---
title: "AI Shield"
url: "https://docs.indusface.com/en/article/ai-shield"
language: "en"
last_updated: "2025-12-30T13:20:34.029Z"
---

# AI Shield

AppTrana AI Shield is an AI firewall designed to protect LLM-powered applications exposed through APIs, such as chatbots, copilots, and AI-driven services. It provides visibility, control, and protection against AI-specific threats including prompt abuse, data leakage, automated misuse, and anomalous AI traffic.

AI Shield operates as an add-on capability within AppTrana and is tightly integrated with API Security, WAAP, and Bot Protection, ensuring AI traffic is governed using the same managed security framework.

## License & Eligibility Requirements

AI Shield is not enabled by default for all customers.

1.  License Prerequisites
2.  Configuring AI Shield: AI Tagging 

AI Shield is available only when all of the following conditions are met:

-   Customer must have one of the following licenses:
    -   API Security
    -   Premium
    -   Advanced
-   The feature is applicable only to API sites
-   AI Shield must be purchased as a separate add-on license
-   Website-only (non-API) applications cannot enable AI Shield

![](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/7b9e1e0e-1e7a-48ed-8fb4-8164d4efcb15)

**Key Licensing Notes**

> -   Existing customers must contact Sales or Support to purchase the AI Shield add-on
> -   Once enabled, AI Shield appears only for API applications where the add-on is applied
> -   If a customer has multiple licenses, AI Shield visibility depends on which license is associated with the API site

Once the AI Shield add-on is enabled, you must explicitly tag the relevant API endpoints as **AI endpoints**.

Navigate to **API Security**.

![](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/201aaaaf-79c7-47d5-b163-c58b0d09f6bb)

Identify the API endpoints that handle AI or LLM-related traffic. The **API application** where the AI Shield add-on is applied.

Click **Configure**.

![](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/ae7809d9-01e2-47f7-a829-d756e2851205)

Tag these endpoints as **AI API**. This tagging determines which endpoints receive AI-specific protection.

![](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/0665d64d-e222-4a40-b22e-1f5ecbd417f3)

-   After an API endpoint is tagged as an AI endpoint, AI Shield automatically activates both application-layer protections and DDoS protections. No manual rule creation or tuning is required.
-   AI Shield core rules are automatically applied
-   Protection is enforced against Prompt injection, AI data leakage and Malicious or abusive AI input patterns
-   System-defined DDoS policies are also automatically attached to the AI endpoints

![](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/9b98ede9-646f-412a-9982-b5e6e5fc2ee7)

## Viewing AI Shield Core Rules

To view the AI Shield protections applied to AI endpoints:

Navigate to **WAAP Policies.**

![](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/dddd0cce-7451-4e86-bf1a-437bd461bb46)

Enable or toggle **AI Shield.**

![A screenshot of a computer  AI-generated content may be incorrect.](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/6bad01df-7fc0-4555-a943-38ad4d527b39)

When AI Shield is enabled, Core rules associated with endpoints tagged as AI are displayed in the AI Shield view 

![](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/2d397c18-94ff-42a2-9d76-ae955fdc3068)

| **Field** | **Description** |
| --- | --- |
| Rule ID | Unique system-generated identifier for each AI Shield core rule. Used for audit trails and support reference. |
| Category | Indicates the protection class. *AI Prompt Injection Detection Policy* covers AI-specific abuse patterns. |
| Severity | Risk level assigned to the rule (for example, ERROR, NOTICE). Higher severity rules indicate stronger enforcement against critical AI abuse attempts. |
| Description | Explains the specific AI abuse pattern being detected, such as instruction override, role switching, jailbreak attempts, or prompt/system leakage. |
| 24hrs Attack | Number of attacks detected or blocked by this rule in the last 24 hours. Displays when no activity is recorded. |
| 7days Attack | Aggregated attack count over the last 7 days, helping identify repeated or sustained AI abuse attempts. |
| Enable | Shows whether the rule is active. All AI Shield core rules are enabled by default and require no manual activation. |
| Blocks Exploit | Indicates whether the rule actively blocked an exploit attempt. This field is populated when enforcement occurs. |

### AI Shield – System-Defined DDoS Policies

The **System Defined Policies** section lists DDoS protections that are automatically created and enabled for AI-tagged API endpoints.

This section appears under **WAAP Policies → DDoS Policies** once **AI Shield** is enabled and AI endpoints are tagged.

