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Rule Set / Open Source WAF / OWASP

OWASP Core Rule Set WAF

OWASP CRS is not a standalone WAF product, but it is a key rule set used with WAF engines such as ModSecurity and Coraza.

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Pricing
Free
License
Open source
Deployment
ModSecurity, Coraza, Compatible WAF engines
Integrations
ModSecurity, Coraza
Last checked
2026-05-30

Best fit

  • Generic web attack coverage
  • CRS-compatible engines
  • Rule tuning

Potential limitations

  • Requires a compatible WAF engine
  • Needs tuning to reduce false positives

WAFWiki read

Community-maintained generic attack detection rules.

This profile is written for evaluation rather than promotion. Use it to understand where OWASP Core Rule Set fits, which assumptions need validation, and which alternatives deserve side-by-side testing.

Evaluation checklist

  • Verify current pricing and license terms on the official site.
  • Confirm deployment path against your production topology.
  • Test false positives with real application traffic before rollout.
  • Document rollback, logging, and alert routing before enabling blocking mode.

Feature snapshot

OWASP Core Rule Set capabilities to verify

SQLi rulesXSS rulesProtocol anomaly detection

OWASP Core Rule Set reviews

No dedicated review page yet.

OWASP Core Rule Set tutorials

ModSecurity with NGINX and OWASP CRS Setup GuideCoraza WAF Evaluation with Caddy or Go Gateways

FAQ

What is OWASP Core Rule Set best for?

OWASP Core Rule Set is commonly evaluated for Generic web attack coverage, CRS-compatible engines, Rule tuning.

Is OWASP Core Rule Set free?

OWASP Core Rule Set pricing path: Free. Always verify current pricing on the official website.

Sources