Best WAF for Laravel
Protect your Laravel PHP application from SQL injection, XSS, mass assignment, and API abuse with WAF solutions tested against real Laravel attack patterns.
Cloudflare Web Application Firewall
Cloudflare provides the strongest combination of Laravel compatibility, PHP-specific OWASP rules, API protection, and zero-config setup. Laravel Cloud ships with Cloudflare WAF built in, and any Laravel app can add protection in minutes via DNS.
Laravel powers over 1.5 million websites and is the most popular PHP framework for building web applications and APIs. That popularity makes it a prime target. Attackers specifically craft payloads for Laravel's routing, Eloquent ORM, Blade templating, and authentication systems.
Laravel ships with solid security defaults: CSRF protection, parameterized queries through Eloquent, input validation, and encrypted sessions. But a WAF adds a critical layer that catches attacks before they reach your application code. This matters most when third-party packages introduce vulnerabilities, when developers bypass Eloquent with raw queries, or when zero-day exploits target the framework itself.
In 2025 alone, multiple Laravel ecosystem CVEs were published, including authentication bypasses in Filament, SQL injection in Nova, and remote code execution in older Ignition versions. A properly configured WAF would have blocked exploitation of all of these.
This guide evaluates WAF solutions specifically for Laravel, testing against real PHP attack payloads and considering integration with Laravel Cloud, Vapor, Forge, Herd, and traditional server deployments.
Quick Comparison
| Provider | Rating | Free Tier | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1
Cloudflare Web Application Firewall
Best Overall
|
4.5/5 | Small to medium websites, WordPress sites, develo… | |
|
2
AWS Web Application Firewall
Best for Vapor
|
4.3/5 | - | AWS-native applications, organizations already in… |
|
3
ModSecurity Open Source WAF
Best Self-Hosted
|
4.0/5 | Security teams with WAF expertise, organizations … | |
|
4
Coraza Web Application Firewall
Modern Alternative
|
4.2/5 | Teams migrating from ModSecurity, Kubernetes envi… | |
|
5
Sucuri Website Security
Easiest Setup
|
4.2/5 | - | WordPress sites, small business websites, CMS-bas… |
|
6
SafeLine Web Application Firewall
AI-Powered
|
4.1/5 | Self-hosted deployments wanting easy setup, teams… |
Our Top Picks for Laravel
Cloudflare Web Application Firewall
Best OverallCloudflare is the default WAF for Laravel Cloud and works with any Laravel deployment via DNS. Its managed ruleset catches PHP-specific attacks including SQL injection through query string manipulation, XSS in Blade template output, and PHP object injection attempts. The free tier covers basic WAF rules, making it accessible for side projects and MVPs. Pro ($20/month) adds the full OWASP CRS and custom rules for fine-tuning around Laravel's CSRF tokens and API routes.
Key Benefits:
- Native Laravel Cloud WAF integration
- OWASP CRS + Cloudflare managed rules for PHP
- Free tier with basic WAF protection
- API Shield for Laravel Sanctum/Passport endpoints
- Bot management blocks credential stuffing on /login
- Global CDN reduces TTFB for Blade-rendered pages
AWS Web Application Firewall
Best for VaporAWS WAF is the natural choice for Laravel Vapor deployments. Vapor runs on AWS Lambda behind API Gateway, and AWS WAF integrates directly without adding latency. The PHP Application managed rule group catches common PHP exploits, and you can add rate limiting per API route. Pay-per-request pricing means you only pay when traffic hits your WAF rules.
Key Benefits:
- Zero-latency integration with Laravel Vapor
- PHP Application managed rule group
- Pay-per-request pricing (no minimum)
- Rate limiting per API endpoint
- CloudFront integration for static asset caching
- Vapor managed firewall feature built in
ModSecurity Open Source WAF
Best Self-HostedModSecurity with OWASP CRS is the gold standard for self-hosted Laravel apps on NGINX or Apache. CRS includes PHP-specific rules (933xxx family) that catch PHP code injection, object deserialization attacks, and function name exploitation. Run it as an NGINX module alongside your Laravel app on Forge or a bare server. Completely free, fully customizable, and battle-tested.
