (IMSB), praised Nigeria for convening a broad-based, multi-stakeholder delegation and for its commitment to the meaningful implementation of WSIS+20 outcomes.
Chung stressed the growing demand for localised WSIS follow-up mechanisms, noting that platforms such as the annual IGF, National and Regional IGF Initiatives (NRIs), and youth-led forums are vital for tracking progress towards the 2030 Agenda and Africa’s Agenda 2063.
She described the WSIS+20 review as a critical step toward effective monitoring, reliable data collection and evidence-based evaluation, particularly for developing countries in the Global South. According to her, these measures are essential to achieving WSIS targets and ensuring that no region is left behind.
Drawing parallels with the Asia-Pacific region, Chung noted that challenges around affordable and meaningful connectivity remain widespread across developing economies. She emphasised that expanding broadband penetration and reducing the cost of access are crucial to closing digital divides in Africa, Asia-Pacific and other parts of the Global South.
She also highlighted the need to enable active citizen participation in emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and future innovations such as quantum technologies, stressing that inclusive digital access is key to maximising the benefits of digital transformation.
Reflecting on the WSIS+20 review process, Chung praised the innovative and inclusive approach adopted through the informal multi-stakeholder sounding board, describing it as one of the first of its kind in global digital governance. She called for sustained collaboration among governments, the private sector, civil society and the technical community to carry the WSIS vision from global commitments to local action.
United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc has announced a $100 million financing partnership with CIG Motors, Lagride and the Lagos State Government to promote urban mobility and financial inclusion through a scheme tagged “Drive to Own.”
Group Managing Director/CEO, United Bank for Africa(UBA) and, Chairman, LagRide, Chief Diana Chen, flagged by LagRide drivers, at the signing ceremony of $100 Million Expansion Facility, strengthening smart mobility, driver asset ownership of over 3,500 cars, financed by UBA in partnership with Lagos State Government and LagRide, held in Lagos on Tuesday.
The initiative, unveiled on Wednesday in Alausa, Lagos, will empower 3,500 drivers in the state by enabling them to own vehicles with an equity contribution of 10 per cent of the total cost, while the balance is payable over 48 months.
UBA’s Group Managing Director/CEO, Oliver Alawuba, described the scheme as transformational, noting that it would foster inclusive economic growth, support MSME development and create opportunities for the younger generation.
“This partnership with Lagride is transformational. It will drive inclusivity for economic growth and ensure progress for everyone,” he said.
Alawuba shared a personal story, recalling that his father worked as a driver and was able to fund his education through that income. He said the scheme would provide similar opportunities for many families.
UBA’s Head of SME Banking, Babatunde Ajayi, said the partnership reflected a rethinking of traditional banking models.
“Not every business has a shop. Some businesses have wheels. Every commercial driver is running a business, yet they have remained outside formal finance. We designed credit that fits their reality,” he said.
Chairman of Lagride, Diana Chen, said the company had built a data-driven and credit-ready mobility platform for drivers, stressing that transportation remained the backbone of Africa’s economic future.
“Lagride now stands as the most structured, data-driven and credit-ready mobility platform in Nigeria,” Chen said.
The partnership aligns the strengths of the three organisations, with UBA providing financial support, CIG Motors offering viable business opportunities, and Lagride delivering a technology-driven platform to ensure sustainable livelihoods for driver-partners.
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