# AWS WAF vs ModSecurity

**Leader by vioscaleAI score:** AWS WAF

| Attribute | AWS WAF | ModSecurity |
|---|---|---|
| **vioscaleAI score** | 51.2 (73% (medium)) | 44.4 (23% (low)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | - | 38 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | - | 0 |
| adoption.github_stars | - | 9,802 |
| content.faq | `[{"answer":"AWS WAF is a managed web application firewall service that helps protect web applications against common exploits and bots. It uses rules to allow, block, or count web requests, and supports bot management, fraud prevention, and DDoS protection. It is indexed under WAF.","source":"https://aws.amazon.com/waf/pricing/","question":"What is AWS WAF?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"AWS WAF offers a free tier, so you can start without paying. Paid plans start at $0.60. Prices are published openly on the vendor's own pricing page. Pricing changes often, so verify at source before relying on it.","source":"https://aws.amazon.com/waf/pricing/","question":"Is AWS WAF free?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"AWS WAF supports the web and a command-line interface. Platforms we have not confirmed are simply not listed here rather than ruled out.","source":"https://aws.amazon.com/waf/pricing/","question":"What platforms does AWS WAF support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have only confirmed a cloud / SaaS deployment for AWS WAF, so it appears to be vendor-hosted. If a self-hosted option exists we have not found it documented publicly.","source":"https://aws.amazon.com/waf/pricing/","question":"Can AWS WAF be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have confirmed 5 integrations for AWS WAF, including Amazon CloudFront, Amazon API Gateway, AWS CloudWatch, AWS Shield and AWS Marketplace (third-party managed rules). This is what we could verify from public sources, so the vendor may support others we have not indexed.","source":"https://aws.amazon.com/waf/pricing/","question":"What does AWS WAF integrate with?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have independently confirmed HIPAA and GDPR for AWS WAF. Certifications we do not list are ones we have not been able to verify from public sources, which is not the same as AWS WAF not holding them. Always confirm compliance directly before you rely on it.","source":"https://aws.amazon.com/compliance/?nc2=h_dsc_aa_cmp","question":"What security certifications does AWS WAF have?","confidence":0.7},{"answer":"AWS WAF is available worldwide. The vendor is headquartered in the United States.","source":"https://aws.amazon.com/waf/pricing/","question":"Where is AWS WAF available?","confidence":0.75}]` | `[{"answer":"A flexible firewall module that monitors HTTP traffic and enforces security policies through a customizable rules engine. It is indexed under WAF.","source":"https://modsecurity.org/","question":"What is ModSecurity?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"ModSecurity is open source, so it can be self-hosted and used at no licence cost. It is released under the Apache-2.0 licence. Pricing changes often, so verify at source before relying on it.","source":"https://modsecurity.org/","question":"Is ModSecurity free to use?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. ModSecurity can be deployed self-hosted, so it does not have to run on the vendor's infrastructure.","source":"https://modsecurity.org/","question":"Can ModSecurity be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have independently confirmed GDPR for ModSecurity. Certifications we do not list are ones we have not been able to verify from public sources, which is not the same as ModSecurity not holding them. Always confirm compliance directly before you rely on it.","source":"http://modsecurity.org/privacy-policy/","question":"What security certifications does ModSecurity have?","confidence":0.7},{"answer":"Yes. ModSecurity is published under the Apache-2.0 licence, a permissive licence that generally allows commercial use and modification. Licence terms can change between releases, so verify against the repository for the version you intend to use.","source":"https://github.com/owasp-modsecurity/ModSecurity","question":"Is ModSecurity open source?","confidence":0.95}]` |
| deployment.options | `{"cloud":true}` | `{"on_prem":true,"self_hosted":true}` |
