Why Build a Custom WAF Auditor?
Commercial WAF testing tools often fall short in one critical area: they test what vendors want you to see. When you build your own framework, you control the payload library, the evasion techniques, and the reporting format.
Architecture
The framework is built around three core components:
- Payload Engine - Generates and mutates attack vectors across OWASP Top 10 categories
- Delivery System - Handles request timing, proxy rotation, and header manipulation
- Analysis Pipeline - Captures responses, classifies outcomes, and generates reports
# Example: Category-based payload dispatch
categories = {
"sqli": generate_sqli_payloads(depth=3),
"xss": generate_xss_payloads(contexts=["html", "attr", "js"]),
"path_traversal": generate_lfi_payloads(os_targets=["linux", "windows"]),
"command_injection": generate_cmdi_payloads(shells=["bash", "sh", "cmd"]),
}Results Format
Each audit produces a structured JSON report with per-category block rates, individual payload results, and timing data. This makes it easy to track WAF effectiveness over time and compare configurations.
Key Takeaways
- Always test with real-world evasion techniques, not just textbook payloads
- Block rate alone doesn’t tell the full story - false positive rates matter equally
- Automate everything: payload generation, delivery, analysis, and reporting