This tweet highlights a common bypass technique targeting WAFs and rate-limiting defenses used by many vendors. Instead of relying on single IP addresses, attackers use large botnets, proxies, or VPNs to generate thousands of different IP addresses. By rotating these IP addresses, attackers can bypass per-IP limits set by the WAF or firewall. This also turns the attack into a distributed attack, blending into what looks like normal traffic and evading basic IP-based blocking.
To mitigate this, defenders need to use more sophisticated methods than just IP-based rate limiting. Options include implementing rate limits based on user identity, API keys, or device fingerprints, which are harder to rotate than IPs alone. Adding bot detection technologies and WAFs with advanced behavior analysis can help identify and block automated traffic. Also, using CAPTCHAs can ensure that requests are coming from real humans and not bots.
In summary, IP address alone is not a reliable identifier because attackers can quickly rotate IPs through botnets or proxies, making IP-based defenses inadequate. A layered defense strategy including user-level controls, bot detection, and challenge tests is necessary to effectively stop these bypass attempts.
For more insights, check out the original tweet here: https://twitter.com/krunalbuilds/status/2036523226113909111. And don’t forget to follow @krunalbuilds for more exciting updates in the world of cybersecurity.