![A screenshot of a computer  AI-generated content may be incorrect.](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/c45ba3c8-a7b2-4b80-80ae-8cca4018173a)

| Field | Description |
| --- | --- |
| Name | System-generated policy name created automatically for AI endpoints. These policies are not user-created and are tied to AI Shield enforcement. |
| Protection Level | Indicates the scope of protection. AI Policy confirms that the DDoS policy applies only to endpoints tagged as AI. |
| Policy Type | Displays the DDoS enforcement method. Rate Limiting Based Policy protects AI endpoints from request floods and resource exhaustion. |
| Rate Limiting | Shows the request threshold and enforcement window (for example, request limit and temporary block duration). These values are system-defined and optimized for AI workloads. |
| Last 24h | Indicates whether the policy was triggered in the last 24 hours. Useful for recent attack visibility. |
| Last 7d | Shows policy activity over the last 7 days to help identify recurring or sustained attack patterns. |
| Action | Enforcement action applied when thresholds are exceeded. For AI Shield DDoS policies, the default action is Block. |
| Enable | Displays whether the policy is active. System-defined AI DDoS policies are enabled by default. |
| Configure | Provides read-only visibility into policy settings. Core DDoS logic is system-managed to prevent accidental misconfiguration. |

### Creating a Custom AI Policy

In addition to system-defined AI Shield protections, you can create custom AI policies to enforce organization-specific controls on AI and LLM API traffic.

Custom AI policies allow you to:

-   Block specific words, phrases, or patterns
-   Detect and prevent exposure of sensitive data (PII)
-   Log or block AI requests based on custom conditions

Accessing the Custom AI Policy Builder

Click **Add Custom Rule**.

![A screenshot of a phone  AI-generated content may be incorrect.](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/5f90cc8a-d4a1-4950-9fae-7269a952e334)

Enable the **AI Policy** option while creating the rule.

![A screenshot of a computer  AI-generated content may be incorrect.](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/94af6859-216d-4f8d-9059-a4cfd8fc71ba)

**Step 1: Basic Details**

**![A screenshot of a computer  AI-generated content may be incorrect.](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/3f3fd3e1-0f87-4b33-af3b-35bd0a9fa239)**

This ensures the rule applies specifically to AI-tagged API endpoints.

| Field | Description |
| --- | --- |
| Name | A meaningful name for the custom AI policy (for example, *Rule for Credit Card PII*). |
| Description | Optional description explaining the purpose of the rule (for example, blocking sensitive credit card data). |
| Select Apps | Choose the API application where the AI policy should be applied. Only AI-tagged endpoints are enforced. |

**Step 2: Trigger Condition**

This step defines what content or data should trigger the policy.

Option 1: Argument-Based Matching

![A screenshot of a computer  AI-generated content may be incorrect.](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/148b0e69-c35a-4b41-88c5-8dad8d7c1b2e)

Use this option to block or monitor specific words, phrases, or patterns.

| Field | Description |
| --- | --- |
| Request Parameter | Select the request component to inspect (for example, ARGS). |
| Operator | Choose the match condition (for example, Contains). |
| Comparing Value | Enter the keyword or value to detect (for example, password). |

**Use cases:**

-   Blocking prohibited language
-   Preventing prompts containing sensitive internal terms
-   Restricting certain instructions sent to the AI model

**Option 2: Detect PII**

Enable Detect PII to automatically identify sensitive personal data in AI requests.

![A screenshot of a computer  AI-generated content may be incorrect.](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/191eea80-ad38-4958-a589-210c90995d11)

When Detect PII is selected:

-   The Comparing Value field is disabled
-   You can select predefined PII types to detect

Supported PII types include:

-   Credit card number
-   US Social Security Number (SSN)
-   Email address
-   Phone number
-   Passport / US Passport
-   Aadhaar number
-   Voter ID

This option helps prevent AI models from receiving, processing, or exposing regulated personal data.

**Step 3: Action**

**![A red rectangle with a black arrow  AI-generated content may be incorrect.](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/03a2659d-c22f-4960-8b8d-ac3fc1adb74b)**

Choose how the system should respond when the rule is triggered.

| Action | Description |
| --- | --- |
| Log | Records the event for visibility without blocking the request. |
| Log and Block | Logs the event and blocks the AI request in real time. |

Key Notes

-   Custom AI policies are optional and fully configurable.
-   System-defined AI Shield rules remain enabled regardless of custom rules.
-   Recommended to start with Log mode before switching to Log and Block.

## Dashboard

AppTrana**→** **Dashboard**

When AI Shield is enabled, the dashboard automatically switches to an AI-aware security view, providing consolidated visibility into AI endpoints, AI traffic, AI-specific attacks, and protection posture.

![](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/d2d8843a-7814-43e7-94c0-a613600d2a68)

### API Apps – Summary

Provides a quick view of API coverage under AI Shield, helping verify AI endpoint tagging and protection status.

![A screenshot of a phone  AI-generated content may be incorrect.](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/3c0a2f45-7584-4310-a8a6-1ea5a5ccf474)

| Metric | Description |
| --- | --- |
| Total Endpoints | Total number of API endpoints discovered. |
| AI Endpoints | Endpoints tagged as AI and protected by AI Shield. |
| Sensitive | Endpoints handling sensitive data. |
| Authenticated | Endpoints requiring authentication. |

### AI Traffic

Shows usage patterns of AI endpoints to identify traffic trends or abnormal activity.

