Skip to content
https://freep.com

Security

· 12 checks — HTTP headers, CSP, TLS handshake, and cookie hygiene rolled into one auditable list.
SCORE
70
GRADE
C
FIX
4
REVIEW
4
PASS
4
INFO
0
Checks
12
4 PASS 4 REVIEW 4 FIX
F
Security Headers
Action
3 of 10 headers properly configured
FIX
3 of 10 headers properly configured
Critical::
HSTS header is missing
Strict-Transport-Security forces browsers to use HTTPS, preventing downgrade attacks. Add the header with a max-age of at least 1 year.
Expected: max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains
Warning::
X-Content-Type-Options header is missing
This header prevents MIME-type sniffing, which can lead to XSS attacks. Set it to 'nosniff'.
Expected: nosniff
Warning::
X-Frame-Options header is missing
This header prevents clickjacking by controlling who can embed your page in a frame. Set it to DENY or SAMEORIGIN.
Expected: DENY
Warning::
Referrer-Policy header is missing
Controls how much referrer information is sent with requests. Set to 'strict-origin-when-cross-origin' or stricter.
Expected: strict-origin-when-cross-origin
Warning::
Permissions-Policy header is missing
Controls which browser features (camera, microphone, geolocation) are allowed. Set it to restrict unused features.
Expected: geolocation=(), camera=(), microphone=()
Info::
Content-Security-Policy is present
Got: upgrade-insecure-requests
Warning::
Cross-Origin-Opener-Policy header is missing
COOP isolates your browsing context, preventing cross-origin side-channel attacks. Set to 'same-origin'.
Expected: same-origin
Warning::
Cross-Origin-Embedder-Policy header is missing
COEP prevents loading cross-origin resources without explicit permission. Required for SharedArrayBuffer and high-resolution timers.
Expected: require-corp
Info::
X-Powered-By header is not present
Info::
Server header is not present

Strict-Transport-Security forces browsers to use HTTPS, preventing downgrade attacks. Add the header with a max-age of at least 1 year.

Expected: max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains
Why this matters

Without HSTS, a network attacker can downgrade the very first connection to HTTP and steal the user's session.

Learn more ▾

HSTS tells browsers 'never speak HTTP to this domain again.' Without it, a network attacker (public WiFi, malicious ISP, hostile DNS) intercepts the first HTTP attempt and serves a downgraded version of your site. One header, big surface reduction.

Source: RFC 6797 / OWASP

This header prevents MIME-type sniffing, which can lead to XSS attacks. Set it to 'nosniff'.

Expected: nosniff
Why this matters

MIME sniffing lets browsers run uploaded files as JavaScript, turning a file upload into an XSS.

Learn more ▾

Setting X-Content-Type-Options: nosniff tells browsers to trust your declared Content-Type instead of guessing. Without it, an attacker who uploads a polyglot file can sometimes get it executed as a script. One header, no downside.

Source: OWASP / MDN

This header prevents clickjacking by controlling who can embed your page in a frame. Set it to DENY or SAMEORIGIN.

Expected: DENY
Why this matters

Without frame protection, your site can be embedded in a hostile page and used for clickjacking.

Learn more ▾

Clickjacking overlays your site under a transparent malicious page so users click invisible buttons. Setting X-Frame-Options: DENY (or a modern frame-ancestors CSP directive) blocks the embedding entirely. There's almost never a legitimate reason to allow it.

Source: OWASP / MDN

Controls how much referrer information is sent with requests. Set to 'strict-origin-when-cross-origin' or stricter.

Expected: strict-origin-when-cross-origin
Why this matters

Default browser behavior leaks full URLs (including query params and tokens) to every third-party resource — set a strict policy.

Learn more ▾

Without a Referrer-Policy header, browsers send the full referring URL with images, scripts, and fonts loaded from third-party origins. URLs containing tokens, user IDs, or session params end up in third-party logs. Set `Referrer-Policy: strict-origin-when-cross-origin` (or stricter) to limit leakage.

Source: MDN / W3C

Controls which browser features (camera, microphone, geolocation) are allowed. Set it to restrict unused features.

Expected: geolocation=(), camera=(), microphone=()
Why this matters

Permissions-Policy locks down browser APIs you don't use — without it, every page can request camera/mic/geolocation if XSS lands.

Learn more ▾

By default every page can request the camera, microphone, geolocation, payment APIs, and dozens more. Permissions-Policy turns off the ones you don't need so a future bug can't quietly start using them. It's a defense-in-depth header — one line, big surface reduction.

Source: MDN / W3C

COOP isolates your browsing context, preventing cross-origin side-channel attacks. Set to 'same-origin'.

