DALLAS -- LevelBlue, a leading provider of managed security services, strategic consulting, and threat intelligence, announced the launch of its Managed Web Application and API Protection (WAAP) security service, designed to deliver adaptive, always-on protection that can reduce risk and operational overhead for web application and API security. Powered by Akamai’s industry-leading App & API Protector technology, LevelBlue Managed WAAP combines next-gen web application firewall (WAF), distributed-denial-of service (DDoS) mitigation, bot protection, and foundational API security capabilities paired with LevelBlue’s dedicated WAAP Operations team.

Organizations globally are rapidly scaling their use of applications and APIs to power digital-first strategies. According to Enterprise Strategy Group, the average number of web applications per organization is expected to grow from 145 to more than 200 within two years. Simultaneously, the number of organizations with more than half of their applications using APIs will rise from 32% to 80%. Among the most critical challenges security teams face are:

· Discovering application and API deployments
· Scaling adequate protections
· Swiftly identifying and mitigating attacks
· Ensuring security does not impact performance

In addition, many struggle with staff constraints and an expertise gap. As environments grow more complex, half of midmarket organizations say it’s harder to secure web apps and APIs than it was just two years ago, and so many are seeking external help and simplified, consolidated solutions. LevelBlue Managed WAAP directly addresses these needs, delivering measurable security outcomes while streamlining operations.

“Today, a surprising number of organizations rely on multiple tools that are not purpose-built for web application and API security—leading to complexity, silos, and rising costs,” said Sundhar Annamalai, president of LevelBlue. “LevelBlue offers an alternative: proven services that consolidate and simplify protections with predictable investment. By combining LevelBlue’s operational expertise with Akamai’s proven technology, organizations can stay ahead of evolving threats and create cyber resilience for critical digital capabilities.”

LevelBlue Managed WAAP is available in two tiers, Essential and Advanced, giving organizations the flexibility to choose a service level that best meets their needs. Core benefits include:

· Access 24/7 WAAP expertise: Gain a fully operational team of specialists delivering around-the-clock support, monitoring, and advisory to improve WAAP protection.
· Discover and secure critical assets: Automatically identify and classify web apps and APIs—prioritize those exposed or handling sensitive data, and scale protection as needed.
· AI-Powered Threat Defense: Combine AI-driven detection with global threat intelligence to spot anomalies, adapt to new attack vectors, and stay ahead of threats.
· Streamlined Security Management: Eliminate manual tuning with expert-led, automated policy management, boosting efficiency, reducing false positives, and aligning with modern DevOps workflows.

“In 2024 alone, Akamai saw over 311 billion web app attacks. As AI accelerates, threats are harder to spot, and security is tougher to control,” said Rupesh Chokshi, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Akamai’s Application Security Portfolio. “Akamai and LevelBlue’s partnership gives customers access to a trusted, reliable team that combines industry-leading technology with the deep operational expertise of one of the world’s largest MSSPs. It’s a powerful combination with a flexible solution that can fast-track organizations to resilient protection and compliance.”