1---2name: azure-web-application-firewall3description: Expert knowledge for Azure Web Application Firewall development including best practices, decision making, limits & quotas, security, configuration, integrations & coding patterns, and deployment. Use when configuring WAF rules, geo/bot filters, rate limits, Sentinel logging, or Front Door/APIM protection, and other Azure Web Application Firewall related development tasks. Not for Azure Application Gateway (use azure-application-gateway), Azure Front Door (use azure-front-door), Azure Firewall (use azure-firewall), Azure Firewall Manager (use azure-firewall-manager).4---5# Azure Web Application Firewall Skill
6
7This skill provides expert guidance for Azure Web Application Firewall. Covers best practices, decision making, limits & quotas, security, configuration, integrations & coding patterns, and deployment. It combines local quick-reference content with remote documentation fetching capabilities.
8
9## How to Use This Skill
10
11> **IMPORTANT for Agent**: Use the **Category Index** below to locate relevant sections. For categories with line ranges (e.g., `L35-L120`), use `read_file` with the specified lines. For categories with file links (e.g., `[security.md](security.md)`), use `read_file` on the linked reference file
12
13> **IMPORTANT for Agent**: If `metadata.generated_at` is more than 3 months old, suggest the user pull the latest version from the repository. If `mcp_microsoftdocs` tools are not available, suggest the user install it: [Installation Guide](https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/mcp/blob/main/README.md)
14
15This skill requires **network access** to fetch documentation content:
16- **Preferred**: Use `mcp_microsoftdocs:microsoft_docs_fetch` with query string `from=learn-agent-skill`. Returns Markdown.
17- **Fallback**: Use `fetch_webpage` with query string `from=learn-agent-skill&accept=text/markdown`. Returns Markdown.
18
19## Category Index
20
21| Category | Lines | Description |
22|----------|-------|-------------|
23| Best Practices | L35-L42 | Best practices for configuring and tuning WAF on Azure Front Door and Application Gateway, including rule tuning, reducing false positives, and using geomatch rules for stronger security. |
24| Decision Making | L43-L48 | Guidance on planning and migrating from legacy WAF configs to full WAF policies, and managing the lifecycle, upgrades, and versions of Azure WAF managed rule sets. |
25| Limits & Quotas | L49-L53 | Details on WAF limits like max request/body size, file upload constraints, rule engine behavior under high load, and how to configure or tune these limits on Application Gateway. |
26| Security | L54-L68 | Securing Azure WAF/Front Door/App Gateway: IP restrictions, DRS rule groups, exclusions/exceptions, log scrubbing/masking sensitive data, hardening configs, and governance with Azure Policy. |
27| Configuration | L69-L98 | Configuring Azure WAF (Front Door & App Gateway): custom/managed rules, geo/ASN/bot/JA4 filters, rate limiting, exclusions, logging/metrics, custom responses, policy settings, and central management. |
28| Integrations & Coding Patterns | L99-L108 | Using WAF with other Azure services: integrating logs with Sentinel/Log Analytics, automating incident response, investigating events, and protecting APIM/Azure OpenAI via Front Door WAF. |
29| Deployment | L109-L114 | How to deploy and manage Application Gateway WAF v2 using Bicep, ARM templates, Terraform, and upgrade existing WAF configurations to WAF policies. |
30
31### Best Practices
32| Topic | URL |
33|-------|-----|
34| Implement WAF best practices in Azure Front Door | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/afds/waf-front-door-best-practices |
35| Tune Azure Front Door WAF rules and reduce false positives | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/afds/waf-front-door-tuning |
36| Apply best practices for WAF on Application Gateway | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/ag/best-practices |
37| Apply geomatch WAF rules to strengthen web app security | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/geomatch-custom-rules-examples |
38
39### Decision Making
40| Topic | URL |
41|-------|-----|
42| Migrate Azure Application Gateway WAF configs to full policies | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/ag/migrate-policy |
43| Plan Azure WAF managed ruleset lifecycle and upgrades | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/ruleset-support-policy |
44
45### Limits & Quotas
46| Topic | URL |
47|-------|-----|
48| Configure WAF request and file upload size limits on Application Gateway | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/ag/application-gateway-waf-request-size-limits |
49
50### Security
51| Topic | URL |
52|-------|-----|
53| Secure Azure OpenAI APIs with Azure Front Door WAF | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/afds/protect-azure-open-ai |
54| Configure IP restriction rules in Front Door WAF | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/afds/waf-front-door-configure-ip-restriction |
55| Understand Azure Front Door WAF DRS rule groups | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/afds/waf-front-door-drs |
56| Configure WAF exclusion lists for Azure Front Door | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/afds/waf-front-door-exclusion |
57| Configure Front Door WAF log scrubbing rules | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/afds/waf-sensitive-data-protection-configure-frontdoor |
58| Sensitive data protection with Front Door WAF log scrubbing | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/afds/waf-sensitive-data-protection-frontdoor |
59| Configure WAF exception lists for Application Gateway | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/ag/application-gateway-exceptions |