![A screenshot of a phone  AI-generated content may be incorrect.](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/142063a3-18cd-466a-8a63-ef5b4f718194)

| Metric | Description |
| --- | --- |
| Total Requests | Number of requests handled by AI endpoints in the selected time range. |
| Bandwidth | Bandwidth consumed by AI traffic. |

### AI Attacks

Displays attack activity targeting AI endpoints and the effectiveness of AI Shield enforcement.

![A screenshot of a phone  AI-generated content may be incorrect.](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/6ab3507e-6b37-4dd8-9b42-b158bfe452ef)

| Metric | Description |
| --- | --- |
| Blocked Attacks | Total AI-related attacks blocked. |
| Attack Change | Percentage change compared to the previous period. |
| Top Attack Types | AI prompt injection, API abuse, and PII leakage attempts. |

All dashboard widgets update dynamically based on the selected **time range** (for example, *Last 7 Days*).

For a detailed explanation of all dashboard widgets and metrics, refer to the [Dashboard Documentation.](https://docs.indusface.com/en/article/apptrana-dashboard)

## Attacks 

When AI Shield is enabled, the Attacks dashboard provides an AI-aware protection view for AI-tagged API endpoints. To view AI-specific attack data, select an application or endpoint that is tagged as AI from the application selector at the top of the dashboard.

![A screenshot of a graph  AI-generated content may be incorrect.](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/157e56d8-612f-4a40-91f6-bc6bb9ac40f2)

### Protection Performance

**![A screen shot of a graph  AI-generated content may be incorrect.](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/b2107fb3-ee88-4f7f-9b9e-325071ddd410)**

| Metric | Description |
| --- | --- |
| All Attacks Blocked | Total number of attacks blocked across AI-tagged endpoints. |
| Core Rules | Attacks blocked by system-defined AI Shield core rules (such as prompt injection detection). |
| Custom Rules | Attacks blocked by user-defined custom AI policies. |
| DDoS | Attacks mitigated by AI-specific DDoS rate-limiting policies. |
| BOT | Bot-driven abuse attempts targeting AI endpoints. |
| APIs | API-level violations detected on AI endpoints. |
| LLM Crawlers | Requests identified as automated LLM crawling or scraping activity. |
| Geo & IP | Attacks blocked based on geographic or IP-based restrictions. |
| Others | Attacks blocked by additional enforcement mechanisms. |
| Trend Graph | Time-series view showing how AI-related attacks were blocked over the selected time range. |
| Percentage Change | Increase or decrease in attacks blocked compared to the previous period. |

### **Highest Attacks Blocked**

The Highest Attacks Blocked view highlights the top sources generating the most attack traffic against AI-tagged API endpoints.

| Section | Metric | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Highest Attacks Blocked** | **Top Attack Source** | IP address responsible for the highest number of blocked attacks during the selected time range. |
| **Source of Attack** | **IP** | Lists the top IP addresses generating attack traffic against AI endpoints. |
| **Countries** | Displays attack distribution by country (when selected). |  |
| **Blocked At (Top 5)** | **Total Blocks** | Total number of attacks blocked from each top source. |
| **Blocked by Core Rules (Top 5)** | **AI Core Rules** | Attacks blocked by system-defined AI Shield core rules. |
| **Blocked by Custom Rules (Top 5)** | **Custom AI Policies** | Attacks blocked by user-defined custom AI policies. |
| **Blocked by Geo** | **Geo-Based Controls** | Attacks blocked due to geographic restrictions applied to AI endpoints. |

### **Attacks**

This section allows teams to analyze AI specific attack sources, enforcement outcomes, and trends at a granular level.

![A screenshot of a computer  AI-generated content may be incorrect.](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/32c82af0-84c3-449d-9469-38a351f1a8d2)

For a detailed explanation of all Attacks widgets and metrics, refer to the [Attacks Documentation](https://docs.indusface.com/en/article/manage-attacks)

## Logs & Reports

The Logs & Reports section provides centralized visibility into application traffic and security events through access and attack logs, and when AI Shield is enabled and an AI-tagged endpoint is selected, AI-specific attacks are clearly identified.

### Access Logs

Access Logs provide a detailed record of all requests received by the application, regardless of whether they were allowed or blocked. This view is primarily used for traffic visibility, troubleshooting, and audit analysis.

![A screenshot of a computer  AI-generated content may be incorrect.](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/120130db-74fc-4f65-962c-13e7a78f795f)

### Attack Logs

Attack Logs capture only malicious or policy-violating requests that triggered WAAP or AI Shield enforcement. This view is used for security investigation and incident analysis.

![](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/faf6ac9b-7a87-4b5b-b9fc-3a9adde88e8f)

For a detailed explanation of all Logs &  Reports widgets and metrics, refer to the [Logs & Reports Documentation.](https://docs.indusface.com/en/article/access-logs)