what is hsts preloading

by Prof. Harmon Rath II Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago

HSTS Preloading is a mechanism whereby a list of hosts that wish to enforce the use of SSL

Transport Layer Security

Transport Layer Security (TLS) and its predecessor, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), both of which are frequently referred to as 'SSL', are cryptographic protocols designed to provide communications security over a computer network. Several versions of the protocols are in widespread use in applications such as web browsing, email, Internet faxing, instant messaging, and voice-over-IP (VoIP).

en.wikipedia.org

/TLS on their site is built into a browser. This list is compiled by Google and is utilised by Chrome, Firefox and Safari.

HSTS preloading is a function built into the browser whereby a global list of hosts enforce the use of HTTPS ONLY on their site. This list is compiled by Chromium Project and is utilized by Chrome, Firefox and Safari. These sites do not depend on the issuing of the HSTS response headers to enforce the policy.Feb 3, 2017

Full Answer

Is HSTs preloading a good idea?

HSTS preloading Introduction. The DotGov Program has begun automatically implementing the preloading of HTTP Strict Transport Security records (“HSTS Preloading”) for newly issued federal executive branch.gov domains. Newly registered domains from outside the federal executive branch can also opt-in to preloading.

What extensions can I add to the HSTS Preload list?

HSTS Preloading is a mechanism whereby a list of hosts that wish to enforce the use of SSL/TLS on their site is built into a browser. This isn't to say that the host needs to stop issuing the HSTS response header, this must be left in place for those browsers that don't use preloaded HSTS lists.

How do I preload a subdomain in HSTs?

HSTS preload list. It is possible to enforce secure connections on a higher level, even before visiting a website for the first time: the HSTS preload list. This is a list with domain names that by default support HSTS: no case-by-case HSTS headers are required, it's just always HSTS. This list is managed by Google and used by all major web browsers, including Chrome, Firefox and …

What is the HSTs form used for?

May 08, 2019 · What is HSTS preloading and how to use it? To make sure that your users are protected from the first time that they visit your site, you may add your site to the HSTS preload list in the browser. This means that the next version of the browser will include your site on a static list of sites that are only to be loaded using HTTPS.

Is HSTS preload necessary?

It is possible to enforce secure connections on a higher level, even before visiting a website for the first time: the HSTS preload list. This is a list with domain names that by default support HSTS: no case-by-case HSTS headers are required, it's just always HSTS.

What is HSTS and how it works?

HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) is a web server directive that allows websites to declare that they should only be accessed via a secure connection. When a website has an HSTS policy, any browser accessing it must refuse all HTTP connections and stop users from accepting insecure SSL certificates.

Should HSTS be enabled?

Why Enable HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS)? Enabling HSTS will revoke SSL protocol attacks and cookies hijacking. It will also allow websites to load faster by removing a step in the loading procedure. As you might know that HTTPS is a massive improvement over HTTP, and it is not vulnerable to being hacked.

How do I fix HSTS error?

Clearing HSTS settings in Chrome

Open Google Chrome.
In the “Query HSTS/PKP domain” field enter the domain name “my2.siteimprove.com”.
Enter the domain “my2.siteimprove.com” in the “Delete domain security policies” field and press the Delete button.
Restart the Chrome browser.

Nov 17, 2021

What is maximum age for strict Transportation security?

=31536000

Generally, you want to set a custom HTTP header for Strict-Transport-Security with the value max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains; preload (or some variant).

What is HSTS Cloudflare?

HSTS protects HTTPS web servers from downgrade attacks. These attacks redirect web browsers from an HTTPS web server to an attacker-controlled server, allowing bad actors to compromise user data and cookies.

What happens if HSTS is not enabled?

Sometimes, an IT security scan might report that your site is “missing HSTS” or “HTTP Strict Transport Security” headers. If you encounter this error, then your site isn't using HSTS, which means your HTTPS redirects may be putting your visitors at risk. This is classed as a medium-risk vulnerability.Dec 27, 2021

Do security headers affect SEO?

Security headers are easily overlooked in website audits. While some may say that website security is not an SEO-related concern, it does become SEO-related when a site becomes hacked and search traffic dwindles to zero. Security headers should be a top concern of everyone who publishes anything on the Internet.Feb 23, 2022

Is HSTS good for SEO?

How HSTS helps page load speed and SEO. In addition to adding an extra layer of security to your site, using HSTS may also give you an SEO boost since using HSTS makes your web pages load even faster. We know load time is a big deal when it comes to both search rankings and user experience.Aug 27, 2018

How do I reset HSTS in chrome?

Open Google Chrome. Search for chrome://net-internals/#hsts in your address bar. Locate the Query HSTS/PKP domain field and enter the domain name that you wish to delete HSTS settings for. Finally, enter the domain name in the Delete domain security policies and simply press the Delete button.

How do I clear HSTS settings in opera?

How to remove HSTS Super Cookies in Chrome / Opera: Type in the address bar: chrome://net-internals/#hsts (for Chrome) or opera://net-internals/#hsts (for Opera). Enter the desired domain name in the field “Delete domain” and click “Delete”.

How do I access my HSTS network?

Navigate to chrome://net-internals/#hsts. This is Chrome's UI for managing your browser's local HSTS settings.

What happens if a website is not HTTPS?

Without HTTPS, a visitor’s communication with a website can be modified or monitored by anyone or anything “between” them and the website they’re visiting.

