How To Use SecurityHeaders To Audit And Fix Your Website’s HTTP Security Headers

How to use SecurityHeaders is one of those questions we get right after a client says, “We installed the security plugin… are we good?” Then we run a scan, see a scary grade, and somebody’s Slack message turns into a small panic.

Quick answer: use SecurityHeaders as a fast, repeatable audit for missing or risky HTTP security headers, then fix changes in small, testable steps (starting with CSP in Report-Only) so you raise your score without breaking checkout, forms, or logins.

What SecurityHeaders Checks And Why It Matters

SecurityHeaders is a scanner. It requests a page on your site and reads the HTTP response headers your server returns. Those headers tell the browser what it may load, what it must block, and how it should treat your site.

That matters because browsers enforce these headers before your JavaScript runs. In plain terms:

• Your server -> sets -> browser rules.
• Browser rules -> block -> common attack paths like clickjacking and some forms of cross-site scripting.

For business sites and especially WordPress + WooCommerce, the win is not “perfect security.” The win is fewer easy openings. A missing X-Frame-Options can make clickjacking easier. A weak or absent Content-Security-Policy can make injected scripts harder to contain. An absent HSTS policy can make HTTPS downgrade scenarios more realistic on hostile networks.

Security headers also help you create a repeatable baseline. We like that because it turns security from a vibe into a checklist.

Common headers SecurityHeaders looks for (and why you care):

• Content-Security-Policy (CSP): Limits where scripts, images, frames, and more can load from.
• Strict-Transport-Security (HSTS): Forces HTTPS after the first secure visit.
• X-Frame-Options: Helps prevent clickjacking by blocking framing.
• X-Content-Type-Options: Stops MIME sniffing (nosniff).
• Referrer-Policy: Controls what referrer data the browser sends.
• Permissions-Policy: Controls browser features like camera, microphone, geolocation.

If you want the underlying header definitions and current directive options, we usually point people to MDN because it stays readable and current: MDN Web Docs: Content Security Policy (CSP), MDN Web Docs: Strict-Transport-Security, and MDN Web Docs: HTTP response headers.

How The Grade Is Calculated (And What It Does Not Test)

A SecurityHeaders “grade” is a signal, not a full security assessment.

In practice, the grade comes from whether key headers exist and whether their values meet basic expectations. Missing headers pull the grade down. Risky values pull it down too.

What it does not test:

• It does not prove your WordPress plugins are safe.
• It does not find malware.
• It does not audit your admin passwords, MFA, or user roles.
• It does not confirm your TLS setup is modern (use SSL Labs for that).
• It does not validate your CSP is “perfect.” It only checks for patterns that are clearly unsafe.

So treat the grade like this:

• Grade -> affects -> prioritization.
• Not grade -> not equal -> secure.

We use it as the first pass in a broader WordPress security routine (updates, least privilege, backups, WAF, monitoring).

What You Need Before You Run A Scan

Before you scan, do two things that save a lot of pain.

1. Pick the page that represents real risk. For ecommerce, that usually means:

• Home page
• A product page
• Cart
• Checkout
• Account login

1. List your third-party scripts. Your marketing stack controls your CSP experience.

• Stripe or PayPal scripts -> affect -> script-src and frame-src
• Google Tag Manager -> affects -> script-src and sometimes connect-src
• Chat widgets -> affect -> connect-src and img-src

If you skip this step, you often “fix” CSP and then wonder why checkout breaks. Ask us how we know.

Also, confirm you can change headers in at least one place:

• Your origin server (Apache or Nginx)
• Your host control panel
• Cloudflare (or another CDN)
• A WordPress plugin that sets headers (we treat these as last resort for critical headers)

Staging Vs Production Scans And When To Use Each

Use both, but use them differently.

• Staging scan -> reduces -> business risk. You test new header rules without breaking real orders.
• Production scan -> confirms -> reality. CDNs, caches, and redirects can change what headers users see.

Our safe pattern:

1. Run SecurityHeaders on production to set a baseline.
2. Apply changes on staging.
3. Re-scan staging and run real user flows (login, forms, checkout).
4. Deploy to production.
5. Re-scan production right after release.

If your staging site sits behind basic auth or IP allowlists, the scanner may not reach it. In that case, we test headers with browser dev tools or curl, then use SecurityHeaders once the rules land in production.

Also, do not paste customer data into testing tools. Keep scans and logs clean. Data minimization beats regret.

How To Run SecurityHeaders The Right Way

SecurityHeaders scanning is simple. The “right way” means you control the inputs and you do not chase noise.

Here is our flow:

1. Scan one URL.
2. Save the report (PDF, screenshot, or ticket note).
3. Fix one header family at a time.
4. Re-scan the same URL.
5. Repeat.

That creates clean cause-and-effect:

• Header change -> affects -> grade and browser behavior.
• One variable -> reduces -> debugging time.

Scanning A Root Domain Vs A Specific URL Path

Scan more than your home page.

Why: WordPress often serves different headers by path.

• / might come from a page cache.
• /checkout/ might bypass cache.
• /wp-admin/ might have different rules.

