What is the primary purpose of Akamai’s Web Application Firewall (WAF)?

The primary purpose of Akamai’s Web Application Firewall (WAF) is to filter and monitor HTTP traffic to prevent attacks. A WAF sits between a client and a web application, analyzing the HTTP requests that are made to the server. Its main goal is to protect web applications from common threats and vulnerabilities, such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and other application-layer attacks.

By examining incoming requests and applying a set of predefined rules or behavioral analysis, the WAF can identify and block malicious traffic before it reaches the web application. This proactive defense mechanism is vital in maintaining the security and integrity of web applications, ensuring that they are not only operational but also safe from various cyber threats.

The other options, while important in their own right, do not represent the primary function of the WAF. Enhancing server performance through load balancing, providing real-time analytics on user engagement, and optimizing mobile content delivery are distinct capabilities that serve different aspects of a web application's performance and functionality, rather than focusing directly on security.