Before the Akamai EdgeWorker processes a client request, the proxy will call the DataDome API through the HttpRequest module. Depending on the API response, the integration will either block the request and return the content provided by DataDome, or let Akamai proceed with the regular process. The module has been developed to protect the users’ experience: if any errors were to occur during the DataDome process or if the call to DataDome reaches a timeout, the integration will automatically assume a 200 for that request, and continue the process normally.

Prerequisites

This article assumes that you already have:
1. Access to the Akamai Dashboard: https://control.akamai.com/apps/home-page/
2. Set up the concerned website as an Akamai Property: https://control.akamai.com/apps/property-manager
3. Enabled access to the Akamai EdgeWorkers from the Akamai Marketplace: https://control.akamai.com/apps/marketplace-ui
4. Ability to create EdgeWorkers: https://control.akamai.com/apps/edgeworkers/

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We support both Basic and Dynamic Akamai EdgeWorker resource tier. We recommend to use Basic resource tier.

Installation

Setting up the EdgeWorker

1. Access the EdgeWorkers Management screen at: https://control.akamai.com/apps/edgeworkers
2. Click on the Create EdgeWorker ID button at the top-right

3. The Create EdgeWorker ID modal is shown
   1. Set the name of the EdgeWorker to EW_DataDome_Protection
   2. The Group refers to which set of access permissions are you going to apply to the newly created EdgeWorker
   3. Set the Resource Tier to Basic Compute

4. A new row will be added in the EdgeWorker table

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By default the EdgeWorker is not enabled in either Staging or Production

5. Click on the respective ID, the EdgeWorker ID details page will be shown
6. Click on the Create Version button, the Create version modal will be shown

7. Drag and drop the provided tar file in the droppable area

8. The droppable area should validate the dropped bundle

9. Click on the Create version button on the bottom-right of the modal
10. A row will be added to the Versions table
11. Click on the last version added, the EdgeWorker version details page will be shown
12. Click on the Activate version button, the Activate version modal will be shown

13. Choose a Network to deploy this version to

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It is recommended that deployments are first done in Staging to be validated, then deployed to Production when all the necessary checks are made

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EdgeWorker environments are updated separately, the activation process needs to be done twice to update both the Staging and the Production environments

14. Click on the Activate version button to proceed; the EdgeWorker version details page will get updated with a notification on the top-right and a progress bar.

15. Kindly wait until the progress bar is full and green, and the version is marked as active in that environment.

Changes in the Property Manager

Step 0: Create a new version of your Akamai property

1. Go to your Akamai property you would like to protect with DataDome
   
2. Create a new version of this property to be able to update it

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You need to create a new version of your property, otherwise you will not be allowed to edit a Property version that is already deployed to Staging and/or Production.

Step 1: Add the following variables in the Property Variables section

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Please note that Akamai prepends the variables with “PMUSER_” - no need to re-add it.

Step 2: Enable the EdgeWorker

1. Scroll down to the Property Configuration Settings panel and click on +Rules

2. The Add Rule modal will be shown; search for Blank Rule Template. For the purpose of this documentation we will be naming the rule EW_DD_Rule. Click on the Insert Rule button when done

3. By default, Akamai adds new rules at the very end of the configuration settings, scroll to the very bottom of the list and click on the newly added rule. Both the Criteria and the Behaviors panels should be empty.
4. Add the following criteria in the Criteria panel - this will not forward static file requests to the EdgeWorker:

If
File Extension
is not one of
avi
flv
mka
mkv
mov
mp4
mpeg
mpg
mp3
flac
ogg
ogm
opus
wav
webm
webp
bmp
gif
ico
jpeg
jpg
png
svg
svgz
swf
eot
otf
ttf
woff
woff2
css
less
js

Case Sensitive: Off

5. Add the following behaviors in the Behaviors panel:

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Please note that the behaviors need to be added in the order specified in the table

6. Click on the Save button at the top-right or bottom-right

Step 3: Map the call from the EdgeWorker to the DataDome API

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This part of the installation is required because Akamai EdgeWorkers are not allowed to make subrequests to origins that are not on the Akamai network. For this reason the /validate-request path is mapped to forward the requests to the DataDome API: see Akamai documentation

Option 1: Amending the Origin connectivity rule

This option should be followed if you have created your property through the wizard and the Accelerate delivery > Origin connectivity is readily available. If you cannot find this rule please proceed to follow Option 2.

1. Scroll down to the Property Configuration Settings panel and find Accelerate delivery > Origin connectivity

2. Click on the Origin connectivity rule and add the following Criteria

If
Path
matches one of
/validate-request

3. Click on the +Behavior button (top-right of the Behaviors panel) and add the following:

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Please note that the Origin Connectivity might have other behaviors, it is important that the above behavior is added at the end

4. Click on the Save button at the top-right or bottom-right

Option 2: Create a custom rule

This option should be followed if you have NOT implemented the previously documented Option 1.

1. Scroll down to the Property Configuration Settings panel and click on +Rules

2. The Add Rule modal will be shown; search for Blank Rule Template. For the purpose of this documentation we will be naming the rule OriginConnectivity_DD_Rule. Click on the Insert Rule button when done

3. By default, Akamai adds new rules at the very end of the configuration settings, scroll to the very bottom of the list and drag this new rule before the previously created EW_DD_Rule as can be seen in the below screenshot.

4. Click on the newly added rule. Both the Criteria and the Behaviors panels should be empty.

5. Add the following Criteria

If
Path
matches one of
/validate-request

6. Click on the +Behavior button (top-right of the Behaviors panel) and add the following:

7. Click on the Save button at the top-right or bottom-right

Step 4: Bypass mPulse

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Please note that this step only applies if the mPulse module is configured in your property

1. Under the Property Configuration Settings Section, find the Augment Insights >
   mPulse RUM rule.

2. In the Criteria section, add the following rule:

If
Path
does not match one of
/validate-request

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Please make sure that the mPulse API key is filled in; this is because the condition set up above will only take effect if this value is provided

This value can be found by following the steps found at: https://techdocs.akamai.com/mpulse/docs/about-edge-injection

Step 5: Activate the changes

1. Following completion of the above steps, activation is required to test the setup. Switch to the Activate tab at the top.

2. Click on the Activate vX on Staging button, the Activate version modal will be shown

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It is recommended that deployments are first done in Staging to be validated, then deployed to Production when all the necessary checks are made

❗️

An email address must be inputted to notify you about the completion of the activation process

3. Click on the Activate vX on Staging button to proceed; the Property version activation details page will get updated with a notification on the top-right and a progress bar.

4. Kindly wait until the progress bar is full and green, and the version is marked as active in that environment.

Troubleshooting

• Unresponsive page and 301 (redirect) responses

If after installation your page is unresponsive, seems to be blocked on the EdgeWorker and you are not seeing any traffic on Datadome, make sure you do not have any Policy redirecting all the traffic to some kind of default path.

If it is the case, please make sure the /validate-request path is not included, so the calls will go to Datadome API.