Answer this question to the best of your ability:
What is a web application firewall (WAF), and how does it work?
A web application firewall (WAF) is a security tool designed to monitor, filter, and block incoming traffic to protect websites from various cyber threats. It acts as a reverse proxy, intercepting requests to a website before they reach the server, and examining them for signs of malicious activity.

WAFs typically use a combination of rule-based and signature-based detection methods to identify potential threats. Rule-based detection involves comparing incoming traffic against a set of predefined rules that can identify specific patterns associated with known attacks. Signature-based detection compares traffic against a database of known attack signatures, making it effective at identifying and blocking previously observed threats.

When a WAF detects suspicious activity, it can block the request or apply other mitigation techniques such as rate limiting, IP blocking, or challenge requests to verify the legitimacy of the user. By using a WAF like Incapsula's, hobbyists can protect their websites from various attacks while ensuring legitimate traffic is not unnecessarily blocked.