| description.long | AWS WAF filters web requests and API traffic to block common attacks like SQL injection and cross-site scripting. It manages bot traffic through rate limiting and automatic detection, and provides automated layer 7 DDoS protection. | An open-source firewall module that monitors and controls HTTP traffic, providing customizable security rules and advanced protections against web application attacks. It serves as the foundation for many WAF implementations globally. |
| features.capabilities | `{"pricing_model":"usage_based","rate_limiting":true,"bot_management":true,"deployment_model":"cloud","ddos_l7_protection":true,"custom_rules_engine":true,"owasp_top_10_protection":true}` | `{"pricing_model":"open_source","deployment_model":"self_host","custom_rules_engine":true,"owasp_top_10_protection":true}` |
| integrations.count | 5 | 1 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"Amazon CloudFront"},{"name":"Amazon API Gateway"},{"name":"AWS CloudWatch"},{"name":"AWS Shield"},{"name":"AWS Marketplace (third-party managed rules)"}]` | `[{"name":"OWASP CRS","native":true}]` |
| language.primary | - | C++ |
| license.spdx | - | Apache-2.0 |
| market.availability | `{"primaryMarkets":["US"],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` | `{"hqCountry":"US","primaryMarkets":[],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` |
| platform.support | `{"web":true}` | - |
| pricing | `{"type":"usage","plans":[{"free":false,"name":"Standard WAF","summary":"$5/web ACL + $1/rule + per-million-request charges","features":["Web ACL creation and management","Custom rule creation","Allow/Block/Count actions","Request filtering and inspection","CloudWatch Logs integration"],"commitment":"monthly","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":5,"period":"month","currency":"USD","description":"per web ACL"},{"kind":"fixed","amount":1,"period":"month","currency":"USD","description":"per rule or managed rule group"},{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"million requests"},"kind":"metered","amount":0.6,"currency":"USD","description":"varies by region"}],"description":"Base WAF protection with customizable rules","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"cloudwatch_logs_per_million_requests":"500 MB"}},{"free":false,"name":"Bot Control","summary":"Free tier + $1/million requests after free allowance","features":["Common bot detection and management","Targeted bot control","Bot traffic visibility","Rate limiting for bot traffic","Scope-down statements to reduce evaluated traffic"],"commitment":"monthly","components":[{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"million requests"},"kind":"metered","amount":1,"currency":"USD","description":"charged after free tier"}],"description":"Visibility and control over bot traffic","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"common_bot_control_free_requests":"10 million/month","targeted_bot_control_free_requests":"1 million/month"}},{"free":false,"name":"Fraud Control","summary":"$10/month per web ACL + per-request charges","features":["Account Takeover Prevention","Account Creation Fraud Prevention","Compromised credential monitoring","Fake account creation detection"],"commitment":"monthly","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":10,"period":"month","currency":"USD","description":"per web ACL for managed rule"}],"description":"Account takeover prevention and account creation fraud prevention","contactSales":false}],"addOns":[{"name":"CAPTCHA and Challenge responses"},{"name":"Managed rule groups from AWS Marketplace"}],"summary":"Usage-based pricing: $5/web ACL, $1/rule, plus per-request charges. Free tier for bot control.","currency":"USD","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://aws.amazon.com/waf/pricing/","retrievedAt":"2026-08-19T22:21:15.356Z","startingPrice":{"amount":1,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},"billingPeriods":["month"]}` | `{"type":"open_source","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://modsecurity.org/","retrievedAt":"2026-10-14T22:36:34.235Z"}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | freemium | open_source |
| pricing.price_level | low | free |
| pricing.starting_price | `{"amount":1,"currency":"USD"}` | - |
| pricing.transparent | yes | - |
| release.cadence_days | - | 61 |
