What is Web Application Protection

About

Osto provides the Web App & API Protection Module, designed to safeguard web applications and APIs from a wide range of attack vectors and security exploits. This module delivers essential protection by examining and controlling HTTP/HTTPS traffic between applications and the internet, defending against threats such as DDoS attacks, malicious bots, and OWASP-identified vulnerabilities.

💡 How it works

Deploying the Osto Web App & API Protection Module in front of a web application creates a protective barrier between the application and internet traffic. Unlike a standard proxy server that simply masks client identity, the Osto module functions as a reverse-proxy system, shielding servers from direct exposure by requiring all client requests to pass through it before reaching the application.

The Osto Web App & API Protection Module safeguards web applications by inspecting all incoming and outgoing traffic. It filters out anything harmful and blocks suspicious activity before it can cause damage. It also stops unauthorized data from being sent out. It works based on a set of rules that help decide which traffic is safe and which is not. Similar to how a proxy hides a client’s identity, our module acts as a reverse proxy, standing between the internet and the web server to block potential threats.

SSL Certificate Management

This is how Osto handles SSL Certificates:

Osto provides a free SSL certificate for encrypting traffic between users and the Osto service. Your original SSL certificate remains on your server unchanged, maintaining encryption between Osto and your backend. This creates dual-layer encryption - users connect securely to Osto, and Osto connects securely to your server. The setup requires no changes to your existing SSL configuration while providing automatic certificate management for the public-facing connection. All traffic remains encrypted end-to-end through both certificate layers.

Attack Detection and Security Flow

This is how Osto protects your application from attacks:

All incoming HTTPS requests first go through Attack Detection which checks all the essentail protocols. Valid requests with no suspicious patterns are forwarded to your origin server. Invalid or suspicious requests are blocked and rejected. Requests that pass initial checks but contain potential threats go through advanced Security Checks for DDoS protection, bot mitigation, and OWASP Top 10 vulnerability detection. When malicious patterns like SQL injection are detected, the request is blocked before reaching your server, ensuring only clean traffic gets through.

API Protection

API Protection ensures only legitimate traffic reaches your origin servers. Each HTTP/S request is subjected to advanced security checks. Valid requests are allowed after passing all validations, while malicious ones - such as SQL injection or other pattern-based attacks are blocked. The system includes high-level monitoring of application/json APIs to detect anomalies, abuse, or misuse in real time. This layered defense protects APIs, ensures reliability, and prevents backend compromise.

AI Web Vulnerability Scanning

Osto's AI-powered web scanner automatically analyzes your website security and provides a comprehensive security score to assess your overall protection level. The intelligent system scans all your domains using machine learning algorithms to categorize discovered vulnerabilities by severity and help you prioritize critical fixes first. It identifies the most frequently targeted areas of your website and generates detailed reports showing exactly where vulnerabilities exist. The AI scanner runs on configurable schedules and provides specific remediation guidance for each discovered issue. All findings include precise location details, affected endpoints, and step-by-step solutions to help you quickly address security gaps and improve your website's defense posture.

Deployment

This is how the Osto Web App & API Protection Module is deployed using Nginx: The module is built on Nginx reverse-proxy architecture to provide high-performance security protection. All incoming requests are processed through the Nginx-based engine, which applies security rules and filters malicious traffic. Clean requests are then forwarded to your origin servers, while malicious requests are blocked at the protection layer. This Nginx-based deployment ensures fast processing speeds, reliable traffic handling, and enterprise-grade security with the proven stability and performance of Nginx infrastructure.

Learn More:

To discover what other security solutions Osto provides, contact us at connect@osto.one