Adding HTTP security headers using Amazon CloudFront

This article explains how to implement HTTP security headers using Amazon CloudFront to protect web applications from common vulnerabilities like XSS and clickjacking.

• Security headers protect against XSS, clickjacking, and man-in-the-middle attacks
• CloudFront response headers policies offer managed and custom header configurations
• Three implementation methods: response headers policies, CloudFront Functions, Lambda@Edge
• Managed SecurityHeadersPolicy includes Strict-Transport-Security, Content-Security-Policy, X-Frame-Options
• CloudFront Functions for lightweight JavaScript-based conditional header logic
• Lambda@Edge for complex requirements including network calls and third-party libraries
• No server-side code modifications required; reduces origin server compute load
• Mozilla Observatory can verify security improvements after implementation

CloudFront enables centralized, flexible HTTP security header management without modifying origin server code, improving security posture across web applications.