| release.history | - | `[{"url":"https://github.com/owasp-modsecurity/ModSecurity/releases/tag/v3.0.17","date":"2026-09-29T21:01:11Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.0.17"},{"url":"https://github.com/owasp-modsecurity/ModSecurity/releases/tag/v2.9.15","date":"2026-09-29T20:47:02Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.9.15"},{"url":"https://github.com/owasp-modsecurity/ModSecurity/releases/tag/v2.9.14","date":"2026-07-02T18:56:26Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.9.14"},{"url":"https://github.com/owasp-modsecurity/ModSecurity/releases/tag/v3.0.16","date":"2026-06-29T16:40:53Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.0.16"},{"url":"https://github.com/owasp-modsecurity/ModSecurity/releases/tag/v3.0.15","date":"2026-04-28T17:48:05Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.0.15"},{"url":"https://github.com/owasp-modsecurity/ModSecurity/releases/tag/v2.9.13","date":"2026-04-28T18:09:37Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.9.13"},{"url":"https://github.com/owasp-modsecurity/ModSecurity/releases/tag/v2.9.12","date":"2025-08-05T19:21:09Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.9.12"},{"url":"https://github.com/owasp-modsecurity/ModSecurity/releases/tag/v2.9.11","date":"2025-07-01T20:07:12Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.9.11"},{"url":"https://github.com/owasp-modsecurity/ModSecurity/releases/tag/v2.9.10","date":"2025-06-02T15:07:24Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.9.10"},{"url":"https://github.com/owasp-modsecurity/ModSecurity/releases/tag/v2.9.9","date":"2025-05-21T19:49:37Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.9.9"},{"url":"https://github.com/owasp-modsecurity/ModSecurity/releases/tag/v3.0.14","date":"2025-02-25T14:32:53Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.0.14"},{"url":"https://github.com/owasp-modsecurity/ModSecurity/releases/tag/v3.0.13","date":"2024-09-03T13:56:15Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.0.13"},{"url":"https://github.com/owasp-modsecurity/ModSecurity/releases/tag/v2.9.8","date":"2024-09-03T13:07:38Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.9.8"},{"url":"https://github.com/owasp-modsecurity/ModSecurity/releases/tag/v3.0.12","date":"2024-01-30T15:52:56Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.0.12"},{"url":"https://github.com/owasp-modsecurity/ModSecurity/releases/tag/v3.0.11","date":"2023-12-06T20:01:25Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.0.11"},{"url":"https://github.com/owasp-modsecurity/ModSecurity/releases/tag/v3.0.10","date":"2023-07-25T16:38:18Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.0.10"},{"url":"https://github.com/owasp-modsecurity/ModSecurity/releases/tag/v3.0.9","date":"2023-04-13T03:22:09Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.0.9"},{"url":"https://github.com/owasp-modsecurity/ModSecurity/releases/tag/v2.9.7","date":"2023-01-05T01:45:19Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.9.7"},{"url":"https://github.com/owasp-modsecurity/ModSecurity/releases/tag/v3.0.8","date":"2022-09-07T20:16:11Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.0.8"},{"url":"https://github.com/owasp-modsecurity/ModSecurity/releases/tag/v2.9.6","date":"2022-09-08T00:23:08Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.9.6"}]` |
| reliability.status_page | yes | - |
| security.disclosure_policy | yes | - |
| security.fedramp | yes | - |
| security.gdpr | yes | yes |
| security.hipaa | yes | - |
| security.pci | yes | - |
| security.trust_center | https://aws.amazon.com/compliance/?nc2=h_dsc_aa_cmp | http://modsecurity.org/privacy-policy/ |
| security.vulnerabilities | - | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=gentoo&package_name=www-apache%2Fmod_security&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` |

## Capabilities (WAF)

| Capability | AWS WAF | ModSecurity |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Capabilities** |  |  |
| Deployment model | Cloud | Self host |
| Owasp top 10 protection | ✓ | ✓ |
| Custom rules engine | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bot management | ✓ | - |
| API discovery protection | - | - |
| Ddos l7 protection | ✓ | - |
| Rate limiting | ✓ | - |
| Threat intel feeds | - | - |
| SIEM logging integration | - | - |
| Kubernetes ingress support | - | - |
| SOC2 type ii | - | - |
| PCI DSS compliant | - | - |
| Fedramp authorized | - | - |
| Pricing model | Usage based | Open source |

*Source: vioscaleAI. Generated 2026-10-16T20:08:26.053Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*