Expected: same-origin
Why this matters

COOP isolates your top-level browsing context from cross-origin windows — without it, popup-based side-channel attacks remain possible.

Learn more ▾

Cross-Origin-Opener-Policy: same-origin prevents cross-origin pages from sharing a browsing-context group with yours. This blocks cross-window references that enable Spectre-style timing attacks and tab-nabbing. Required if you want to enable SharedArrayBuffer.

Source: MDN / web.dev

COEP prevents loading cross-origin resources without explicit permission. Required for SharedArrayBuffer and high-resolution timers.

Expected: require-corp
Why this matters

COEP enforces that all embedded resources opt-in to cross-origin embedding — required for cross-origin isolation features.

Learn more ▾

Cross-Origin-Embedder-Policy: require-corp ensures every embedded resource (script, iframe, image) explicitly allows being loaded cross-origin. Combined with COOP, this enables the cross-origin-isolated context that unlocks SharedArrayBuffer, high-resolution timers, and other powerful APIs.

Source: MDN / web.dev

F
Subresource Integrity
Action
0 of 11 external resources have SRI
FIX
0 of 11 external resources have SRI
Warning::
External script from cdn.cookielaw.org lacks integrity attribute
Without SRI, if this CDN is compromised, attackers could inject malicious code.
Got: https://cdn.cookielaw.org/scripttemplates/otSDKStub.js
Warning::
External script from cpt-static.gannettdigital.com lacks integrity attribute
Without SRI, if this CDN is compromised, attackers could inject malicious code.
Got: https://cpt-static.gannettdigital.com/universal-web-client/master/latest/vendor/components/webcomponentsjs/webcomponents-loader.js
Warning::
External script from polyfill-fastly.io lacks integrity attribute
Without SRI, if this CDN is compromised, attackers could inject malicious code.
Got: https://polyfill-fastly.io/v2/polyfill.min.js?features=default,fetch,Array.prototype.find,IntersectionObserver,IntersectionObserverEntry,Intl,Intl.~locale.en-US
Warning::
External script from cdn.cookielaw.org lacks integrity attribute
Without SRI, if this CDN is compromised, attackers could inject malicious code.
Got: https://cdn.cookielaw.org/scripttemplates/202601.2.0/otBannerSdk.js
Warning::
External script from cpt-static.gannettdigital.com lacks integrity attribute
Without SRI, if this CDN is compromised, attackers could inject malicious code.
Got: https://cpt-static.gannettdigital.com/universal-web-client/master/latest/vendor/components/webcomponentsjs/webcomponents-hi.js
Warning::
External script from cdn.cookielaw.org lacks integrity attribute
Without SRI, if this CDN is compromised, attackers could inject malicious code.
Got: https://cdn.cookielaw.org/scripttemplates/202601.2.0/otTCF.js
Warning::
External script from cpt-static.gannettdigital.com lacks integrity attribute
Without SRI, if this CDN is compromised, attackers could inject malicious code.
Got: https://cpt-static.gannettdigital.com/universal-web-client/master/latest/core/scripts/gallium.js
Warning::
External script from cpt-static.gannettdigital.com lacks integrity attribute
Without SRI, if this CDN is compromised, attackers could inject malicious code.
Got: https://cpt-static.gannettdigital.com/universal-web-client/master/latest/core/bundles/gallium.js
Warning::
External script from cpt-static.gannettdigital.com lacks integrity attribute
Without SRI, if this CDN is compromised, attackers could inject malicious code.
Got: https://cpt-static.gannettdigital.com/universal-web-client/master/latest/vendor/components/webcomponentsjs/custom-elements-es5-adapter.js
Warning::
External script from cpt-static.gannettdigital.com lacks integrity attribute
Without SRI, if this CDN is compromised, attackers could inject malicious code.
Got: https://cpt-static.gannettdigital.com/universal-web-client/master/latest/core/bundles/section.js
Warning::
External script from atoms.freep.com lacks integrity attribute
Without SRI, if this CDN is compromised, attackers could inject malicious code.
Got: https://atoms.freep.com/atoms-library/prod/dist/gannett-atoms-library.js
SRI Coverage 0 / 11 of external resources have integrity hashes
TagDomainIntegrity
<script>cdn.cookielaw.org✗ Missing
<script>cpt-static.gannettdigital.com✗ Missing
<script>polyfill-fastly.io✗ Missing
<script>cdn.cookielaw.org✗ Missing
<script>cpt-static.gannettdigital.com✗ Missing
<script>cdn.cookielaw.org✗ Missing
<script>cpt-static.gannettdigital.com✗ Missing
<script>cpt-static.gannettdigital.com✗ Missing
<script>cpt-static.gannettdigital.com✗ Missing
<script>cpt-static.gannettdigital.com✗ Missing
<script>atoms.freep.com✗ Missing
D
Email Security
Action
DMARC: none
FIX
DMARC: none
Warning::
DMARC policy is none — monitoring only
This only monitors, it doesn't block spoofed emails. Change to p=quarantine or p=reject.
DMARC
Policy none — monitoring only, does not block spoofing Record v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc_agg@vali.email

This only monitors, it doesn't block spoofed emails. Change to p=quarantine or p=reject.