How to contact SSL provider?

SSL certificate providers can contact us at 1-877-734-4688 to verify administrative contact information before issuing an SSL Certificate for a .gov domain name. Due to security reasons, this can only be provided verbally. The information cannot be provided in writing.

Is a certificate valid for a specific domain?

Certificates are only valid for the exact specific domain name shown in the URL bar. Solution: The agency must issue a new certificate valid for that domain name, or reissue an existing certificate to add the domain name to its list of valid domain names. Examples of this include:

Do visitors trust government issued certificates?

Visitors use browsers and operating systems that only trust a certain set of “certificate authorities,” and many visitors from the general public use browsers and operating systems that do not trust government-issued certificates. For websites that serve a public audience, agencies must use commercially issued certificates.

What is the gov domain?

The .gov domain belongs to an agency of the federal government’s executive branch; and. The .gov domain was registered for the first time on a date after May 15, 2017; and. The .gov domain is on the preload list.

HSTS

My previous blog on HSTS goes into detail on all aspects of the HSTS response header, you should probably read that first if you haven't already. If a site uses SSL/TLS, and redirects traffic from HTTP to HTTPS using a 301/302, then their implementation can't be complete without issuing the HSTS response header.

What is HSTS Preloading

HSTS Preloading is a mechanism whereby a list of hosts that wish to enforce the use of SSL/TLS on their site is built into a browser. This list is compiled by Google and is utilised by Chrome, Firefox and Safari.

Signing up

Adam Langley runs a website here where you can sign up to have your domain name included in the HSTS preload list. To ensure that domains aren't submitted without the owners consent, you have to modify the HSTS response header on your server to indicate that you wish to be preloaded.

But it doesn't scale

Whilst there is the potential for these lists to scale to huge numbers without being too much of a burden to download, it's not really a future proof solution. Not to mention that managing domains on the list could be problematic when inevitably somebody wants a domain removing.

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What is HSTS preload?

What are HSTS and the HSTS preload list? The HSTS (HTTP Strict Transport Security) protocol is a policy / mechanism that forces a web connection over a secure HTTPS channel. In other words: without a valid SSL certificate, such a website will not load in your browser. The browser will not even show the option to ignore the SSL warning.

Is HSTS header accepted?

Note that the HSTS header is accepted only in case the connection is already secure. The HSTS header is ignored by the browser if the page is served over an HTTP connection. For that reason, it is important that you automatically redirect every HTTP request to HTTPS.

What does HSTS stand for?

HSTS stands for HTTP Strict Transport Security. It is a method used by websites to declare that they should only be accessed using a secure connection (HTTPS). If a website declares an HSTS policy, the browser must refuse all HTTP connections and prevent users from accepting insecure SSL certificates.

What is HSTS policy?

It is a method used by websites to declare that they should only be accessed using a secure connection (HTTPS). If a website declares an HSTS policy, the browser must refuse all HTTP connections and prevent users from accepting insecure SSL certificates. HSTS is currently supported by most major browsers (only some mobile browsers fail to use it).

Why is SSL stripping important?

The primary goal of creating this standard was to help avoid man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks that use SSL stripping. SSL stripping is a technique where an attacker forces the browser to connect to a site using HTTP so that they can sniff packets and intercept or modify sensitive information.

What happens if HTTPS is not available?

If HTTPS is not available, the connection must be terminated. Additionally, if the certificate is not valid, you will be prevented from making a connection. Usually, if a certificate is not valid (expired, self-signed, signed by an unknown CA, etc.) the browser displays a warning that you can circumvent.

Which browsers use HSTS?

This method is not part of the HSTS standard but it is used by all major browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera, IE11, and Edge). The only currently known method that could be used to bypass HSTS is an NTP-based attack.

What happens if a certificate is not valid?

Usually, if a certificate is not valid (expired, self-signed, signed by an unknown CA, etc.) the browser displays a warning that you can circumvent.

Information

This form is used to submit domains for inclusion in Chrome's HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) preload list. This is a list of sites that are hardcoded into Chrome as being HTTPS only.

Submission Requirements

If a site sends the preload directive in an HSTS header, it is considered to be requesting inclusion in the preload list and may be submitted via the form on this site.

Continued Requirements

You must make sure your site continues to satisfy the submission requirements at all times. Note that removing the preload directive from your header will make your site immediately eligible for the removal form, and that sites may be removed automatically in the future for failing to keep up the requirements.

Deployment Recommendations

If your site is committed to HTTPS and you want to preload HSTS, we suggest the following steps:

Preloading Should Be Opt-In

If you maintain a project that provides HTTPS configuration advice or provides an option to enable HSTS, do not include the preload directive by default. We get regular emails from site operators who tried out HSTS this way, only to find themselves on the preload list by the time they find they need to remove HSTS to access certain subdomains.

Removal

Be aware that inclusion in the preload list cannot easily be undone. Domains can be removed, but it takes months for a change to reach users with a Chrome update and we cannot make guarantees about other browsers. Don't request inclusion unless you're sure that you can support HTTPS for your entire site and all its subdomains in the long term.

TLD Preloading

Owners of gTLDs, ccTLDs, or any other public suffix domains are welcome to preload HSTS across all their registerable domains. This ensures robust security for the whole TLD, and is much simpler than preloading each individual domain. Please contact us if you're interested, or would like to learn more.