60| Use WAF log scrubbing for sensitive data protection | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/ag/waf-sensitive-data-protection |
61| Configure WAF log scrubbing to mask sensitive data | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/ag/waf-sensitive-data-protection-configure |
62| Harden Azure WAF with security configurations | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/secure-web-application-firewall |
63| Enforce WAF governance using Azure Policy | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/shared/waf-azure-policy |
64
65### Configuration
66| Topic | URL |
67|-------|-----|
68| Use ASN match conditions in Azure Front Door WAF | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/afds/asn-match-condition |
69| Configure CAPTCHA challenges in Azure Front Door WAF | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/afds/captcha-challenge |
70| Configure client fingerprint (JA4) matching in WAF | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/afds/client-fingerprint-match-condition |
71| Configure WAF exception lists for Azure Front Door | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/afds/front-door-exceptions |
72| Configure custom WAF responses in Front Door | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/afds/waf-front-door-configure-custom-response-code |
73| Configure custom WAF rules for Azure Front Door | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/afds/waf-front-door-custom-rules |
74| Configure custom and managed WAF rules for Front Door | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/afds/waf-front-door-custom-rules-powershell |
75| Set up WAF exclusion rules on Azure Front Door | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/afds/waf-front-door-exclusion-configure |
76| Configure geo-filtering rules in Azure Front Door WAF | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/afds/waf-front-door-geo-filtering |
77| Configure monitoring and logging for Front Door WAF | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/afds/waf-front-door-monitor |
78| Enable and configure bot protection in Front Door WAF | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/afds/waf-front-door-policy-configure-bot-protection |
79| Configure Azure Front Door WAF policy settings | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/afds/waf-front-door-policy-settings |
80| Configure rate limiting policies in Front Door WAF | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/afds/waf-front-door-rate-limit |
81| Configure rate-limit rules in Azure Front Door WAF | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/afds/waf-front-door-rate-limit-configure |
82| Create a geo-filtering WAF policy with PowerShell | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/afds/waf-front-door-tutorial-geo-filtering |
83| Configure WAF exclusion lists on Application Gateway | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/ag/application-gateway-waf-configuration |
84| Configure and analyze Application Gateway WAF metrics | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/ag/application-gateway-waf-metrics |
85| Associate WAF policies with existing Application Gateways | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/ag/associate-waf-policy-existing-gateway |
86| Configure bot protection rules for Azure Application Gateway WAF | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/ag/bot-protection |
87| Configure custom WAF response for Application Gateway | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/ag/configure-custom-response-code |
88| Create WAF v2 custom rules with Azure PowerShell | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/ag/configure-waf-custom-rules |
89| Use Application Gateway WAF Insights dashboards | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/ag/insights |
90| Create rate-limiting custom rules for Application Gateway WAF v2 | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/ag/rate-limiting-configure |
91| Enable and manage logging for Azure WAF | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/ag/web-application-firewall-logs |
92| Manage WAF policies centrally with Azure Firewall Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/shared/manage-policies |
93| Use JavaScript challenge for bot mitigation in WAF | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/waf-javascript-challenge |
94
95### Integrations & Coding Patterns
96| Topic | URL |
97|-------|-----|
98| Automate WAF incident response with Microsoft Sentinel | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/afds/automated-detection-response-with-sentinel |
99| Protect APIM-hosted APIs with Front Door WAF | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/afds/protect-api-hosted-apim-by-waf |
100| Analyze Application Gateway WAF logs with Log Analytics | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/ag/log-analytics |
101| Investigate Azure WAF events with Security Copilot | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/waf-copilot |
102| Detect new web threats using WAF and Sentinel | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/waf-new-threat-detection |
103| Integrate Azure WAF logs with Microsoft Sentinel | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/waf-sentinel |
104
105### Deployment
106| Topic | URL |
107|-------|-----|
108| Deploy Azure Application Gateway WAF v2 using Bicep | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/ag/quick-create-bicep |
109| Deploy Azure Application Gateway WAF v2 via ARM template | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/ag/quick-create-template |
110| Upgrade Azure Application Gateway WAF configuration to policy | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/web-application-firewall/ag/upgrade-ag-waf-policy |
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