So we scan a set:

• https://example.com/
• https://example.com/product/some-product/
• https://example.com/cart/
• https://example.com/checkout/

If the grade changes between pages, that tells you something concrete:

• Caching layer -> affects -> headers.
• Application route -> affects -> response policies.

How To Interpret Results Without Chasing False Positives

Do not treat every warning as urgent.

Use this filter:

• Missing HSTS on an HTTPS site -> fix soon. It directly changes browser behavior.
• Missing X-Content-Type-Options -> fix quickly. Low risk of breakage.
• CSP warning -> fix carefully. High chance of breakage.
• Cross-origin headers -> apply only when needed. Some sites do not serve APIs or shared assets.

Also watch for “false positives” caused by where you set headers.

• You set headers at Cloudflare -> but origin overrides -> users see origin.
• You set headers at origin -> but cached response persists -> scanner sees old headers.

When a result confuses you, verify with a second view:

• Chrome DevTools -> Network tab -> Response Headers
• curl -I https://example.com/checkout/ from a terminal

SecurityHeaders gives you the alert. Your browser confirms the truth.

Fixing The Most Common Headers (Safely)

We treat header work like plumbing. One wrong valve and the shower goes ice cold.

Start with low-breakage headers, then move to CSP.

Content-Security-Policy: Start In Report-Only, Then Tighten

CSP is the big one. CSP can block injected scripts, but it can also block your own scripts if you rush it.

The safe path:

1. Add Content-Security-Policy-Report-Only first.
2. Collect reports.
3. Convert to enforced Content-Security-Policy once you trust the policy.

A simple starting point often looks like this conceptually:

• Allow your own domain by default.
• Allow known third-party domains you truly use.
• Block inline scripts where possible.

You can send CSP reports to a collection endpoint you control, or use a vendor tool. If you do, avoid sending URLs that contain personal data.

MDN has the best plain-English breakdown of directives and examples: MDN: Content-Security-Policy.

HSTS, X-Content-Type-Options, X-Frame-Options, And Referrer-Policy

These are the “usually safe” set.

HSTS (Strict-Transport-Security)

• HSTS -> forces -> HTTPS.
• Start with a lower max-age, then increase.
• Only enable HSTS if your entire site works on HTTPS with no mixed content.

Mozilla’s HSTS guidance and preload notes remain a solid reference: MDN: Strict-Transport-Security.

X-Content-Type-Options

Set:

• X-Content-Type-Options: nosniff

This is a low-drama header. It rarely breaks anything.

X-Frame-Options

Common values:

• DENY for most marketing sites
• SAMEORIGIN if you frame your own pages in your own domain

If you embed your site inside another domain on purpose (some LMS setups do), test first.

Referrer-Policy

A common safe choice:

• Referrer-Policy: strict-origin-when-cross-origin

It keeps full referrer paths on same-origin navigation, and it limits leakage cross-site.

Permissions-Policy And Cross-Origin Headers (When They Apply)

Permissions-Policy lets you deny browser features you do not need.

• Permissions-Policy -> reduces -> browser feature exposure.

If your site does not need camera, microphone, or geolocation, turn them off.

Cross-origin headers matter when you:

• Serve APIs to other origins
• Host fonts or images used by other domains
• Use advanced isolation features

Examples include Cross-Origin-Opener-Policy, Cross-Origin-Resource-Policy, and Cross-Origin-Embedder-Policy. These can break third-party embeds and payment flows if you guess.

Our rule: only add cross-origin isolation headers when you have a clear requirement and you can test all embeds.

If your business runs WooCommerce, your payment provider can drive these decisions. Provider scripts -> affect -> what you can safely block.

How To Implement Header Changes On WordPress And Common Hosts

We see three places where header changes live: server config, CDN, or WordPress.

We prefer server or edge, because those layers apply headers before PHP runs.

If you want more WordPress security context, we keep related guides on our site, like our WordPress maintenance services page and our blog resources (we can also add a dedicated “security headers for WordPress” doc if your team wants a one-page checklist).

Apache (.htaccess) And Nginx Server Blocks

Apache often uses .htaccess.

• .htaccess rules -> affect -> headers per directory.
• Misplaced rules -> cause -> 500 errors.

Use Header always set for response headers in Apache. Then test.

Nginx uses server blocks.

• add_header directives -> affect -> headers per server/location.
• Missing always -> causes -> headers to drop on error responses.

If you are not sure which server you run, your host dashboard will tell you. Or your dev can run curl -I and check the Server header, if exposed.

Cloudflare, Managed WordPress Hosts, And Edge Rules

CDNs and managed hosts can set headers at the edge.

• Edge rules -> affect -> every cached response.
• One edge change -> reaches -> the whole site fast.

That is great for consistency, but it also means mistakes spread fast. Use a change log and keep a rollback plan.

Cloudflare has documentation on setting and transforming headers through rules: Cloudflare Docs: Transform Rules.

Some managed WordPress hosts also offer “security headers” toggles. Those toggles can help, but we still verify the output headers page by page, because caches and apps can behave differently on /checkout/.

