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  2. AWS WAF bot control

How Do I Manage Bot Control Using AWS Web Application Firewall (WAF)?

Introduction

Managing bot traffic is essential for maintaining the security and performance of web applications. AWS Web Application Firewall (WAF) provides a robust solution for controlling bot traffic. By configuring a web ACL (Access Control List) with a bot control rule, you can effectively mitigate unwanted automated web traffic. This guide will walk you through setting up bot control using AWS WAF with Pulumi.

Step-by-Step Configuration

  1. Provider Configuration:

    • Begin by configuring the AWS provider to specify the region where your resources will be deployed. This ensures that all subsequent resources are created in the desired geographical location.

  2. Web ACL Resource:

    • Create a web ACL, which serves as a container for your rules. This ACL will be used to define and apply rules for bot control.

  3. Bot Control Rule:

    • Incorporate a managed rule group specifically designed to detect and manage bot traffic. AWS provides these managed rule groups to simplify the process of handling automated traffic.

  4. Web ACL Association:

    • Finally, associate the web ACL with your AWS resources, such as an Application Load Balancer, to apply the bot control rules to incoming traffic.
import * as pulumi from "@pulumi/pulumi";
import * as aws from "@pulumi/aws";

// Create the AWS WAF Web ACL
const example = new aws.wafv2.WebAcl("example", {
    name: "example-web-acl",
    description: "Web ACL to control bot traffic",
    scope: "REGIONAL",
    defaultAction: {
        allow: {},
    },
    visibilityConfig: {
        cloudwatchMetricsEnabled: true,
        metricName: "webACL",
        sampledRequestsEnabled: true,
    },
    rules: [{
        name: "AWSManagedRulesBotControlRuleSet",
        priority: 1,
        statement: {
            managedRuleGroupStatement: {
                name: "AWSManagedRulesBotControlRuleSet",
                vendorName: "AWS",
            },
        },
        overrideAction: {
            none: {},
        },
        visibilityConfig: {
            cloudwatchMetricsEnabled: true,
            metricName: "awsManagedBotControl",
            sampledRequestsEnabled: true,
        },
    }],
    tags: {
        Name: "example-web-acl",
    },
});
// Example VPC for the Security Group
const exampleVpc = new aws.ec2.Vpc("example", {
    cidrBlock: "10.0.0.0/16",
    tags: {
        Name: "example-vpc",
    },
});
// Example Security Group for the Load Balancer
const lbSg = new aws.ec2.SecurityGroup("lb_sg", {
    name: "example-lb-sg",
    description: "Security group for the load balancer",
    vpcId: exampleVpc.id,
    ingress: [{
        fromPort: 80,
        toPort: 80,
        protocol: "tcp",
        cidrBlocks: ["0.0.0.0/0"],
    }],
    egress: [{
        fromPort: 0,
        toPort: 0,
        protocol: "-1",
        cidrBlocks: ["0.0.0.0/0"],
    }],
});
// Example Subnets for the Load Balancer
const public1 = new aws.ec2.Subnet("public1", {
    vpcId: exampleVpc.id,
    cidrBlock: "10.0.1.0/24",
    availabilityZone: "us-west-2a",
    tags: {
        Name: "example-public-subnet-1",
    },
});
const public2 = new aws.ec2.Subnet("public2", {
    vpcId: exampleVpc.id,
    cidrBlock: "10.0.2.0/24",
    availabilityZone: "us-west-2b",
    tags: {
        Name: "example-public-subnet-2",
    },
});
// Optional: Associate the web ACL with an AWS resource, e.g., an Application Load Balancer
const exampleLoadBalancer = new aws.lb.LoadBalancer("example", {
    name: "example-lb",
    internal: false,
    loadBalancerType: "application",
    securityGroups: [lbSg.id],
    subnets: [
        public1.id,
        public2.id,
    ],
    enableDeletionProtection: false,
});
// Web ACL and Load Balancer Association
const exampleWebAclAssociation = new aws.wafv2.WebAclAssociation("example", {
    resourceArn: exampleLoadBalancer.arn,
    webAclArn: example.arn,
});

Key Points

  • AWS WAF: Provides a scalable solution for managing web traffic and protecting applications.
  • Web ACL: Acts as a container for rules, allowing you to define how traffic is handled.
  • Bot Control: Utilizes AWS managed rule groups to detect and manage bot traffic effectively.
  • Resource Association: Ensures that the defined rules are applied to specific AWS resources, such as load balancers.

Conclusion

By following this guide, you can effectively manage bot traffic using AWS WAF. The configuration of a web ACL with a bot control rule provides a robust method to detect and mitigate unwanted automated traffic, enhancing the security and performance of your web applications. This setup is crucial for maintaining a secure and efficient web environment.

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