What Is Security Headers?
HTTP response headers that instruct browsers how to handle your website's content securely. They protect against common attacks like cross-site scripting (XSS), clickjacking, and protocol downgrade attacks by telling the browser what actions are allowed.
In Laravel Applications
Laravel does not set security headers by default. You need to add them via middleware. Key headers include Content-Security-Policy, Strict-Transport-Security, X-Frame-Options, X-Content-Type-Options, and Referrer-Policy.
Example
Adding `X-Frame-Options: DENY` prevents your Laravel application from being embedded in an iframe, blocking clickjacking attacks.
Related Terms
Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
A vulnerability where an attacker injects malicious JavaScript into web pages viewed by other users. The injected script runs in the victim's browser with the same privileges as legitimate scripts, allowing the attacker to steal session tokens, redirect users, or modify page content.
Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)
An attack where a malicious website tricks a user's browser into performing an unwanted action on a site where the user is authenticated. The browser automatically sends cookies with the request, so the target site processes it as a legitimate action from the user.
HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS)
A security header that tells browsers to only connect to your website over HTTPS. Once a browser receives the HSTS header, it will automatically convert all future HTTP requests to HTTPS for the specified duration, preventing protocol downgrade attacks and cookie hijacking.
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