What is the difference between CSP report-only and enforced mode?

Content-Security-Policy enforces the policy and blocks violations. Content-Security-Policy-Report-Only only reports violations without blocking. Start with report-only to identify issues, then switch to enforced once your policy is correct.

How-To Guide

How to Set Up Content Security Policy (CSP)

Q: What is Content Security Policy (CSP)?

Content Security Policy is an HTTP header that tells browsers which sources of content are allowed to load on your page. It prevents XSS attacks by blocking unauthorized scripts, styles, images, and other resources from executing or loading.

Q: Should I use 'unsafe-inline' in my CSP?

'unsafe-inline' significantly weakens CSP protection against XSS. Instead, use nonces or hashes for inline scripts. For styles, 'unsafe-inline' is often needed for CSS-in-JS libraries, but try to migrate to external stylesheets when possible.

Q: What is a CSP nonce and how does it work?

A nonce is a random, one-time-use value generated for each request. You add the nonce to your CSP header (script-src 'nonce-abc123') and to each inline script tag (nonce='abc123'). Only scripts with matching nonces execute, preventing injected scripts from running.

The most powerful security header - configured correctly

TL;DR

TL;DR (25 minutes)

Content Security Policy prevents XSS by controlling which resources can load. Start with Content-Security-Policy-Report-Only to test without breaking your site. Use default-src 'self' as your baseline, add nonces for inline scripts, and include third-party domains only where needed. Monitor violations with report-uri before switching to enforced mode.

Prerequisites

Ability to set HTTP headers (via server config, middleware, or hosting platform)
Understanding of what resources your app loads (scripts, styles, images, fonts)
Access to browser DevTools for testing
Optional: A reporting endpoint for CSP violations

What is Content Security Policy?

CSP is an HTTP header that tells browsers which sources of content are trusted. When a resource violates the policy, the browser blocks it and optionally reports the violation.

Why CSP Matters

Even if an attacker injects malicious code into your page (via XSS or compromised dependencies), CSP prevents it from executing if it doesn't match your policy. It's your last line of defense against script injection.

CSP Directive Reference

Directive	Controls	Example
default-src	Fallback for all resource types	'self'
script-src	JavaScript sources	'self' 'nonce-abc'
style-src	CSS sources	'self' 'unsafe-inline'
img-src	Image sources	'self' data: https:
font-src	Font sources	'self' https://fonts.gstatic.com
connect-src	XHR, WebSocket, fetch() URLs	'self' https://api.example.com
frame-src	iframe sources	'self' https://youtube.com
frame-ancestors	Who can embed this page	'none' or 'self'
object-src	Flash, plugins	'none'
base-uri	<base></base> tag URLs	'self'
form-action	Form submission URLs	'self'

Step-by-Step Implementation

Start with Report-Only Mode

Use Content-Security-Policy-Report-Only to test without breaking your site:

Content-Security-Policy-Report-Only: default-src 'self'; report-uri /csp-report

This logs violations to the console and your reporting endpoint without blocking anything.

Build Your Base Policy

Start strict and add exceptions as needed:

Content-Security-Policy:
  default-src 'self';
  script-src 'self';
  style-src 'self';
  img-src 'self';
  font-src 'self';
  connect-src 'self';
  frame-src 'none';
  object-src 'none';
  base-uri 'self';
  form-action 'self';
  frame-ancestors 'none';
  upgrade-insecure-requests;

Add Third-Party Resources

Identify and allow external resources your app needs:

Content-Security-Policy:
  default-src 'self';
  script-src 'self' https://cdn.jsdelivr.net https://www.googletagmanager.com;
  style-src 'self' https://fonts.googleapis.com;
  img-src 'self' data: https: blob:;
  font-src 'self' https://fonts.gstatic.com;
  connect-src 'self' https://api.example.com https://analytics.example.com;
  frame-src https://www.youtube.com https://player.vimeo.com;
  object-src 'none';
  base-uri 'self';
  form-action 'self';
  frame-ancestors 'none';

Implement Nonces for Inline Scripts

Instead of using 'unsafe-inline', use nonces:

Generate a unique nonce for each request:

