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Security Header

What is Security Header?

HTTP response headers that instruct browsers to enforce security policies, including Content-Security-Policy, X-Frame-Options, and Strict-Transport-Security.

Information Security

Frameworks that govern security header

ISO 27001:2022View framework →NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0View framework →CIS Controls v8View framework →

What the standards actually require on security header

Requirements naming security header across 5 standards, quoted from the control text.

NATO STANAG 4774 (Confidentiality Metadata Labels) and STANAG 4778 (Metadata Binding)1 control

Chapters 6, 7 and 11: in SOAP (urn:nato:stanag:4778:profile:soap 1:1) the BDO sits in a WS-Security Security header holding only the BindingInformation element, with the actor (SOAP 1.1) or role (SOAP 1.2) attribute set as the profile specifies.

nato-stanag-4774-confidentiality-metadata-labels-and-stanag-4778-metadata-binding::4778.2-6 · Bind labels to web service messages (SOAP, REST and WSMP profiles) →
OWASP API Security Top 10 - 20231 control

Address API8:2023 Security Misconfiguration + OWASP-API-PRG-01 Secure API Design and Threat Modelling per OWASP API Security Top 10 2023.

OWASPAPI-6 · Security Misconfiguration and Secure API Design →
OWASP ASVS1 control

Per OWASP ASVS V14: implement secure configuration. Requirements include (a) maintain hardened baseline configurations across application + middleware + runtime + container + cloud infrastructure + (b) implement configuration management with drift detection +...

OWASPASVS-14 · Configuration and Hardening (V14) →
OWASP Top 10:20251 control

Address OWASP Top 10 A05 Security Misconfiguration per OWASP Top 10:2025. Security Misconfiguration occurs across application + middleware + runtime + infrastructure including default credentials + unnecessary features enabled + verbose error messages + missin...

OWASPTOP10-5 · A05:2025 Security Misconfiguration →
PCI SSF1 control

To defend its internet-facing interfaces, the software applies, or at least allows the use of, current HTTP security headers.

pci-ssf::C.3.1 · Secure Software Standard C.3.1 (Web Software Attack Mitigation) →

Questions people ask about security header

What is Security Header?
HTTP response headers that instruct browsers to enforce security policies, including Content-Security-Policy, X-Frame-Options, and Strict-Transport-Security.
Why is Security Header important for compliance?
Security Header is a key concept in Information Security. Understanding security header helps organizations meet regulatory requirements, reduce risk, and demonstrate due diligence during audits. Our compliance platform maps 1,016 frameworks with 316K cross-framework control mappings.
Which compliance frameworks address Security Header?
Security Header appears in the requirement text of NATO STANAG 4774 (Confidentiality Metadata Labels) and STANAG 4778 (Metadata Binding), OWASP API Security Top 10 - 2023, OWASP ASVS, OWASP Top 10:2025, PCI SSF. Across these standards we have identified 5 controls that name it directly, each linked to the control text on the compliance platform.
Where can I learn more about Security Header?
Explore our compliance framework pages to see how security header applies across different standards and regulations. Our implementation guides provide step-by-step guidance, and the compliance platform offers AI-powered analysis of how this concept maps across 1,016 frameworks.

See how Security Header applies across compliance frameworks

Our platform maps 1,016 frameworks with 316K cross-framework control mappings. Explore how this concept is addressed across standards.

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Written and maintained by Gerard Blokdyk, The Art of Service.