Can I delete the Any Paths rule?

Short answer

Delete also works for Any Paths, but the result is not a deletion but a reset: the rule is set up again with its default configuration in the same operation (Allowed Methods GET, OPTIONS, HEAD, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE; Path Length 1–8192; Path Depth at most 256; OWASP on; the common checks of the six sections and the default header rules). All the Any paths customizations, whether added manually or coming from learning, are lost. The confirmation window asks the general deletion question and gives no separate warning for the reset; in a bulk deletion, the other rules in the selection are deleted permanently while Any paths is reset. Delete always sets up the standard template; for the template that suits the OWASP Protection Level setting of the vService, Sync with Default WAF Rules or waf host-groups reset-rules in WEB-CLI is used. The path of Any paths cannot be changed, and Any paths cannot take part in a Merge.

How Does It Work?

	Result
Any paths is selected and Delete → confirmation	The rule is set up again with the standard template in the same operation; the row stays in the list
Customizations	Lost: the changed path settings, the argument rules added manually or by learning, the changes in the common checks
Template	Always the standard template; also on a vService at the Aggressive level
Bulk deletion	The other rules in the selection are deleted permanently, Any paths is reset
Confirmation question	The general deletion confirmation (Are you sure that you want to delete …); no separate warning for the reset
Applying	No separate deployment step; in a cluster setup, it is also sent to the peer device with the default auto-sync, and if Manual Sync Mode is on, it is sent manually with Synchronize

• To set it up again in a way that suits the level (a narrower template at Aggressive) or to reset all the rules: How do I reset the rules to the default settings?
• To change it instead of resetting it, the fields other than the path are edited with Edit; the Check fields values are changed from the tabs of the detail panel (What is the Any Paths rule?).
• For a rollback, the rule set of the group is backed up with Export before the deletion; the backup is restored with Import (What happens to existing rules when I Import (full replacement)?).
• In a bulk cleanup, Any paths is not taken into the selection (operational best practices).

Common Misconceptions

• "If Any paths is deleted, unknown paths are left uninspected." The rule is set up again in the same operation; it is not missing from the list even for a moment.
• "The deletion selects the template according to the protection level." Delete always sets up the standard template.
• "The reset also resets the signature settings." The state and score of the signatures are a separate layer; deleting Any paths does not touch them (How do I revert my changes to the default (Restore to Default)?).

How it is done in the documentation

• Delete · The Deletion Steps
• Delete · Operational Best Practices
• WAF Rules · Page Types Listing Screen
• OWASP Protection Level · Sync with Default WAF Rules

Related questions

• How do I reset the rules to the default settings?
• Why can't the Any Paths rule be merged with other rules?
• Can the default host group be deleted?