// Express.js middleware
const crypto = require('crypto');

app.use((req, res, next) => {
  res.locals.nonce = crypto.randomBytes(16).toString('base64');
  next();
});

app.use((req, res, next) => {
  const nonce = res.locals.nonce;
  res.setHeader('Content-Security-Policy',
    `default-src 'self'; ` +
    `script-src 'self' 'nonce-${nonce}' 'strict-dynamic'; ` +
    `style-src 'self' 'nonce-${nonce}';`
  );
  next();
});

Add nonce to your inline scripts:

<!-- In your HTML template -->
<script nonce="<%= nonce %>">
  // This inline script will execute
  console.log('Authorized inline script');
</script>

<script>
  // This will be BLOCKED - no nonce
  console.log('Unauthorized script');
</script>

Use Hashes for Static Inline Scripts (Alternative)

For static inline scripts that don't change, use hashes:

# Generate hash of your inline script
echo -n "console.log('Hello');" | openssl dgst -sha256 -binary | openssl base64
# Output: 5jFwrAK0UV47oFbVg/iCCBbxD8X1w+QvoOUepu4C2YA=

Add the hash to your CSP:

Content-Security-Policy: script-src 'self' 'sha256-5jFwrAK0UV47oFbVg/iCCBbxD8X1w+QvoOUepu4C2YA=';

Set Up Violation Reporting

Create an endpoint to receive CSP violation reports:

// Express.js endpoint for CSP reports
app.post('/csp-report', express.json({ type: 'application/csp-report' }), (req, res) => {
  const report = req.body['csp-report'];
  console.log('CSP Violation:', {
    blockedUri: report['blocked-uri'],
    violatedDirective: report['violated-directive'],
    documentUri: report['document-uri'],
    sourceFile: report['source-file'],
    lineNumber: report['line-number'],
  });

  // Send to your logging service
  // await logService.log('csp-violation', report);

  res.status(204).end();
});

Add report-uri to your CSP:

Content-Security-Policy: default-src 'self'; report-uri /csp-report;

Modern reporting with report-to:

# Headers
Report-To: {"group":"csp-endpoint","max_age":10886400,"endpoints":[{"url":"/csp-report"}]}
Content-Security-Policy: default-src 'self'; report-to csp-endpoint;

Switch to Enforced Mode

Once violations are resolved, remove -Report-Only from the header:

# Before (testing)
Content-Security-Policy-Report-Only: default-src 'self'; ...

# After (enforced)
Content-Security-Policy: default-src 'self'; ...

CSP Security Checklist

Never use 'unsafe-inline' for script-src if possible - use nonces instead
Avoid 'unsafe-eval' unless absolutely required (some frameworks need it)
Always include object-src 'none' to block Flash/plugins
Use frame-ancestors 'none' or 'self' to prevent clickjacking
Include base-uri 'self' to prevent base tag hijacking
Test thoroughly in report-only mode before enforcing
Monitor violation reports after deployment

Common CSP Configurations

Strict CSP for Modern Apps

Content-Security-Policy:
  default-src 'self';
  script-src 'self' 'nonce-{random}' 'strict-dynamic';
  style-src 'self' 'nonce-{random}';
  img-src 'self' data: https:;
  font-src 'self';
  connect-src 'self' https://api.yoursite.com;
  frame-src 'none';
  object-src 'none';
  base-uri 'self';
  form-action 'self';
  frame-ancestors 'none';
  upgrade-insecure-requests;

Next.js / React Application

Content-Security-Policy:
  default-src 'self';
  script-src 'self' 'unsafe-eval' 'unsafe-inline';
  style-src 'self' 'unsafe-inline';
  img-src 'self' data: blob: https:;
  font-src 'self' https://fonts.gstatic.com;
  connect-src 'self' wss: https:;
  frame-src 'self';
  object-src 'none';
  base-uri 'self';
  form-action 'self';
  frame-ancestors 'self';

Note: 'unsafe-eval' is needed for development hot reloading. Consider removing in production.

