The HTTP protocol is a fundamental building block of the web, allowing devices to communicate with each other over the internet. However, this ease of communication comes with risks, as an unsecured request can be intercepted and exploited by malicious actors.
A WAF is a network security system designed to protect web applications from common attacks. By inspecting incoming HTTP requests, a WAF can detect and block malicious traffic before it reaches the application server.
In some cases, an HTTP request might be redirected to an HTTPS port. This is often done to protect sensitive data or to block traffic from known malicious sources.
Learn more about WAFs and redirects at the 2018 IP Summerschool conference