Key Benefits:
- Free and open source (Apache 2.0)
- OWASP CRS with dedicated PHP rules (933xxx)
- Works with NGINX (common Laravel setup) and Apache
- Full control over rule tuning and exclusions
- No external dependency or DNS changes
- Can whitelist Laravel CSRF tokens to prevent false positives
Coraza Web Application Firewall
Modern AlternativeCoraza is the modern, Go-based successor to ModSecurity. It runs the same OWASP CRS rules but is faster and easier to deploy. Use it as a reverse proxy in front of your Laravel app, in a Docker sidecar, or as a Caddy/Traefik plugin. Great for containerized Laravel deployments where you want CRS protection without NGINX modules.
Key Benefits:
- Full OWASP CRS compatibility
- Runs as reverse proxy, sidecar, or plugin
- Works with Caddy, Traefik, and Envoy
- Faster than ModSecurity (Go vs C)
- Docker-native deployment
- Active development and community
Sucuri Website Security
Easiest SetupSucuri is the simplest option for Laravel teams that want WAF protection without DevOps work. DNS-based setup takes 10 minutes, and it includes malware scanning, blocklist monitoring, and security hardening. Good for agencies managing multiple Laravel client sites.
Key Benefits:
- DNS-based setup (no server changes)
- PHP-specific firewall rules
- Malware scanning and removal included
- DDoS protection at all tiers
- Security monitoring dashboard
- Affordable for small teams ($199/year)
SafeLine Web Application Firewall
AI-PoweredSafeLine is an open-source WAF that uses semantic analysis instead of regex-based rules. It analyzes the intent behind requests rather than pattern matching, which reduces false positives on Laravel's complex form submissions and API payloads. Self-hosted via Docker with a web dashboard for rule management.
Key Benefits:
- Semantic analysis reduces false positives
- Self-hosted via Docker Compose
- Web dashboard for monitoring
- Open source (free)
- Low false positive rate on complex forms
- Active community and updates
How We Selected These Providers
We evaluated each WAF against real Laravel attack scenarios:
- PHP attack detection: SQL injection via query strings, PHP object injection, file inclusion, and code execution attempts
- Laravel-specific handling: Correct handling of CSRF tokens, Blade template output, Eloquent pagination parameters, and Sanctum/Passport auth flows
- API protection: JSON payload inspection, rate limiting on API routes, and GraphQL query depth limiting
- False positive rate: How often legitimate Laravel requests (file uploads, rich text editors, AJAX calls) get blocked
- Deployment compatibility: Integration with Laravel Cloud, Vapor, Forge, Herd, Docker, and traditional LEMP stacks
- Performance impact: Added latency on API endpoints and Blade-rendered pages
What to Look For in a WAF for Laravel
When choosing a WAF for Laravel, prioritize these capabilities:
- SQL injection prevention: Must catch injection in query parameters, POST bodies, and JSON payloads. Eloquent parameterizes queries by default, but raw DB calls, whereRaw(), and third-party packages often skip this
- XSS filtering: Block script injection in form inputs. Laravel's {{ }} Blade syntax auto-escapes, but {!! !!} raw output and JavaScript rendered content need WAF coverage
- PHP-specific rules: Detection of PHP object injection via unserialize(), include/require path manipulation, and PHP wrapper exploitation (php://input, php://filter)
- Rate limiting: Protect /login, /register, /forgot-password, and API endpoints from brute force. Should complement Laravel's built-in ThrottleRequests middleware
- File upload scanning: Validate uploaded files beyond Laravel's validation rules. Block PHP files disguised as images (double extension attacks, polyglot files)
- CSRF token awareness: The WAF must not block Laravel's CSRF token submissions. This is a common false positive source with overly aggressive rule sets
- JSON/API inspection: Deep inspection of JSON request bodies for Sanctum-authenticated API routes, not just query parameters
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Laravel need a WAF if it has built-in security features?
