
Azure Front Door's Web Application Firewall (WAF) policy is designed to protect your application from common web attacks, but sometimes it can block legitimate requests. This can be frustrating, especially if you're not sure why your request was blocked.
The WAF policy uses a combination of rules and machine learning to identify and block malicious traffic. If your request is blocked, it's likely because it triggered one of these rules.
To understand why your request was blocked, you'll need to check the Azure Front Door logs. This will give you information about the specific rule that was triggered and why.
Azure Front Door provides a detailed explanation of the WAF policy rules in its documentation, which can be a helpful resource if you're trying to troubleshoot a blocked request.
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Troubleshooting WAF Policy Traffic Blockage
Troubleshooting WAF policy traffic blockage can be a frustrating experience, especially when you're not sure why your requests are being blocked.
First, check if the traffic blockage is due to a specific rule or a combination of rules. According to the article, a single rule can block traffic, and it's not uncommon for multiple rules to be triggered at the same time.
Reviewing the WAF policy logs can help you identify the specific rule that's causing the blockage. By analyzing the logs, you can see which rule is being triggered and why.
To resolve the issue, you can try modifying the WAF policy to exclude the blocked traffic or adjust the rule settings to allow the traffic through.
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Understanding WAF Policy Traffic Blockage
A WAF policy traffic blockage occurs when a web application firewall (WAF) blocks legitimate traffic, causing issues with your website's accessibility and functionality.
This can happen due to a misconfigured WAF rule or a false positive detection, which can be a major headache for developers and administrators.
A misconfigured WAF rule can block traffic based on incorrect assumptions about the traffic patterns or by blocking specific IP addresses or user agents.
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For example, a WAF rule might block all traffic from a specific country due to a misconfigured IP address range.
This can cause issues for legitimate users from that country, making it difficult for them to access your website.
A false positive detection can also cause traffic blockage, where a legitimate request is incorrectly identified as a malicious one.
This can happen if the WAF is not properly trained on the website's traffic patterns or if there are changes to the website's infrastructure.
In one case, a website's WAF blocked all traffic due to a false positive detection caused by a change in the website's SSL certificate.
The traffic blockage can have significant impacts on your website's performance and user experience, making it essential to troubleshoot and resolve the issue quickly.
By understanding the causes of WAF policy traffic blockage, you can take steps to prevent it from happening in the first place.
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Verifying Azure Front Door Settings
Verify that the Azure Front Door is properly configured by checking the routing method and the backend pool.
Make sure the routing method is set to "Route to backend pool" and the backend pool is properly configured with the correct backend instances.
Check that the backend pool has the correct weight and session persistence settings.
Verify that the routing method is also set to "Route to backend pool" for the WAF policy.
Ensure that the WAF policy is enabled and that the rule set is correctly configured.
Verify that the rule set is enabled and that the rules are correctly configured with the correct action.
Check that the backend instances are healthy and responding correctly.
Verify that the SSL/TLS settings are correctly configured and that the SSL/TLS certificate is properly installed.
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Solving WAF Blocked Requests
Sometimes, a WAF policy can block legitimate requests, but there are ways to resolve this issue.
You can check the WAF policy rules to see if they're blocking the request.
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If the rule is blocking a specific URL or IP address, you can try adding an exception to the rule to allow the request to pass through.
Azure Front Door provides a feature called "Request Body Inspection" that can help you identify the blocked request and provide more information about the issue.
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Checking WAF Configuration
Checking WAF Configuration is crucial to resolve WAF blocked requests. It's essential to review the WAF configuration to ensure it's not blocking legitimate traffic. A common mistake is having a rule that's too broad, blocking innocent requests.
The WAF configuration should be regularly reviewed and updated to reflect changing business needs. This can be done by analyzing the WAF logs to identify patterns and anomalies.
A well-configured WAF should have a clear understanding of what constitutes a legitimate request. This includes identifying IP addresses, user agents, and request parameters that are allowed or blocked.
The WAF configuration should also be aligned with the application's requirements. For example, if the application uses a specific JavaScript library, the WAF should be configured to allow requests containing that library.
Regularly reviewing the WAF configuration can help prevent false positives and ensure legitimate traffic is not blocked. This can be achieved by implementing a testing framework to simulate different scenarios and identify potential issues.
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WAF Response Codes
WAF Response Codes are a crucial aspect of solving WAF blocked requests. By default, a 403 status code with the message "The request is blocked" is returned, along with a reference string for logging.
However, you can define a custom response status code and message. This is a policy-level setting that affects all blocked requests.
A custom response status code can be one of the following: 200 OK, 403 Forbidden, 405 Method not allowed, 406 Not acceptable, or 429 Too many requests.
These custom response codes can be used in conjunction with a custom response message to provide a more informative and user-friendly response.
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WAF Error Messages
A 403 Forbidden error message means the WAF has blocked a request because it's trying to access a restricted resource.
The 429 Too Many Requests error message indicates that the WAF has blocked a request due to excessive traffic.
A 502 Bad Gateway error message is often displayed when the WAF is unable to forward the request to the origin server.
The WAF may also display a 503 Service Unavailable error message when it's under maintenance or experiencing high traffic.
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WAF Response
By default, the WAF returns a 403 status code with the message "The request is blocked" when it blocks a request due to a matched rule.
A reference string is also returned for logging purposes.
You can define a custom response status code and response message when the WAF blocks a request.
The following custom status codes are supported: 200 OK403 Forbidden405 Method not allowed406 Not acceptable429 Too many requests
A custom response status code with a response message is a policy-level setting, meaning it applies to all blocked requests.
After configuring a custom response status and message, all blocked requests will receive the same custom response status and response message.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is WAF policy in Azure?
A WAF policy in Azure is a set of rules that helps protect web applications from cyber threats, including bot attacks and common web vulnerabilities. By configuring a WAF policy, you can safeguard your web applications and ensure a secure online experience for your users
Are attempts to exploit common vulnerabilities blocked by WAF?
Yes, Azure WAF blocks attempts to exploit common vulnerabilities like cross-site scripting (XSS) and SQL injection (SQLi). This protection helps prevent web app attacks and ensures a safer online experience.
Sources
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/afds/waf-front-door-policy-settings
- https://stackoverflow.com/questions/75561762/azure-frontdoor-waf-policy-is-blocking-requests-even-though-i-have-rule-disabled
- http://terenceluk.blogspot.com/2022/10/troubleshooting-traffic-blocked-by.html
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/1841043/in-azure-front-door-waf-policy-i-ahve-created-a-cu
- https://community.powerplatform.com/forums/thread/details/
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