This feature is available in selected plans. For up-to-date information on plan availability, see the billing documentation.
Similarly to WAAP custom rules, you can create, edit, and manage advanced custom rules. These rules also contain "If/Then" statements, but they support more complex conditions created with the Common Expression Language (CEL) syntax.
Create advanced rules
Due to the highly technical aspect of the advanced rules functionality, the ability to create and edit these rules is currently only available through our API.
Check out the following guides for details on how to create advanced rules and their key components:
API docs: Learn how to construct and manage advanced rules.
Advanced rule objects and attributes: Get the list of all available objects you can use in rule expressions along with their respective attributes and types.
Source field objects: Check the available source field objects you can use in your expressions along with their respective attributes and types.
An API token is required along with the ID of a WAAP-protected domain. Set these as environment variables before running any of the examples:
Each rule can contain only one action ΓÇö block, allow, captcha, handshake, or tag. If you use multiple actions in a single rule, the API will return an error.
Best practices
You can use our API documentation as a guide when constructing your own advanced rules. The following sections provide examples of advanced rules and the key CEL expressions used in each.
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Note
Examples are illustrative. Field values (paths, cookies, IPs, countries) should be adapted to the customer's environment.
Rate limiting
Rate-limit IPs based on the number of requests they make to your website. This can be useful for mitigating scrapers or automated clients that generate a high volume of requests over a short period of time.
The following rule limits the rate of requests an IP can send for 10 minutes when it exceeds 200 requests in 5 seconds, but excludes requests from mobile or web clients that have specific cookies.
You can find more examples in our Rate limiting guide.
import gcore
import os
client = gcore.CDB(api_key=os.environ["GCORE_API_KEY"])
domain_id = int(os.environ["WAAP_DOMAIN_ID"])
rule = client.waap.domains.advanced_rules.create(
domain_id,
name="Block Scrapers",
description="Block IPs that hit more than 200 requests per 5 seconds for any events paths",
enabled=False,
phase="access",
action={"block": {"status_code": 403, "action_duration": "10m"}},
source=(
"request.limit_rate(url='.*events', interval=5, requests=200, scope='ip')"
" and not ('mb-web-ui' in request.headers['Cookie']"
" or 'mb-mobile-ios' in request.headers['Cookie']"
" or 'mb-mobile-android' in request.headers['Cookie']"
" or 'session-token' in request.headers['Cookie'])"
" and not request.headers['session']"
),
)
print(f"Created rule ID: {rule.id}")
package main
import (
"context"
"fmt"
"os"
"strconv"
gcore "github.com/G-Core/gcore-go"
"github.com/G-Core/gcore-go/option"
"github.com/G-Core/gcore-go/waap"
)
func main() {
client := gcore.NewClient(option.WithAPIKey(os.Getenv("GCORE_API_KEY")))
domainID, _ := strconv.ParseInt(os.Getenv("WAAP_DOMAIN_ID"), 10, 64)
source := "request.limit_rate(url='.*events', interval=5, requests=200, scope='ip')" +
" and not ('mb-web-ui' in request.headers['Cookie']" +
" or 'mb-mobile-ios' in request.headers['Cookie']" +
" or 'mb-mobile-android' in request.headers['Cookie']" +
" or 'session-token' in request.headers['Cookie'])" +
" and not request.headers['session']"
rule, _ := client.Waap.Domains.AdvancedRules.New(
context.Background(),
domainID,
waap.DomainAdvancedRuleNewParams{
Name: "Block Scrapers",
Description: gcore.String("Block IPs that hit more than 200 requests per 5 seconds for any events paths"),
Enabled: false,
Phase: waap.DomainAdvancedRuleNewParamsPhaseAccess,
Action: waap.DomainAdvancedRuleNewParamsAction{
Block: waap.DomainAdvancedRuleNewParamsActionBlock{
StatusCode: 403,
ActionDuration: gcore.String("10m"),
},
},
Source: source,
},
)
fmt.Printf("Created rule ID: %d\n", rule.ID)
}
curl -X POST "https://api.cdb-staging.cdn.orange.com/waap/v1/domains/${WAAP_DOMAIN_ID}/advanced-rules" \
-H "Authorization: APIKey ${GCORE_API_KEY}" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"name": "Block Scrapers",
"description": "Block IPs that hit more than 200 requests per 5 seconds for any events paths",
"enabled": false,
"phase": "access",
"action": {"block": {"status_code": 403, "action_duration": "10m"}},
"source": "((request.limit_rate(url='\''.*events'\'', interval=5, requests=200, scope='\''ip'\'')) and not ('\''mb-web-ui'\'' in request.headers['\''Cookie'\''] or '\''mb-mobile-ios'\'' in request.headers['\''Cookie'\''] or '\''session-token'\'' in request.headers['\''Cookie'\'']) and not request.headers['\''session'\'']) or tags.exists('\''penalty'\'')"
}'
The API returns the created rule with its assigned ID:
{
"id": 269009,
"name": "Block Scrapers",
"description": "Block IPs that hit more than 200 requests per 5 seconds for any events paths",
"enabled": false,
"action": {"block": {"status_code": 403, "action_duration": "10m"}},
"source": "...",
"phase": "access"
}
The penalty tag
The WAAP system appends the penalty tag to the local (domain-related) IP record when an IP address triggers a block rule configured with an action_duration parameter.
