Microsoft's is now offering a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with its Azure Application Gateway and HTTP load-balancing service to protect apps from a growing spate of malicious attacks.

Azure gives you an option to upgrade the gateway to the Web Application Firewall tier. When you select the Upgrade to WAF Tier checkbox, the Azure portal reveals a few extra options (see Figure 4 ).

Azure WAF can be deployed in a single click within minutes with Azure Application Gateway, Azure Front Door, and Azure Content Delivery Network (CDN) service from Microsoft.