Common Web Vulnerabilities Addressed by Security Headers

Common Web Vulnerabilities Addressed by Security Headers

Understanding the vulnerabilities that security headers protect against helps appreciate their importance:

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS): Attackers inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. CSP headers prevent unauthorized script execution by defining trusted sources.

Clickjacking: Malicious sites overlay invisible frames over legitimate content to trick users into clicking hidden elements. X-Frame-Options prevents your site from being framed by unauthorized domains.

Protocol Downgrade Attacks: Attackers force connections to use HTTP instead of HTTPS to intercept data. HSTS ensures browsers always use secure connections.

MIME Type Confusion: Browsers might execute files as different types than intended, potentially running malicious code. X-Content-Type-Options prevents this misinterpretation.

Information Disclosure: Referrer headers can leak sensitive information from URLs. Referrer-Policy provides control over what information is shared.