To continue blocking an IP address after the original rule's conditions are no longer met, include a penalty tag check in the rule's source conditions (for example, using tags.exists('penalty')), or define a separate rule that targets requests carrying the penalty tag.
Block all penalty requests
The following rule blocks requests from IP addresses tagged with the penalty tag, allowing block actions applied by other rules to persist.
import gcore
import os
client = gcore.CDB(api_key=os.environ["GCORE_API_KEY"])
domain_id = int(os.environ["WAAP_DOMAIN_ID"])
rule = client.waap.domains.advanced_rules.create(
domain_id,
name="Block Penalized Requests",
description="Block requests from IP addresses tagged with the penalty tag",
enabled=False,
phase="access",
action={"block": {}},
source="tags.exists('penalty')",
)
print(f"Created rule ID: {rule.id}")
curl -X POST "https://api.cdb-staging.cdn.orange.com/waap/v1/domains/${WAAP_DOMAIN_ID}/advanced-rules" \
-H "Authorization: APIKey ${GCORE_API_KEY}" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"name": "Block Penalized Requests",
"description": "Block requests from IP addresses tagged with the penalty tag",
"enabled": false,
"phase": "access",
"action": {"block": {}},
"source": "tags.exists('\''penalty'\'')"
}'
The API returns 201 with the created rule object.
Other examples
Validate a set of countries
Applies browser validation (JavaScript-based challenge) using the handshake action to requests originating from specific countries, based on the whois.country field, while excluding requests that contain certain cookies.
import gcore
import os
client = gcore.CDB(api_key=os.environ["GCORE_API_KEY"])
domain_id = int(os.environ["WAAP_DOMAIN_ID"])
rule = client.waap.domains.advanced_rules.create(
domain_id,
name="Validate set of countries",
description="Validate with JavaScript challenge IPs coming from specific countries",
enabled=False,
phase="access",
action={"handshake": {}},
source=(
"whois.country in ['BR', 'VN', 'ID', 'TH', 'ME', 'XK', 'LK']"
" and not ('mb-web-ui' in request.headers['Cookie']"
" or 'mb-mobile-ios' in request.headers['Cookie']"
" or 'mobile-android' in request.headers['Cookie']"
" or 'mb-mobile-android' in request.headers['Cookie'])"
),
)
print(f"Created rule ID: {rule.id}")
package main
import (
"context"
"fmt"
"os"
"strconv"
gcore "github.com/G-Core/gcore-go"
"github.com/G-Core/gcore-go/option"
"github.com/G-Core/gcore-go/waap"
)
func main() {
client := gcore.NewClient(option.WithAPIKey(os.Getenv("GCORE_API_KEY")))
domainID, _ := strconv.ParseInt(os.Getenv("WAAP_DOMAIN_ID"), 10, 64)
source := "whois.country in ['BR', 'VN', 'ID', 'TH', 'ME', 'XK', 'LK']" +
" and not ('mb-web-ui' in request.headers['Cookie']" +
" or 'mb-mobile-ios' in request.headers['Cookie']" +
" or 'mobile-android' in request.headers['Cookie']" +
" or 'mb-mobile-android' in request.headers['Cookie'])"
rule, _ := client.Waap.Domains.AdvancedRules.New(
context.Background(),
domainID,
waap.DomainAdvancedRuleNewParams{
Name: "Validate set of countries",
Description: gcore.String("Validate with JavaScript challenge IPs coming from specific countries"),
Enabled: false,
Phase: waap.DomainAdvancedRuleNewParamsPhaseAccess,
Action: waap.DomainAdvancedRuleNewParamsAction{Handshake: map[string]any{}},
Source: source,
},
)
fmt.Printf("Created rule ID: %d\n", rule.ID)
}
curl -X POST "https://api.cdb-staging.cdn.orange.com/waap/v1/domains/${WAAP_DOMAIN_ID}/advanced-rules" \
-H "Authorization: APIKey ${GCORE_API_KEY}" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"action": {"handshake": {}},
"phase": "access",
"name": "Validate set of countries",
"description": "Validate with JavaScript challenge IPs coming from specific countries",
"enabled": false,
"source": "whois.country in ['\''BR'\'', '\''VN'\'', '\''ID'\'', '\''TH'\'', '\''ME'\'', '\''XK'\'', '\''LK'\''] and not ('\''mb-web-ui'\'' in request.headers['\''Cookie'\''] or '\''mb-mobile-ios'\'' in request.headers['\''Cookie'\''] or '\''mobile-android'\'' in request.headers['\''Cookie'\''] or '\''mb-mobile-android'\'' in request.headers['\''Cookie'\''])"
}'
The API returns 201 with the created rule object.
