Check your website's HTTP security headers and get an overall security grade.
Security headers are an essential component of modern web security, helping website owners control how browsers handle site content and external resources. They serve as a crucial layer of defense against common vulnerabilities such as cross-site scripting (XSS) and clickjacking. By utilizing them, you can quickly test website security measures and ensure your visitors stay protected.
Content-Security-Policy (CSP) is one of the most critical security headers. It specifies which resources (scripts, styles, images, etc.) are allowed to load and execute on your web pages. By defining a strict CSP, you reduce the risk of malicious scripts or injections compromising your site.
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Strict-Transport-Security (HSTS) enforces secure, encrypted connections (HTTPS) between the user's browser and your website. Once enabled, browsers will refuse any connection attempts over insecure HTTP, helping to prevent protocol downgrade attacks and session hijacking.
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X-Frame-Options (XFO) defends against clickjacking by controlling whether a page can be displayed within an iframe. The header typically has values like DENY, SAMEORIGIN, or ALLOW-FROM, dictating who (if anyone) can embed your content.
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Cross-Origin Embedder Policy (COEP) helps maintain a secure environment by requiring certain cross-origin resources to explicitly grant permission before they're embedded. COEP plays a significant role in ensuring that content from external domains cannot be freely embedded without authorization.
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Cross-Origin Opener Policy (COOP) isolates browsing contexts, ensuring that windows or tabs opened from your site remain separate if they originate from different domains. This isolation prevents data leaks and potential attacks where an opened window could access the parent's information.
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Cross-Origin Resource Policy (CORP) decides whether other sites can embed your resources (images, scripts, videos) using <img>, <script>, or <iframe> tags. By configuring CORP, you can limit access to resources to same-origin contexts only.
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Previously known as Feature-Policy, Permissions-Policy allows you to selectively enable or disable browser features (e.g., camera, microphone, geolocation) for your web pages. By specifying which domains have access to these features, you minimize the attack surface.
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X-Content-Type-Options instructs the browser not to "sniff" the content type of files and instead strictly adhere to the stated MIME types. By preventing MIME type sniffing, you lower the chance of browsers interpreting files as something they are not.
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An online security headers check tool scans your website's HTTP responses to identify which security headers are present and whether they're configured correctly. By entering your site's URL into this analyzer, you get an instant report on each header's status.
Security headers serve as a first line of defense against many common attacks. Tools and best practices outlined by OWASP security headers guidelines emphasize that configuring headers is crucial to preventing everything from cross-site scripting to session hijacking.
Security headers not only protect your site but also boost user confidence by demonstrating a commitment to safe browsing experiences. Implementing and regularly auditing headers will make a tremendous difference in your site's overall security posture.