Why this matters

DMARC p=none collects reports but doesn't actually block spoofed mail — phishing emails still reach inboxes.

Learn more ▾

DMARC's three policies are p=none (monitor only), p=quarantine (mark as spam), and p=reject (bounce). Most domains start at p=none to gather data, but stay there forever, leaving spoofers unblocked. After 30 days of clean DMARC reports, graduate to p=quarantine, then p=reject.

Source: DMARC.org / NIST

D
Permissions-Policy
Action
No header set
FIX
No header set
Warning::
No Permissions-Policy header
Consider adding a Permissions-Policy header to restrict browser feature access from embedded content.

No Permissions-Policy header set.

Without this header, embedded iframes can request access to sensitive device features.

Suggested header
Permissions-Policy: camera=(), microphone=(), geolocation=(), payment=(), usb=()
C
Content Security Policy
Action
2 of 10 CSP checks passed
REVIEW
2 of 10 CSP checks passed
Info::
Raw CSP policy
Got: upgrade-insecure-requests
Warning::
default-src directive is missing
default-src provides a fallback for other directives. Set it to restrict default resource loading.
Expected: default-src 'self'
Info::
No script-src or default-src to check for 'unsafe-inline'
Info::
No script-src or default-src to check for 'unsafe-eval'
Info::
No script-src or default-src to check for wildcard
Info::
object-src falls back to default-src
Warning::
base-uri directive is missing
Without base-uri, attackers can inject a <base> tag to hijack relative URLs. Set it to 'self' or 'none'.
Expected: base-uri 'self'
Warning::
frame-ancestors directive is missing
frame-ancestors controls who can embed your page, preventing clickjacking. Set it to 'self' or 'none'.
Expected: frame-ancestors 'self'
Warning::
form-action directive is missing
form-action restricts where forms can submit data, preventing form hijacking.
Expected: form-action 'self'
Info::
upgrade-insecure-requests is enabled

default-src provides a fallback for other directives. Set it to restrict default resource loading.

Expected: default-src 'self'
Why this matters

Security gaps expose your site and users to attacks, eroding trust.

Without base-uri, attackers can inject a <base> tag to hijack relative URLs. Set it to 'self' or 'none'.

Expected: base-uri 'self'
Why this matters

Missing base-uri in CSP leaves a base-tag injection attack path open even on otherwise strict policies.

Learn more ▾

A common omission: developers add CSP for script-src and frame-ancestors but forget base-uri. The result is a CSP that looks strict but lets an attacker rewrite every URL on the page via <base href>. Add `base-uri 'self'` to close the gap.

Source: MDN CSP

frame-ancestors controls who can embed your page, preventing clickjacking. Set it to 'self' or 'none'.

Expected: frame-ancestors 'self'
Why this matters

Security gaps expose your site and users to attacks, eroding trust.

form-action restricts where forms can submit data, preventing form hijacking.

Expected: form-action 'self'
Why this matters

Security gaps expose your site and users to attacks, eroding trust.

Parsed Policy

upgrade-insecure-requests
B
CORS Configuration
No CORS headers
REVIEW
No CORS headers
Info::
No CORS headers present — secure default
CORS Configuration ✓ Secure

No CORS headers detected.

Cross-origin requests are blocked by browser same-origin policy.

Origin reflection test

Some servers mirror the request Origin header, which can be exploited. Test manually:

curl -sI -H "Origin: https://evil.com" <url> | grep -i access-control
B
security.txt
Published with 1 contact(s)
REVIEW

