Implement HSTS

The HTTP Strict Transport Security policy allows to protect users by declaring that they must interact with the webserver using a secure connection.

It is implemented by adding headers.

Apache

• Add it fo all Apache websites of the account via global directives (menu Web > Configuration > Apache):

Header always set Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains"

• Or for each website by adding at the start of a .htaccess created at the root of the websites:

<IfModule mod_headers.c>

Header always set Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains"

</IfModule>

uWSGI

Add in uWSGI additional settings (menu Web > Site > Modify the [site] - ⚙️ > Advanced Settings):

plugins = router_redirect
route-if-not = equal:${HTTPS};on redirect-permanent:https://${HTTP_HOST}${REQUEST_URI}
route-if = equal:${HTTPS};on addheader:Strict-Transport-Security: max-age=31536000

• Documentation

Node.js

To put before any other controller:

app.use(function(req, res, next) {
  if (req.secure) {
    res.setHeader('Strict-Transport-Security', 'max-age=63072000; includeSubDomains') // 2 years
  }
  next()
})

Other method using the helmet NPM package:

var helmet = require('helmet')
    ... 
    app.use(helmet.hsts({
          maxAge: 31536000000,
          includeSubdomains: true,
          force: true
    }));

Directives

• max-age defines the period of application of a given HSTS policy by browsers (31536000 = for one year),
• includeSubDomains allows to apply HSTS to both domain and subdomains,
• preload allows to add the site in the preloaded HSTS lists.

max-age is required unlike the other ones.

• RFC 6797
• Verify its HSTS configuration via HSTS preload