Web applications, online portals and customer-facing systems are among the most frequent targets for attackers. For Australian organisations, a Web Application Firewall (WAF) is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of compromise, protect operational systems and support compliance obligations such as PCI DSS.
DotSec has more than 25 years of experience securing high-risk web environments for government, financial institutions, utilities, legal firms and national retailers. We deploy and manage AWS WAF, Azure WAF and Cloudflare WAF solutions, and we focus on practical, evidence-driven protection rather than generic checkbox controls. Our goal is to ensure that your online services are secure, resilient and protected against real-world threats.
PCI DSS (the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) is a set of technical and operational requirements designed to protect cardholder data. Compliance means implementing, operating and maintaining a comprehensive set of controls relating to:
Network segmentation and security
Access control and authentication
Logging, monitoring and incident response
Secure software development
Vulnerability management
Physical security and hosted environments
Supplier and service-provider oversight
PCI DSS compliance applies to any organisation that touches payment card data, even indirectly. That includes retailers, e-commerce sites, service providers, franchise networks, billing platforms, hospitality groups and SaaS platforms that integrate payment processing.
You (well, really, your business) will almost certainly need to be PCI DSS compliant if you:
WAF technology is no longer optional for modern web applications. Attackers now automate scanning and exploitation at scale, and even small or regional organisations experience targeted attacks. A well-configured WAF is one of the fastest ways to reduce risk and prevent compromise.
Most organisations use one of three major WAF platforms. DotSec supports all of them and tailors each to the specific application environment:
AWS WAF is a cloud-native Web Application Firewall that protects applications running on Amazon CloudFront, Application Load Balancers, API Gateway and AWS AppSync.
Key features include:
DotSec designs and maintains AWS WAF rules that block malicious traffic without affecting legitimate users. We also review logs and alerts to ensure that protections stay aligned with changing application behaviour.
Azure WAF protects applications hosted on Azure Front Door, Azure Application Gateway and Azure CDN. It is well suited to organisations running Microsoft cloud workloads.
Key features include:
DotSec configures and manages Azure WAF deployments so that protections match the application architecture, expected traffic patterns and compliance needs.
Cloudflare WAF provides edge-level security for organisations that need global performance, DDoS resilience and flexible deployment. It is widely used for multi-cloud and hybrid environments.
Key features include:
DotSec manages Cloudflare WAF deployments with a focus on accuracy, low false positives and continuous tuning.
DotSec provides WAF services that are practical, evidence-driven and aligned with real operational needs. We stand out from other providers for several reasons:
Answer: A Web Application Firewall (WAF) inspects and filters HTTP/S traffic to protect web applications and APIs from attacks such as SQL injection, XSS, credential stuffing, bot abuse and API misuse. DotSec configures and manages modern cloud WAFs including Cloudflare WAF, AWS WAF, and Azure Web Application Firewall, each providing virtual patching, bot mitigation, rate limiting and application-layer rulesets.
Reference: https://owasp.org/www-community/Web_Application_Firewall
Answer: See Web Application Firewall. WAF is simply the shortened term used consistently across Cloudflare, AWS and Azure documentation for the same control.
Reference: https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/security/what-is-a-web-application-firewall/
Answer: “Website firewall” is simply another term for a Web Application Firewall (WAF). Vendors use different naming conventions, but the underlying control is the same: an application-layer firewall that inspects web traffic, blocks malicious requests and protects your applications and APIs.
Reference: https://aws.amazon.com/waf/
Answer: Partially. A WAF (Cloudflare, AWS or Azure) can filter suspicious inputs, block known payloads and apply virtual patches. However, DOM-based XSS executes in the user’s browser, after the page loads. Full defence requires secure coding, CSP headers and front-end validation, with the WAF as a supporting control.
Reference: https://owasp.org/www-community/attacks/DOM_Based_XSS
Answer: If you run any public-facing systems such as portals, APIs, login forms, dashboards or payment flows, then yes! A WAF is strongly recommended. Cloudflare WAF, AWS WAF and Azure WAF reduce breach risk, provide virtual patching for zero-day vulnerabilities, block application-layer attacks and support frameworks like PCI DSS.
Reference: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/overview
If you need to strengthen your web application security or want to deploy AWS WAF, Azure WAF or Cloudflare WAF, DotSec can help. Our team will review your application architecture, assess current risks and design a WAF configuration that fits your environment. We can also take care of ongoing management, monitoring and fine tuning so that your controls remain effective as your application evolves.
A well-configured WAF is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to reduce risk, meet compliance expectations and protect your online services. With DotSec guiding the process, your organisation gains strong defence without unnecessary complexity.