security.txt

Contact: https://www.gannett.com/responsible-disclosure-program/
Expires: 2026-08-30T00:00:00Z
B
Transport Security
HTTP/3, HSTS, and TLS version analysis
REVIEW
HTTP/3, HSTS, and TLS version analysis
Info::
HTTP/3 (QUIC) not advertised
HTTP/3 eliminates head-of-line blocking. If your CDN supports it, consider enabling it.
Warning::
Missing Strict-Transport-Security header
HSTS tells browsers to only use HTTPS, preventing SSL stripping attacks.
Info::
TLS 1.3 in use (fastest handshake, 1-RTT)
A+
TLS & Certificates
TLS 1.3, 7 checks passed
PASS
TLS 1.3, 7 checks passed
Info::
TLS 1.3 is used
Got: TLS 1.3
Info::
Strong cipher suite is used
Got: TLS_AES_128_GCM_SHA256
Info::
HTTP/2 is not negotiated
HTTP/2 provides multiplexing and header compression for better performance.
Got: http/1.1
Info::
Certificate is valid (expires in 72 days)
Got: 2026-07-03T07:41:19Z
Info::
Certificate chain has 2 certificates
Info::
Certificate uses modern signature algorithm
Got: SHA256-RSA
Info::
Certificate covers 30 domain(s)
Got: *.app.com, *.azcentral.com, *.cincinnati.com, *.desmoinesregister.com, *.detroitnews.com, *.freep.com, *.gannett-cdn.com, *.gannettdigital.com, *.gcion.com, *.indystar.com, *.jsonline.com, *.northjersey.com, *.tennessean.com, *.usatoday.com, *.usatodaynetworkservice.com, app.com, azcentral.com, cincinnati.com, desmoinesregister.com, detroitnews.com, freep.com, gannett-cdn.com, gannettdigital.com, gcion.com, indystar.com, jsonline.com, northjersey.com, tennessean.com, usatoday.com, usatodaynetworkservice.com
Info::
Certificate is issued by a trusted CA
Got: CN=R13,O=Let's Encrypt,C=US

HTTP/2 provides multiplexing and header compression for better performance.

Why this matters

HTTP/1.1 forces the browser to make sequential requests, multiplying latency on every page.

Learn more ▾

HTTP/2 (and HTTP/3) multiplex many requests over a single connection, eliminating head-of-line blocking. HTTP/1.1 forces the browser to either queue requests or open many parallel connections — both worse. Most modern web servers support HTTP/2 with one config line.

Source: MDN Web Docs

Connection
Protocol
TLS 1.3
Cipher Suite
TLS_AES_128_GCM_SHA256
HTTP Version
HTTP/1.1

Certificate Chain

Leaf Certificate
Subject CN=usatoday.comIssuer CN=R13,O=Let's Encrypt,C=USValid 2026-04-04T07:41:20Z → 2026-07-03T07:41:19ZExpires in 72 days SANs *.app.com, *.azcentral.com, *.cincinnati.com, *.desmoinesregister.com, *.detroitnews.com, *.freep.com, *.gannett-cdn.com, *.gannettdigital.com, *.gcion.com, *.indystar.com, *.jsonline.com, *.northjersey.com, *.tennessean.com, *.usatoday.com, *.usatodaynetworkservice.com, app.com, azcentral.com, cincinnati.com, desmoinesregister.com, detroitnews.com, freep.com, gannett-cdn.com, gannettdigital.com, gcion.com, indystar.com, jsonline.com, northjersey.com, tennessean.com, usatoday.com, usatodaynetworkservice.comSignature SHA256-RSASerial 64df53ca0893b45ea09c01ce896cf03a41b
Intermediate (CA Certificate)
Subject CN=R13,O=Let's Encrypt,C=USIssuer CN=ISRG Root X1,O=Internet Security Research Group,C=USValid 2024-03-13T00:00:00Z → 2027-03-12T23:59:59ZExpires in 325 days Signature SHA256-RSASerial 5a00f212d8d4b480f3924157ea298305
A+
Cookie Security
No cookies set — no cookie security risks
PASS
No cookies set — no cookie security risks
Info::
No cookies set — no cookie security risks

No cookies detected — no cookie security risks to report.

A+
JS Library Vulnerabilities
No known vulnerabilities
PASS
No known vulnerabilities
Info::
No known JavaScript library vulnerabilities detected

No known JavaScript library vulnerabilities detected.

A+
Information Leakage
No exposures
PASS
No exposures
Info::
security.txt is present — good practice
Info::
No sensitive files exposed

No sensitive files exposed — all paths returned 404.

PathStatusCategoryRisk
/.git/HEAD✓ Not foundVersion Control—
/.git/config✓ Not foundVersion Control—
/.svn/entries✓ Not foundVersion Control—
/.env✓ Not foundConfiguration—
/.env.local✓ Not foundConfiguration—
/.env.production✓ Not foundConfiguration—
/wp-config.php✓ Not foundConfiguration—
/.htaccess✓ Not foundConfiguration—
/phpinfo.php✓ Not foundDebug—
/server-status✓ Not foundDebug—
/server-info✓ Not foundDebug—
/.well-known/security.txt✗ ExposedSecurity PolicyInfo
All checks on this page are automated. Results are estimates - run targeted manual reviews when the score affects a release decision.

Send Feedback