In today's digital landscape, web applications are constantly targeted by bots, scanners, and attackers.
That’s why protecting your application at the edge is more important than ever. SafeLine, a self-hosted, high-performance Web Application Firewall (WAF) and reverse proxy, offers a powerful solution to secure your web services against common web threats.
This guide walks you through how to secure your application with SafeLine — from installation to advanced configuration.
What is SafeLine?
SafeLine is a self-hosted WAF that acts as a reverse proxy in front of your web application. It analyzes and filters incoming traffic based on a flexible rule engine to prevent threats such as SQL injection, XSS, bot abuse, and more — all while offering high performance and full control.
Step-by-Step Guide to Securing Your Application with SafeLine
Step 1: Auto-Install SafeLine
1. Install
Use the following command to start the automated installation of SafeLine. (This process requires root privileges)
bash -c "$(curl -fsSLk https://waf.chaitin.com/release/latest/manager.sh)" -- --en
After the command is executed, it means the installation is successfully.
2. Visit SafeLine webUI
Open the web console page https://<safeline-ip>:9443/ in the browser, then you will see below.
3. Get Administrator Account
docker exec safeline-mgt resetadmin
After the command is successfully executed, you will see the following content
Please must remember this:
[SafeLine] Initial username：admin
[SafeLine] Initial password：**********
[SafeLine] Done
4. Login
Enter the password in the previous step and you will successfully logged into SafeLine.
Tip: Change the default password after your first login.
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Step 2: Add Your Application
In the SafeLine dashboard:
- Go to Application > Add Application
- Fill in details such as domain name and backend IP/port
- Select whether it should listen on HTTP, HTTPS, or both
Your application is now protected by SafeLine.
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Step 3: Configure Protection Rules
You can also create allow/deny rules based on:
- URL paths
- Request headers
- IP reputation
- User-Agent strings
- Geo-location
- Rate limiting
- Challenge-based bot detection
- etc.
For example, to block access from IPs outside your country:
Set up an allow rule
- Match Target: Source IP
- Operator: In Geolocation
- Your country
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Step 4: Monitor & Analyze
Use the Dashboard and Traffic Logs to view real-time access logs, blocked threats, and rule matches.
You can:
- Track bot and attack attempts
- See top IPs, URLs, and User-Agents
- Analyze false positives and fine-tune your rules
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Step 5: Fine-Tune Your Defense
Over time, adjust your protection strategy by:
- Whitelisting（Allow Rule） known trusted sources
- Adding rate limiting to APIs
- Creating challenge rules for suspicious traffic
- Blocking ASN or regions known for attacks
SafeLine gives you full control over how aggressive or passive your WAF behavior should be.
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Why Choose SafeLine?
- Self-Hosted – Full control of your data and traffic
- Affordable license fees
- High Performance – Built for speed and scale
- Flexible Rules – Tailor security to your exact needs
- Actively Maintained – Backed by Chaitin Tech
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Final Thoughts
SafeLine empowers you to secure your web applications with a modern, flexible WAF engine. Whether you’re running a small site or a production-grade system, SafeLine offers the visibility and control you need to stay ahead of online threats.
Start securing your application today with SafeLine:
SafeLine Website: https://ly.safepoint.cloud/ShZAy9x
Live Demo: https://demo.waf.chaitin.com:9443/statistics
Discord: https://discord.gg/dy3JT7dkmY
Doc: https://docs.waf.chaitin.com/en/home
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