Yes. Laravel's built-in security (CSRF protection, Eloquent parameterization, Blade auto-escaping) is excellent but only protects code that uses these features correctly. A WAF catches attacks at the network edge before they reach your app. This matters when third-party packages have vulnerabilities, when developers use raw queries, or when zero-day exploits target Laravel itself.
Which WAF works best with Laravel Vapor?
AWS WAF integrates directly with Laravel Vapor since Vapor runs on AWS Lambda behind API Gateway. Vapor's managed firewall feature uses AWS WAF under the hood. You can also put Cloudflare in front of Vapor for additional edge protection.
How do I set up Cloudflare WAF with Laravel Forge?
Add your domain to Cloudflare, update your nameservers at your registrar, and enable the WAF in the Cloudflare dashboard. In Forge, configure the TrustProxies middleware with Cloudflare's IP ranges so Laravel reads the correct client IP. Enable "Full (strict)" SSL mode in Cloudflare and install an origin certificate on your Forge server.
How do I prevent WAF false positives with Laravel CSRF tokens?
Laravel sends a _token field with every form submission. Some WAF rules flag this as suspicious. In Cloudflare, create a WAF exception rule that skips inspection of the _token POST parameter. In ModSecurity, add a rule exclusion for CRS rule 942100 on the _token argument. Test thoroughly and monitor for false positives during the first week.
Is there a WAF package I can install directly in Laravel?
Yes. The Akaunting Laravel Firewall package provides application-level WAF protection. Wafris offers a Laravel SDK that runs WAF rules in-process. However, application-level firewalls only protect after the request reaches your server. For production, use an external WAF as the primary defense and application-level packages as a secondary layer.
How do I protect Laravel API endpoints with a WAF?
Configure your WAF to inspect JSON request bodies, not just query parameters. Add rate limiting rules for authentication endpoints (/api/login, /oauth/token). Use Cloudflare API Shield or AWS WAF's API-specific rules to validate request schemas. Combine with Laravel's built-in ThrottleRequests middleware for defense in depth.
What Laravel vulnerabilities can a WAF block?
A WAF blocks exploitation of SQL injection (raw queries, whereRaw()), cross-site scripting (raw Blade output), PHP object injection (unserialize), path traversal (file download routes), and remote code execution (Ignition debug mode exploits). It also helps protect against mass assignment attacks via malicious POST parameters.
Which WAF is best for a Laravel app on shared hosting?
Cloudflare (free tier) or Sucuri are the best options for shared hosting because they require only DNS changes, not server configuration. You cannot install ModSecurity or Coraza on shared hosting since you lack root access.
How much does WAF protection cost for a Laravel app?
Cloudflare free tier covers basic WAF rules. Pro ($20/month) adds full OWASP CRS. AWS WAF costs ~$6/month base plus $0.60 per million requests. ModSecurity and Coraza are completely free but require server access. Sucuri starts at $199/year.
Can I use multiple WAFs with Laravel?
Yes, and it is recommended for production apps. A common pattern is Cloudflare as the edge WAF (catches most attacks before they reach your server) plus ModSecurity on your NGINX server (catches anything that gets through). Layering WAFs provides defense in depth without significant performance impact.
Final Thoughts
For most Laravel applications, Cloudflare is the recommended choice. It provides strong PHP protection out of the box, integrates natively with Laravel Cloud, and the free tier covers most early-stage applications. The combination of WAF rules, bot management, and CDN makes it the most complete solution for Laravel.
Laravel Vapor users should pair AWS WAF with their deployment for zero-latency protection. Vapor's managed firewall feature uses AWS WAF under the hood.
For self-hosted deployments on Forge or bare servers, ModSecurity with OWASP CRS gives you enterprise-grade protection at zero cost. If you prefer a modern alternative, Coraza offers the same rule compatibility with easier deployment in containerized environments.
Regardless of which WAF you choose, configure it alongside Laravel's built-in security features, not instead of them. Defense in depth is the only approach that works against determined attackers.