Phases
The Web Application Firewall provides the following phases where you can create rulesets and rules:
http_request_firewall_custom
http_ratelimit
http_request_firewall_managed
These phases exist both at the account level and at the zone level. Considering the available phases and the two different levels, rules will be evaluated in the following order:
Security feature | Scope | Phase | Ruleset kind | Location in the dashboard |
---|---|---|---|---|
Custom rulesets | Account | http_request_firewall_custom | custom (create)root (deploy) | Go to WAF > Custom rulesets tab |
Custom rules | Zone | http_request_firewall_custom | zone | Your zone > Security > WAF > Custom rules tab |
Rate limiting rulesets | Account | http_ratelimit | root | Go to WAF > Rate limiting rulesets tab |
Rate limiting rules | Zone | http_ratelimit | zone | Your zone > Security > WAF > Rate limiting rules tab |
Managed rulesets | Account | http_request_firewall_managed | root | Go to WAF > Managed rulesets tab |
Managed rules | Zone | http_request_firewall_managed | zone | Your zone > Security > WAF > Managed rules tab |
Security feature | Scope | Phase | Ruleset kind | Location in the dashboard |
---|---|---|---|---|
Custom rulesets | Account | http_request_firewall_custom | custom (create)root (deploy) | Go to WAF > Custom rulesets tab |
Custom rules | Zone | http_request_firewall_custom | zone | Your zone > Security > Security rules |
Rate limiting rulesets | Account | http_ratelimit | root | Go to WAF > Rate limiting rulesets tab |
Rate limiting rules | Zone | http_ratelimit | zone | Your zone > Security > Security rules |
Managed rulesets | Account | http_request_firewall_managed | root | Go to WAF > Managed rulesets tab |
Managed rules | Zone | http_request_firewall_managed | zone | Your zone > Security > Security rules |
To learn more about phases, refer to Phases in the Ruleset Engine documentation.
Was this helpful?
- Resources
- API
- New to Cloudflare?
- Directory
- Sponsorships
- Open Source
- Support
- Help Center
- System Status
- Compliance
- GDPR
- Company
- cloudflare.com
- Our team
- Careers
- © 2025 Cloudflare, Inc.
- Privacy Policy
- Terms of Use
- Report Security Issues
- Trademark