Best API and Web Application Security Solutions Comparison
Get the insights you need to navigate the complexities of choosing a WAAP solution
F5 Web Application and API Protection Solution Side-by-Side Comparison
Explore the leading edge of innovation in web application and API protection. In today’s fast-paced application security landscape, having a solution that meets your business needs and reduces the risk of security incidents is essential. The chart below provides a comprehensive comparison of how F5 Web App and API Protection (WAAP) solutions outperform content delivery network (CDN) vendors, cloud-native tools, and pure-play point solutions. This side-by-side comparison highlights the architectural advantages and security capabilities that set F5 WAAP solutions apart from other offerings, including full lifecycle API security for modern and AI apps that span the data center, public clouds, and the edge. Equip your business with the insights you need to successfully navigate the complexities of web application and API security.
F5 WAAP, CDN, Cloud-Native, and Pure-Play: Side-by-Side Comparison
Features and Capabilities |
F5 WAAP Solutions |
CDN Offerings |
Cloud-Native Solutions |
Pure-Play Security Solutions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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F5 secures applications and APIs wherever they reside, without requiring redesign, refactoring, or migration. | CDNs require content to be served through their network, which may not be ideal for modern multicloud architectures. | Tailored to each cloud provider, cloud-native solutions lack support for multicloud architectures or on-premises environments. | Pure-play solutions typically require a third-party tool, such as a proxy, for inline detection. |
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F5 security policies can be consistently deployed across clouds and on-premises environments, providing defense-in-depth protection and universal remediation. | Security policies are tied to the CDN platform and are not easily transferable to on-premises environments. | Cloud-native tools are siloed within their environment, resulting in operational complexity from managing multiple security stacks. | These solutions focus primarily on visibility and require integration with third-party solutions for enforcement and remediation. |
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F5 security uses AI-driven deception and machine learning to maintain efficacy as attackers evolve their tactics. |
CDN offerings address layer 3–4 DDoS attacks but fall short against targeted layer 7 attacks; for example, attacks that stress backend applications. | Cloud-native defenses rely on a rules-based approach, making them susceptible to evasion by sophisticated attackers. | Pure-play products focus on specific risks and threats and cannot adapt to evolving attacker strategies—now turbocharged by AI. |
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Security is integrated throughout the application lifecycle, from development to production, aligning with the principles of "shift left" and "shield right." | CDNs focus on runtime protection rather than full lifecycle protection across the SDLC. | Cloud-native tools may offer lifecycle integration, but often within the confines of their ecosystem, leading to tool sprawl and process inefficiencies. | Cobbling together multiple point solutions to secure each part of the software development lifecycle turns application security into supply chain security. |
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F5 delivers high- efficacy solutions that maintain resilience against evolving threats through a combination of threat intelligence, behavioral analytics, and human-powered AI. | CDN deployments often require extensive manual policy construction and tuning, which can increase operational costs. | Cloud-native security tools are specialized and often lack visibility across the entire threat surface and application portfolio. | Relying on third-party insertion points and integrations can increase latency and user friction, leading to a poor customer experience. |
