How to Add Security Headers in WordPress: Best Practice

Introduction

Ensuring the security of your WordPress website is of utmost importance. One effective way to enhance your website’s security is by adding security headers. Security headers provide an additional layer of protection against various types of attacks, such as cross-site scripting (XSS) and clickjacking.

What are Security Headers?

Security headers are additional HTTP response headers that instruct the browser on how to handle certain aspects of the website’s security. By adding these headers, you can control how your website is accessed and prevent potential vulnerabilities.

Adding HSTS (HTTP Strict Transport Security)

What is HSTS?

HSTS is a security header that ensures that your website is only accessed over a secure HTTPS connection. To add HSTS to your WordPress website, you can modify the .htaccess file or use a security plugin such as “Really Simple SSL”. It is important to note that enabling HSTS requires an SSL certificate. Learn How to Add HSTS (HTTP Strict Transport Security) Step-by-Step in WordPress in our previous post.

Adding X-XSS-Protection

The X-XSS-Protection header helps protect your website against cross-site scripting attacks. It instructs the browser to enable its built-in XSS protection mechanisms. To add this header, you can modify the .htaccess file or use a security plugin like “HTTP Headers”. Learn How to Add X-XSS-Protection in WordPress: Step-by-Step Guide in one of our previous posts.

Adding X-Content-Type-Options

The X-Content-Type-Options header prevents browsers from trying to guess the MIME type of a file, reducing the risk of content sniffing attacks. To add this header, you can modify the .htaccess file or use a security plugin such as “Security Headers”. Here is How to Add X-Content-Type-Options in WordPress.

Adding Referrer Policy Header

The Referrer Policy header controls how much information is sent in the HTTP Referer header. By setting a strict referrer policy, you can prevent sensitive information leakage. To add this header, you can modify the .htaccess file or use a security plugin like “All In One WP Security & Firewall”. Check How to Add Referrer Policy Header in WordPress: Step-by-Step Guide

Adding X-Frame-Options Header

The X-Frame-Options header prevents your website from being displayed within a frame or iframe on another website. This helps protect against clickjacking attacks. To add this header, you can modify the .htaccess file or use a security plugin such as “Wordfence Security”. Check our guide on How to Add X-Frame-Options Header in WordPress.

Adding Permissions-Policy Header

The Permissions-Policy header allows you to control which features and APIs are available to your website. By setting a restrictive policy, you can minimize the risk of potential security vulnerabilities. To add this header, you can modify the .htaccess file or use a security plugin like “Sucuri Security”. Check our step-by-step guide on Steps to Implement Permissions-Policy Header in WordPress.

.htaccess Example

Here is an example of how to add security headers using the .htaccess file:

<IfModule mod_headers.c>
    Header always set Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains; preload"
    Header always set X-XSS-Protection "1; mode=block"
    Header always set X-Content-Type-Options "nosniff"
    Header always set Referrer-Policy "strict-origin-when-cross-origin"
    Header always set X-Frame-Options "SAMEORIGIN"
    Header always set Permissions-Policy "geolocation=(), microphone=()"
</IfModule>

Uploading and Troubleshooting

After adding the necessary headers, it is important to test your website to ensure they are working correctly. You can use online tools like SecurityHeaders.com or the browser’s developer console to check if the headers are being applied. If you encounter any issues, you can refer to the documentation of the security plugin you are using or seek help from the WordPress community.

Conclusion

Adding security headers is a crucial step in fortifying your WordPress website’s security. By implementing headers such as HSTS, X-XSS-Protection, X-Content-Type-Options, Referrer Policy, X-Frame-Options, and Permissions-Policy, you can significantly reduce the risk of various types of attacks. Whether you choose to modify the .htaccess file or utilize security plugins, make sure to regularly test and update your headers to stay ahead of potential threats.