WordPress-Specific Pitfalls (Plugins, Caching, And Mixed Content)

WordPress adds a few traps:

• Caching plugins -> serve -> cached headers. You change config, but the cache keeps old responses.
• Security plugins -> set -> overlapping headers. Two plugins can send conflicting values.
• Mixed content -> breaks -> HSTS readiness. One HTTP image on a product page can turn HSTS into a support ticket.

Our checklist before calling it “done”:

1. Clear all caches (plugin, server, CDN).
2. Test logged-out and logged-in sessions.
3. Run a checkout test order (real payment sandbox if possible).
4. Re-scan with SecurityHeaders.

If you want help connecting the dots between WordPress, hosting, and edge rules, that is the kind of work we do at Zuleika LLC. We map the workflow first, then we touch the tools.

Governance And Ongoing Monitoring

Headers drift over time. A new plugin adds an inline script. A theme update changes asset domains. A CDN rule gets “cleaned up” by a well-meaning teammate.

So we treat security headers as a living control.

Change Control: Logging, Rollback, And Human Review

This is the boring part that saves you.

• Change logs -> reduce -> repeat mistakes.
• Rollback plans -> cut -> outage time.

We recommend:

• Store header config in version control when possible.
• Keep a one-page record: what changed, who changed it, why, and how to revert.
• Require human review for CSP and cross-origin header changes.

If you run regulated workflows (health, finance, legal), keep legal and compliance in the loop. Browser policy changes can affect data flows.

Automating Re-Scans After Releases (Without Exposing Sensitive Data)

You can automate re-scans as part of release checks.

• Release -> triggers -> re-scan.
• Re-scan -> catches -> header regressions.

Safer automation habits:

• Scan only public URLs with no personal data in the path or query string.
• Do not scan admin URLs.
• Store reports in your internal ticket system, not in a public paste.

If your team uses GitHub Actions or GitLab CI, you can run a curl -I check and fail the build if critical headers disappear. That gives you a quick guardrail even if you do not rely on a single external scanner.

And yes, keep humans in the loop. Automation should catch drift, not make security decisions alone.

Conclusion

If you want a clean way to raise your site’s baseline security without turning it into a science project, learn how to use SecurityHeaders as your weekly pulse check. Scan the pages that matter, fix low-risk headers first, then treat CSP like a careful policy rollout, because it is.

If you are stuck, the fastest path is often a short workflow map: where headers get set (origin, CDN, WordPress), how changes roll out, and how you roll them back. That is the difference between a better grade and a broken checkout.

Sources

• Content Security Policy (CSP), MDN Web Docs, (accessed 2026), https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/CSP
• Content-Security-Policy, MDN Web Docs, (accessed 2026), https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Headers/Content-Security-Policy
• Strict-Transport-Security, MDN Web Docs, (accessed 2026), https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Headers/Strict-Transport-Security
• HTTP Headers, MDN Web Docs, (accessed 2026), https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Headers
• Transform Rules, Cloudflare Docs, (accessed 2026), https://developers.cloudflare.com/rules/transform/

Frequently Asked Questions About How To Use SecurityHeaders

How to use SecurityHeaders to audit my website’s security headers?

To use SecurityHeaders, scan one specific URL, save the report, then fix one header “family” at a time and re-scan the same URL. This keeps cause-and-effect clear and prevents random changes. Start with low-breakage headers, then move to Content-Security-Policy carefully.

What does SecurityHeaders check, and why do HTTP security headers matter?

SecurityHeaders requests a page and reads the HTTP response headers your server returns. Those headers tell browsers what to allow or block before JavaScript runs, helping reduce common risks like clickjacking and some XSS paths. It’s a repeatable baseline—not “perfect security”—for fewer easy openings.

How is the SecurityHeaders grade calculated, and what doesn’t it test?

A SecurityHeaders grade mainly reflects whether key headers exist and whether their values meet basic safety expectations; missing or risky values lower the score. It doesn’t scan for malware, verify WordPress plugin safety, audit passwords/MFA, or validate modern TLS. Treat the grade as prioritization, not proof of security.

Which pages should I scan in SecurityHeaders for WordPress or WooCommerce sites?

Scan more than the homepage because headers can vary by path and caching rules. For WooCommerce, prioritize URLs that represent real risk and complex flows: the home page, a product page, /cart/, /checkout/, and account/login pages. Differences between pages often reveal cache, CDN, or route-specific header behavior.

What’s the safest way to add Content-Security-Policy (CSP) after using SecurityHeaders?

Roll out CSP in small steps to avoid breaking checkout, forms, or logins. Start with Content-Security-Policy-Report-Only, collect reports, then tighten and switch to enforced Content-Security-Policy once you trust the allowlist. Inventory third-party scripts (payments, GTM, chat) first, because they drive CSP directives.

Where should I set security headers—WordPress plugins, the server, or Cloudflare?

Best practice is to set headers at the origin server (Apache/Nginx) or at the edge (Cloudflare/managed host), so policies apply before PHP runs and stay consistent. Plugins can work but may conflict with other plugins or caching. After changes, verify per URL in DevTools or with curl and clear caches.