F5 announced new best-in-class security offerings that strengthen protections and simplify management for customers.
With the launches of F5 Distributed Cloud Services Web Application Scanning, BIG-IP Next Web Application Firewall (WAF), and NGINX App Protect for open-source deployments, F5 is extending its leadership with the industry’s most effective and most comprehensive AI-ready app and API security suite.
SOAS report
The news comes as F5’s just-released 2024 State of Application Strategy (SOAS) Report reveals that 88% of enterprises are deploying apps and APIs across a mix of on-premises and cloud or edge environments.
The report also found that 41% of surveyed organisations currently manage at least as many APIs as apps.
App and API security
“Modern organisations require high-efficacy app and API security that extends across their distributed environments,” said Kara Sprague, EVP and Chief Product Officer at F5.
“APIs are now the target of most cyberattacks, and organisations of all sizes must complement their web app security solutions with comprehensive API security. The solutions we’re introducing today further enhance and extend F5’s best-in-class protection for any app and any API, no matter where it is deployed.”
F5 Distributed Cloud Web Application Scanning
Distributed Cloud Services continue to enhance API security, including the expansion of API rate-limiting capabilities
Following the recent acquisition of Heyhack, F5 has moved fast to launch F5 Distributed Cloud Web Application Scanning. This means customers can access automated security reconnaissance and penetration testing capabilities.
Additionally, F5’s award-winning Distributed Cloud Services continue to enhance API security, including the expansion of API rate limiting capabilities, improved API inventory management, JWT validation enhancements, custom pattern detection, and improved API discovery capabilities to identify zombie APIs.
Flexibility, control, and security
This approach provides greater flexibility, control, and security for API usage and management.
Looking forward, F5 will deepen this integration to deliver more adaptable app and API security through automated vulnerability discovery, threat identification, and remediation.
Introducing next-gen WAF for automated multi-cloud security
BIG-IP Next carries forward the value proposition of reduced total cost of ownership and optimised app performance
In other developments, BIG-IP Next WAF brings added automation and an optimised cloud footprint to F5’s rich BIG-IP feature set, enabling lower costs and operational simplicity.
The solution enhances flexibility while maintaining consistent security policies across hybrid multi-cloud environments and distributed applications that rely heavily on microservices and APIs. BIG-IP Next WAF is just one module within the BIG-IP Next platform.
BIG-IP Next Local Traffic Manager (LTM)
BIG-IP Next carries forward the value proposition of reduced total cost of ownership and optimised app performance by consolidating multiple app security and delivery functions into a single in-line physical or virtual appliance.
Also currently available is BIG-IP Next Local Traffic Manager (LTM), the next generation of BIG-IP LTM, with an API-centric design that reduces the complexity of managing and automating app delivery.
F5 NGINX App Protect WAF
BIG-IP Next Access and BIG-IP Next SSL Orchestrator transitioning from limited to general availability
Further security capabilities will reach the market later in 2024, with BIG-IP Next Access and BIG-IP Next SSL Orchestrator transitioning from limited to general availability.
Similarly, the just released version of F5 NGINX App Protect WAF on OSS further brings the power of F5’s pioneering app security engine to Kubernetes-based applications in public clouds and on-premises deployments.
Agile development
With sophisticated security features and a smaller footprint, the solution separates the control and data planes, significantly reducing the corresponding attack surfaces.
An ideal fit for open source and enterprise customers, version 5.0 of NGINX App Protect WAF supports both NGINX OSS and NGINX Plus and can be fully integrated into CI/CD frameworks to further enhance agile development methodologies.
