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Introduction to Pyxsoft WAF & pxShield

Pyxsoft WAF is an advanced Web Application Firewall designed to protect your hosting environment from malicious requests, web exploits, and abusive traffic.
At the core of this system is pxShield, a proprietary service engineered by Pyxsoft to provide high-performance security and deep visibility into web traffic.

Unlike traditional solutions, Pyxsoft WAF is not just a set of Apache rules. Instead, it introduces a dedicated security layer that intercepts requests before they reach Apache, ensuring threats are blocked at the earliest possible stage.

Why Pyxsoft WAF Instead of ModSecurity?​

Most hosting environments rely on mod_security, a module that integrates directly with Apache. While mod_security offers basic rule-based protection, it comes with serious limitations:

  1. Late-stage filtering
    Because mod_security is integrated within Apache, malicious requests are only evaluated once Apache is already processing them. This means the web server itself is exposed to potential load and resource consumption, even if the request is eventually blocked.

  2. Lack of visibility
    Administrators often struggle to understand what mod_security has actually blocked. The logging and reporting capabilities are minimal, leaving blind spots when trying to investigate attacks.

Limitation of ModSecurity

If your only protection is mod_security, you are essentially allowing malicious traffic to reach Apache before being filtered. This not only affects security but also wastes valuable CPU and memory resources.

How pxShield Works​

pxShield is the security engine that powers Pyxsoft WAF. It is designed to operate as a reverse proxy layer, positioned in front of Apache.

  • Incoming requests are first received by pxShield.
  • pxShield analyzes the request using its security rules and heuristics.
  • Only approved traffic is forwarded to Apache.
  • Blocked requests never reach the web server.

This approach delivers two critical benefits:

  1. Enhanced protection: Apache and hosted applications never see malicious traffic.
  2. Performance boost: pxShield can directly serve static resources (such as images, CSS, JavaScript) without sending them to Apache, reducing overhead and latency.
Key Advantage

pxShield is not only a firewall. It also acts as a smart gateway, capable of handling certain requests by itself. This reduces the number of operations Apache must perform and significantly improves the overall server performance.

pxShield Architecture Overview​

The architecture of pxShield is simple yet powerful:

  1. Request interception: pxShield receives all incoming HTTP/HTTPS requests before they reach the web server.
  2. Filtering & validation: It applies a comprehensive set of WAF rules to detect SQL injections, XSS, command injections, brute force attempts, and other malicious patterns.
  3. Traffic routing:
    • If the request is safe and dynamic, pxShield forwards it to Apache for normal processing.
    • If the request is for static content, pxShield may serve it directly, avoiding unnecessary load on Apache.
    • If the request is malicious, pxShield blocks it instantly, logging the event.

This layered approach makes pxShield a cornerstone of Pyxsoft’s engineering, delivering both security and efficiency.

Benefits for Technical and Non-Technical Users​

  • For server administrators: Full visibility into blocked attacks, detailed logging, and a reduction in Apache’s workload.
  • For hosting companies: Better performance across all customer sites, fewer support incidents related to slow servers or suspicious traffic.
  • For end-users: Websites remain fast, secure, and resilient against common web attacks.
Did you know?

Thanks to its optimized design, pxShield not only increases security but also helps reduce server costs by minimizing wasted CPU cycles on malicious traffic.

Summary​

Pyxsoft WAF, powered by pxShield, is more than just a firewall. It is a dedicated pre-Apache security layer that:

  • Blocks malicious traffic before it reaches the web server.
  • Provides clear visibility into attacks and blocked requests.
  • Improves server performance by serving static content directly.

This combination of security + performance makes pxShield a unique and essential component for any hosting environment using cPanel/WHM.