What is the role of a firewall in web application security?

Firewalls play a crucial role in web application security by filtering network traffic to identify and block malicious or unauthorized requests. They act as a barrier between the internet and the web server, inspecting incoming and outgoing data packets based on predefined rulesets. By analyzing factors such as IP addresses, port numbers, and packet contents, firewalls can detect and thwart various cyber threats, including DDoS attacks, SQL injection attempts, and unauthorized access attempts. This proactive defense mechanism helps prevent malicious entities from compromising the web application's integrity, ensuring continuous availability and data confidentiality for users.