We’re thrilled to learn that F5 has been named a leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Web Application and API Protection Enterprise Platforms 2024 Vendor Assessment (doc #US51795524, September 2024).
IDC recently evaluated eight vendors for the report.
The IDC MarketScape model evaluates each vendor’s strategy over the next three to five years as well as the vendor’s capabilities for their current WAAP offering.
“F5 has demonstrated a long history of delivering the high performance, advanced security capabilities to secure applications and APIs, often through strategic acquisitions of purpose-built point solutions,” the report says. “By combining these point solutions into a single coherent, flexible platform, F5 aids enterprises in their digital transformation journeys.”
A complete, unified WAAP solution
F5 delivers a complete, unified WAAP solution that is deployable anywhere. Integrating a web application firewall (WAF), bot defense, API discovery and security, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) protection, web application scanning, client-side defense, and more, our WAAP solution is available in various form factors to address every customer need, including hardware appliances, software, SaaS, and as an F5 managed service.
IDC MarketScape vendor analysis model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of ICT suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendor’s position within a given market. The Capabilities score measures vendor product, go-to-market and business execution in the short-term. The Strategy score measures alignment of vendor strategies with customer requirements in a 3-5-year timeframe. Vendor market share is represented by the size of the icons.
F5 security solutions are also available for a breadth of deployments: from powerful, purpose-built BIG-IP appliances to customizable software in NGINX and our Distributed Cloud Services SaaS and edge platform. The F5 architecture performs essential WAAP protections in-line with a single enforcement engine for consistent protection across all deployed form factors and enhanced by advanced security analytics to deliver superior security efficacy without negative impact on app performance.
Report recognizes F5’s strengths
The IDC MarketScape noted, “Malicious User Detection engine is a first layer of defense and unifying engine between dedicated F5 solutions. This fast first layer detection of threats reduces the need for additional inspections. It also acts as a ‘super engine’ that combines signals from other F5 engines.”
F5’s support of security for the entire API lifecycle was also noted, specifically our API discovery, inventory, and testing capabilities. This includes our support for various data compliance requirements, and “shift-left” and “shield-right” are heralded hallmarks of F5’s API security capabilities.
““F5 has demonstrated a long history of delivering the high performance, advanced security capabilities to secure applications and APIs, often through strategic acquisitions of purpose-built point solutions. By combining these point solutions into a single coherent, flexible platform, F5 aids enterprises in their digital transformation journeys.”— IDC MarketScape: Worldwide WAAP Enterprise Platforms 2024 Vendor Assessment”
The report also noted, “The solution offers step-up challenges for detected bots, which adds friction only as needed based on bot risk. This includes an invisible JavaScript challenge, then CAPTCHA, and then temporary block.”
The report also commented, “Client-side protection is offered as an optional add-on. This offers purpose-built protection against web skimming attacks such as Magecart. F5's portfolio includes specialized Mobile App Security suite as an optional solution for extending WAAP protections [to] mobile applications.”
Allowing customers to utilize either a user interface or APIs to manage F5 Distributed Cloud Services enables other teams not part of a company’s security umbrella to integrate security within CI/CD pipelines, fully enabling security to “shift left.”
Deployable across complex hybrid, multicloud environments
Available across the F5 network (Regional Edge, composed of fully capable data centers) or on customer private or public cloud environments (Customer Edge), the F5 Distributed Cloud Services security stack increases customer flexibility. It’s deployable across multiple, complicated architectures and complex multicloud environments to address intricate, hybrid use cases.
F5 continues to deliver comprehensive security for AI apps and workloads. Our WAAP solution discovers, monitors, and protects the APIs that connect and power AI apps and workloads from code to production. And it improves security by quickly remediating threats with continuous inspection, schema enforcement, and machine learning-powered defenses.
The report noted, “F5 released BIG-IP Next in October 2023, including the BIG-IP Next LTM and WAF updates. BIG-IP Next is designed for the cloud, provides hitless upgrades, and offers a streamlined user interface. It provides BIG-IP software as containerized offering for scalability and cloud deployment.”
The IDC MarketScape also noted, “The F5 strategic road map addresses AI security needs. GenAI is a new threat vector but also provides customers an opportunity for optimization such as penetration testing for LLMs.”
You can find an excerpt from the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide WAAP Enterprise Platforms 2024 Vendor Assessment and the profile on F5 from the report here: www.f5.com/go/report/f5-named-a-leader-in-the-idc-marketscape-worldwide-web-application-and-api-protection-enterprise-platforms-2024-vendor-assessment
For more information about our WAAP solution, visit F5’s Web Application and API Protection webpage.
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