Static Marketing Site

Content-Security-Policy:
  default-src 'self';
  script-src 'self' https://www.googletagmanager.com https://www.google-analytics.com;
  style-src 'self' 'unsafe-inline' https://fonts.googleapis.com;
  img-src 'self' data: https:;
  font-src 'self' https://fonts.gstatic.com;
  connect-src 'self' https://www.google-analytics.com;
  frame-src https://www.youtube.com;
  object-src 'none';
  base-uri 'self';
  form-action 'self' https://formsubmit.co;
  frame-ancestors 'none';
  upgrade-insecure-requests;

E-commerce with Payment Integration

Content-Security-Policy:
  default-src 'self';
  script-src 'self' https://js.stripe.com https://www.paypal.com;
  style-src 'self' 'unsafe-inline';
  img-src 'self' data: https: blob:;
  font-src 'self' https://fonts.gstatic.com;
  connect-src 'self' https://api.stripe.com https://api.yoursite.com;
  frame-src https://js.stripe.com https://www.paypal.com;
  object-src 'none';
  base-uri 'self';
  form-action 'self' https://api.stripe.com;
  frame-ancestors 'none';

How to Verify It Worked

Method 1: Browser Console

Open DevTools (F12)
Go to Console tab
Look for CSP violation errors (red text mentioning "Refused to...")
Each violation shows what was blocked and why

Method 2: CSP Evaluator

Use Google's CSP Evaluator to analyze your policy for weaknesses.

Method 3: Security Headers Scanner

# Check your CSP header
curl -I https://yoursite.com | grep -i content-security-policy

Method 4: Test XSS is Blocked

Try injecting a script via URL parameters (if your app reflects user input):

# This should be blocked by CSP
https://yoursite.com/search?q=<script>alert('xss')</script>

Common Errors and Troubleshooting

Inline scripts blocked

Solution A: Add nonces to inline scripts
Solution B: Move inline scripts to external files
Solution C: Use 'unsafe-inline' (weakens security)

Third-party scripts blocked

Identify the domain: Check console for the blocked URL
Add to script-src: script-src 'self' https://cdn.example.com
Check subdomains: You might need https://*.example.com

Styles not loading

Inline styles: Add 'unsafe-inline' to style-src or use nonces
External stylesheets: Add the stylesheet domain to style-src
CSS-in-JS: Many libraries require 'unsafe-inline'

Images not loading

Base64 images: Add data: to img-src
External images: Add https: or specific domains
Blob URLs: Add blob: to img-src

API calls blocked

Fetch/XHR: Add API domain to connect-src
WebSockets: Add wss: and WebSocket URL to connect-src

Pro Tip: Iterative CSP Development

Start with the most permissive working policy, then gradually tighten it. Use report-only mode and violation logs to identify what needs to be allowed. Aim to remove 'unsafe-inline' and 'unsafe-eval' over time.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Content Security Policy (CSP)?

CSP is an HTTP header that tells browsers which content sources are allowed on your page. It prevents XSS attacks by blocking unauthorized scripts, styles, images, and other resources from loading or executing.

Why does my CSP break my website?

CSP blocks content that doesn't match your policy. Common issues: inline scripts blocked (use nonces), third-party resources blocked (add their domains), or eval() calls blocked (add 'unsafe-eval'). Check browser console for specific violations.

Should I use 'unsafe-inline' in my CSP?

'unsafe-inline' significantly weakens XSS protection. Use nonces or hashes for inline scripts instead. For styles, 'unsafe-inline' is often needed for CSS-in-JS libraries, but migrate to external stylesheets when possible.

What is a CSP nonce and how does it work?

A nonce is a random, one-time value generated for each request. Add it to your CSP header (script-src 'nonce-abc123') and to each authorized inline script (nonce="abc123"). Only scripts with matching nonces execute.

What is the difference between report-only and enforced mode?

Content-Security-Policy blocks violations. Content-Security-Policy-Report-Only only reports them without blocking. Start with report-only to identify issues, then switch to enforced once your policy is correct.

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How to Set Up Content Security Policy (CSP)

TL;DR

What is Content Security Policy (CSP)?

Why does my CSP break my website?

Should I use 'unsafe-inline' in my CSP?

What is a CSP nonce and how does it work?

What is the difference between report-only and enforced mode?

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How to Set Up Content Security Policy (CSP)