Most users deploy SafeLine WAF to protect public web apps — but what about SafeLine’s own management console?

By default, SafeLine’s admin dashboard runs on port 9443. If this port is exposed directly to the internet, it's a potential target for scanners, bots, and brute-force attacks. That’s a risk you shouldn’t ignore.

Here’s how to use SafeLine to protect its own login portal — a clever self-defense trick that adds an extra security layer without extra tools.

⚠️ Why You Shouldn’t Leave Port 9443 Exposed

Even though the admin UI is password-protected, leaving it open to the internet means:

• Attackers can scan and probe it 24/7

• Exploits or zero-days could be attempted

• Admins have no visibility unless logs are manually checked

A more secure setup is to route access to the admin panel through SafeLine itself — just like any other protected app.

🔧 How to Harden SafeLine’s Admin Console

Step 1: Add a New Site in SafeLine

Go to the SafeLine dashboard and create a new application to protect.

• Internal target: https://127.0.0.1:9443

• External port: Choose something like 19443 to avoid conflicts

This effectively puts SafeLine’s own dashboard behind its WAF.

Step 2: Update Your Server’s Firewall or Security Group

To avoid direct exposure:

• ❌ Close port 9443 in your security group or firewall

• ✅ Open the new external port 19443 (or your chosen value)

Step 3: Test It

Now try accessing SafeLine:

• ✅ https://your-server-ip:19443 — should work via SafeLine

• ❌ https://your-server-ip:9443 — should be blocked completely

Step 4: Confirm SafeLine is Blocking Malicious Requests

Try running a simple attack pattern against 19443 — like an SQL injection or admin fuzz. You should see SafeLine detect and block it:

This proves SafeLine is now actively guarding its own admin panel — a neat example of defensive recursion.

💡 Final Thoughts

This setup isn’t just cool — it’s practical. By placing SafeLine’s own admin interface behind itself, you:

• Reduce attack surface

• Gain full audit logging of access attempts

• Get real-time protection without extra software

If you’re running SafeLine in production or even just testing it in public environments, locking down port 9443 should be your first move.

Useful Links

• 🌐 GitHub Repository

• 📚 Official Docs

• 💬 Discord Community