Add clients to allow list
Allow requests from specific IP addresses or IP ranges by matching IP values in the rule condition.
import gcore
import os
client = gcore.CDB(api_key=os.environ["GCORE_API_KEY"])
domain_id = int(os.environ["WAAP_DOMAIN_ID"])
rule = client.waap.domains.advanced_rules.create(
domain_id,
name="Allowlist known IPs",
enabled=False,
action={"allow": {}},
source="request.ip == '117.20.32.5' or request.ip == '117.20.32.4' or request.ip_in_range('72.21.217.0', '72.21.217.255')",
)
print(f"Created rule ID: {rule.id}")
curl -X POST "https://api.cdb-staging.cdn.orange.com/waap/v1/domains/${WAAP_DOMAIN_ID}/advanced-rules" \
-H "Authorization: APIKey ${GCORE_API_KEY}" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"name": "Allowlist known IPs",
"enabled": false,
"action": {"allow": {}},
"source": "request.ip == '\''117.20.32.5'\'' or request.ip == '\''117.20.32.4'\'' or request.ip_in_range('\''72.21.217.0'\'', '\''72.21.217.255'\'')"
}'
The API returns 201 with the created rule object.
Tag and allow registered clients
Tag requests based on the presence of a specific cookie and allow requests associated with the assigned tag. When defining tag values in JSON, double quotation marks must be used, while string values inside rule expressions must be enclosed in single quotation marks.
import gcore
import os
client = gcore.CDB(api_key=os.environ["GCORE_API_KEY"])
domain_id = int(os.environ["WAAP_DOMAIN_ID"])
# Step 1: tag registered clients by cookie
tag_rule = client.waap.domains.advanced_rules.create(
domain_id,
name="Tag registered clients",
description="Detect and tag registered clients by cookie",
enabled=False,
phase="access",
action={"tag": {"tags": ["registered"]}},
source="'mb-mobile-android' in request.headers['Cookie']",
)
print(f"Tag rule ID: {tag_rule.id}")
# Step 2: allow requests carrying the tag
allow_rule = client.waap.domains.advanced_rules.create(
domain_id,
name="Allow registered clients",
description="Allow registered clients",
enabled=False,
phase="access",
action={"allow": {}},
source="tags.exists('registered')",
)
print(f"Allow rule ID: {allow_rule.id}")
curl -X POST "https://api.cdb-staging.cdn.orange.com/waap/v1/domains/${WAAP_DOMAIN_ID}/advanced-rules" \
-H "Authorization: APIKey ${GCORE_API_KEY}" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"name": "Detect and Tag Login Pages",
"enabled": false,
"phase": "access",
"source": "['\''url1/login'\'','\''url2/signup'\''] in request.uri",
"action": {"tag": {"tags": ["login page"]}}
}'
The API returns 201 with the created rule object.
List rules
Retrieve all advanced rules configured for a domain, including their current enabled state, actions, and CEL source expressions.
import gcore
import os
client = gcore.CDB(api_key=os.environ["GCORE_API_KEY"])
domain_id = int(os.environ["WAAP_DOMAIN_ID"])
rules = client.waap.domains.advanced_rules.list(domain_id)
for rule in rules:
status = "enabled" if rule.enabled else "disabled"
print(f"{rule.id}: {rule.name} [{status}] ΓÇö {rule.source[:60]}")
package main
import (
"context"
"fmt"
"os"
"strconv"
gcore "github.com/G-Core/gcore-go"
"github.com/G-Core/gcore-go/option"
"github.com/G-Core/gcore-go/waap"
)
func main() {
client := gcore.NewClient(option.WithAPIKey(os.Getenv("GCORE_API_KEY")))
domainID, _ := strconv.ParseInt(os.Getenv("WAAP_DOMAIN_ID"), 10, 64)
rules, _ := client.Waap.Domains.AdvancedRules.List(context.Background(), domainID, waap.DomainAdvancedRuleListParams{})
for _, rule := range rules.Results {
status := "disabled"
if rule.Enabled {
status = "enabled"
}
fmt.Printf("%d: %s [%s]\n", rule.ID, rule.Name, status)
}
}
curl -X GET "https://api.cdb-staging.cdn.orange.com/waap/v1/domains/${WAAP_DOMAIN_ID}/advanced-rules" \
-H "Authorization: APIKey ${GCORE_API_KEY}"
The API returns a paginated list of rules:
{
"limit": 100,
"offset": 0,
"count": 1,
"results": [
{
"id": 269009,
"name": "Block Scrapers",
"description": "Block IPs that hit more than 200 requests per 5 seconds",
"enabled": false,
"action": {"block": {"status_code": 403, "action_duration": "10m"}},
"source": "request.limit_rate(url='.*events', interval=5, requests=200, scope='ip') ...",
"phase": "access"
}
]
}
The rules are also visible in the CDB Technical Web Portal, where they can be enabled, disabled, or deleted:
Update a rule
Update any combination of a rule's name, description, enabled state, action, phase, or source expression. Only fields included in the request body are changed. The API returns 204 with no body on success.
Switch a rule between active and inactive without deleting it. Disabling a rule stops it from matching requests while preserving its configuration. The API returns 204 with no body for both operations.