What is False Detection (False Positive)?
False detection, also known as a "false positive," refers to the incorrect identification of legitimate items or behaviors as malicious or unauthorized. For example, antivirus software might mistakenly classify a safe, legitimate software program as malware. Similarly, Web Application Firewalls (WAFs), which analyze web traffic for potential threats, can also experience false detections, incorrectly flagging legitimate requests as malicious.
False positives in security devices impose increased operational overhead due to the additional resources needed to investigate and rectify the alerts. Conversely, the opposite scenario—"false negatives," where malicious activities are mistakenly treated as legitimate—can pose direct security threats. Minimizing both false positives and false negatives as closely as possible to zero remains an ongoing priority.
False negatives often occur when security solutions fail to recognize new, previously unknown attack signatures. To address new threats, systems regularly update their signatures to block emerging attack techniques. However, overly broad adjustments intended to close security gaps can inadvertently misclassify legitimate operations, increasing false positives.
F5 Networks provides a Web Application Firewall (WAF) solution through their F5 BIG-IP product line, designed to effectively address and minimize this issue. BIG-IP incorporates mechanisms like WAF signature staging, allowing careful validation and optimization of security signatures prior to deployment. This significantly reduces administrative overhead and operational costs associated with managing false positives generated by signature updates.