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Akamai Web Application Protector VS AWS Shield

Compare Akamai Web Application Protector VS AWS Shield and see what are their differences

Akamai Web Application Protector logo Akamai Web Application Protector

Web Application Protector is designed to safeguard web assets from web application and DDoS attacks, while improving performance.

AWS Shield logo AWS Shield

AWS Shield is a managed Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) protection service that safeguards web applications running on AWS. 
  • Akamai Web Application Protector Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-04-24
  • AWS Shield Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-03-21

Akamai Web Application Protector features and specs

  • Comprehensive Threat Protection
    Akamai Web Application Protector provides robust protection against a wide range of web application threats, including SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and DDoS attacks, which helps in safeguarding applications from sophisticated attacks.
  • Easy Deployment and Management
    The solution is designed for ease of use, featuring a streamlined setup process and intuitive management interface that reduces the complexity and time associated with security configurations and monitoring.
  • Automatic Updates
    Akamai frequently updates its threat intelligence and security policies to provide automatic protection against emerging threats, ensuring that applications remain secure without requiring manual intervention.
  • Global Network
    Leveraging Akamai's extensive global CDN, the Web Application Protector benefits from enhanced performance and reliability, with low latency traffic routing and improved application delivery.

Possible disadvantages of Akamai Web Application Protector

  • Cost
    Pricing for Akamai's Web Application Protector can be high, especially for smaller businesses or startups, and may present a significant investment compared to other solutions.
  • Complexity for Small Businesses
    While the platform is user-friendly, its comprehensive features may still overwhelm small businesses with limited IT resources or security expertise.
  • Limited Customization
    Some users may find the level of customization options insufficient for highly specialized requirements or unique security policies, as the product is designed to be accessible and straightforward.
  • Dependence on Internet Reliability
    As a cloud-based service, the performance and effectiveness of the Web Application Protector are dependent on internet reliability, which could be a concern in regions with unstable connections.

AWS Shield features and specs

  • Comprehensive Protection
    AWS Shield provides strong protection against DDoS attacks, including Layer 3/4 infrastructure attacks and Layer 7 application attacks, ensuring reliable service availability.
  • Fully Managed
    AWS Shield is a fully managed service, meaning that it requires minimal effort to deploy and maintain, allowing businesses to focus on their core operations.
  • Global Coverage
    AWS Shield provides protection across all AWS regions, ensuring consistent security for applications deployed across different geographic areas.
  • Cost Efficiency
    With AWS Shield Standard, businesses receive basic DDoS protection at no additional cost, which can be particularly advantageous for smaller enterprises or startups.
  • Advanced Protection Plans
    For businesses needing enhanced protection, AWS Shield Advanced offers additional features such as 24/7 support from the DDoS Response Team and financial protections under specific conditions.

Possible disadvantages of AWS Shield

  • Cost for Advanced Features
    While AWS Shield Standard is free, AWS Shield Advanced incurs additional costs, which might be significant for smaller organizations or those with limited budgets.
  • AWS Ecosystem Dependency
    AWS Shield is designed to work within the AWS ecosystem, which may not be suitable for businesses using a multi-cloud strategy or relying heavily on on-premises infrastructure.
  • Complex Configuration for Advanced Settings
    Configuring advanced protection features might require specialized knowledge and understanding of AWS security best practices, potentially increasing administrative overhead.
  • Potential Overhead
    There might be additional overhead in terms of managing AWS Shield alongside other security measures, particularly for organizations with complex environments.
  • Limited to DDoS
    AWS Shield is specialized in DDoS protection. Organizations requiring a full spectrum of threat mitigation will need to integrate it with other security services.

Akamai Web Application Protector videos

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AWS Shield videos

AWS Shield Overview

More videos:

  • Review - DNS DDoS mitigation using Amazon Route 53 and AWS Shield - February 2017 AWS Online Tech Talks

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Akamai Web Application Protector and AWS Shield)
Web Application Security
42 42%
58% 58
Security Monitoring
47 47%
53% 53
CDN
35 35%
65% 65
Security & Privacy
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, AWS Shield seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 13 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Akamai Web Application Protector mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Akamai Web Application Protector yet. Tracking of Akamai Web Application Protector recommendations started around Mar 2021.

AWS Shield mentions (13)

  • Understanding AWS Regions and Availability Zones: A Guide for Beginners
    AWS CloudFront is the star of the show here. It caches static content (like media, scripts, and images) to ensure fast, reliable delivery. Other AWS services that run at the edge include Route 53 for DNS routing, Shield and WAF for security, and even Lambda via Lambda@Edge — giving you the ability to run serverless logic closer to the user. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • AWS Serverless Security: Preventing HTTP Flood DDoS Attack
    In the diagram below, we can see where the AWS WAF sits in our serverless architecture. Basically, it’s our shield in front of all requests coming into our system. But, don’t confuse this service with AWS Shield (lol, AWS has everything). - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • Protect nginx ingress with AWS WAF and AWS Shield
    AWS Shield is primarily used to protect from distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. It automatically detects threats to the environment. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • Ask HN: Reasonably priced EU hosting with DDoS filtering?
    OVH offers more than a firewall. They provide all of their OVHCloud custoemrs with anti-DDoS services that will block most attacks automatically at no additonal charge. https://us.ovhcloud.com/security/anti-ddos/ AWS offers their Shield product, although your requirement of "reasonably priced" may exclude AWS in general https://aws.amazon.com/shield/ . Cloudflare Spectrum can protect TCP/UDP services including... - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • Enigma cold war IP global banning people trying to join their server when full.
    You just dont hear bout much these days as a consumer since most games go FULL GREED (aka Live Service) and do not let you host your own server. Big companies use AWS etc and have ways to deal with this sort of thing. Source: over 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Akamai Web Application Protector and AWS Shield, you can also consider the following products

AWS WAF - AWS WAF is a web application firewall that helps protect your web applications from common web exploits.

CloudFlare DDoS Protection - Mitigate a DDoS attack of any size using Cloudflare's advanced DDoS protection including DNS Amplification, SYN/ACK, Layer 7 Attacks. Don't get ddos attacked!

ModSecurity - ModSecurity is an Open Source web application firewall developed by Trustwave's SpiderLabs.

Imperva Cloud Application Security - Deploy your applications and data where you want. When you want. Imperva keeps them secure in the cloud, on premises, and in hybrid clouds.

Cloudbric - Cloudbric is a website security program that aims to block cyber attacks on your site. Security programs like Cloudbric are important for any large sites or any sites that handle money or secure information. Read more about Cloudbric.

VeriSign - VeriSign Authentication Services provides solutions that allow companies & consumers to engage...