Working with custom signals

Custom signals can be created to increase visibility into rules. Normally, requests that are immediately blocked or allowed by rules will not be visible in the control panel. To add visibility to immediately blocked or allowed requests, configure the rule to add a custom signal to the requests. A representative sample of requests that have been tagged with a custom signal will be listed in the Requests page of the control panel and can be found by searching for the custom signal.

Custom signals can be created at the corp (also known as account) or site (also known as workspace) level. Corp (account) signals can be used in rules on every site (workspace). Site (workspace) signals can only be used in rules for one site (workspace).

Limitations and considerations

When working with signals, keep the following things in mind:

  • The Essentials platform does not support custom signals.
  • Corp (account) signals can only be created, edited, and deleted by owners (superusers).
  • Signals are limited to 200 per corp (account) plus 200 per site (workspace).

Creating custom signals

You can create custom signals at the corp-level (account-level) and site-level (workspace-level).

Creating signals used by all sites (workspaces)

Corp-level (account-level) signals can be used in rules on every site (workspaces) in your account. To create a corp-level (account-level) signal, complete the following steps:

  1. Next-Gen WAF control panel
  2. Fastly control panel
  1. Log in to the Next-Gen WAF control panel.

  2. From the Corp Rules menu, select Corp Signals.
  3. Click Add corp signal.
  4. In the Signal name field, enter the name of the custom signal.
  5. (Optional) In the Description (optional) field, enter a description for the custom signal.
  6. Click Create corp signal.

Creating signals used by one site (workspace)

Site-level (workspace-level) signals can only be used in rules for one site (workspace). To create a site-level (workspace-level) signal, complete the following steps:

  1. Next-Gen WAF control panel
  2. Fastly control panel
  1. Log in to the Next-Gen WAF control panel.

  2. From the Sites menu, select a site if you have more than one site.

  3. From the Site Rules menu, select Site Signals.
  4. Click Add site signal.
  5. In the Signal name field, enter the name of the custom signal.
  6. (Optional) In the Description (optional) field, enter a description for the custom signal.
  7. Click Create site signal.

Updating signals

You can update a custom signal to revise the description of the signal.

Updating signals used by all sites (workspaces)

To update the description of a signal that applies to all sites (workspaces), complete the following steps:

  1. Next-Gen WAF control panel
  2. Fastly control panel
  1. Log in to the Next-Gen WAF control panel.

  2. From the Corp Rules menu, select Corp Signals.
  3. Click View to the right of the custom signal you want to edit.
  4. Click Edit corp signal.
  5. In the Description (optional) field, enter a description for the custom signal.
  6. Click Update corp signal.

Updating signals used by one site (workspace)

To update the description of a signal that applies to a specific site (workspace), complete the following steps:

  1. Next-Gen WAF control panel
  2. Fastly control panel
  1. Log in to the Next-Gen WAF control panel.

  2. From the Sites menu, select a site if you have more than one site.

  3. From the Site Rules menu, select Site Signals.
  4. Click View to the right of the custom signal you want to edit.
  5. Click Edit site signal.
  6. In the Description (optional) field, enter a description for the custom signal.
  7. Click Update site signal.

Using signals

When creating a rule in either control panel, the Add signal action can be used to tag requests processed by the rule with a custom signal you select. In the Next-Gen WAF control panel, you can also create a new signal when creating a rule by clicking Create new signal.

Deleting custom signals

To delete a signal, follow the steps described below.

Deleting signals used by all sites (workspaces)

  1. Next-Gen WAF control panel
  2. Fastly control panel
  1. Log in to the Next-Gen WAF control panel.

  2. From the Corp Rules menu, select Corp Signals.
  3. Click View to the right of the custom signal you want to edit.
  4. Click Remove corp signal and then Delete corp signal.

Deleting signals used by one site (workspace)

  1. Next-Gen WAF control panel
  2. Fastly control panel
  1. Log in to the Next-Gen WAF control panel.

  2. From the Sites menu, select a site if you have more than one site.

  3. From the Site Rules menu, select Site Signals.
  4. Click View to the right of the custom signal you want to delete.
  5. Click Remove site signal and then Delete site signal.