CDN Security: DDoS, WAF, and Edge Protection

· FlyFish NWA Editorial

CDNs are increasingly the first line of defense for web applications. This cluster covers every aspect of CDN security — from DDoS mitigation and WAF configuration to advanced topics like zero trust architecture and mutual TLS.

  1. SSL/TLS ConfigurationSecuring connections with proper TLS setup.
  2. DDoS ProtectionHow CDNs absorb and mitigate attacks.
  3. Web Application FirewallWAF rules and configuration.
  4. Bot ManagementDetecting and managing bot traffic.
  5. Rate LimitingProtecting against abuse with rate controls.
  6. Origin ProtectionHiding and securing your origin server.
  7. Security HeadersHTTP security headers at the edge.
  8. Token AuthenticationSecuring content access with tokens.
  9. Hotlink ProtectionPreventing unauthorized content embedding.
  10. Zero Trust SecurityIdentity-based access at the CDN edge.
  11. Mutual TLS (mTLS)Two-way certificate authentication.
  12. Threat IntelligenceUsing threat data for edge security.

This topic cluster contains 12 articles progressing from foundational concepts to advanced implementations. Read them in order for a comprehensive understanding, or jump to any topic that interests you.

CDN Network Architecture — Content delivery flow from origin to edgeCDN Network Architecture — Content delivery flow from origin to edge CDN Network Topology — Content Delivery Flow U User A Tokyo U User B London U User C New York Edge Server Tokyo PoP Edge Server London PoP Edge Server New York PoP Mid-Tier Cache Origin Shield Origin Server Your Server Request Cache Miss Fetch Cache Hit → Instant Response
Figure 1: CDN Network Architecture — Content delivery flow from origin to edge

External References

References & Standards: HTTP/2 specification · OWASP CDN Security