Web Security: Analyzing and Configuring Content Security Policy (CSP) Headers

Modern web security relies heavily on preventing unauthorized scripts and resources from executing in the browser. Implementing a robust Content Security Policy (CSP) is one of the most effective ways to defend against Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) and data injection attacks. This written course transforms how you approach browser-side security, teaching you to read, write, and evaluate CSP headers with confidence. You will learn how to determine exactly which scripts, stylesheets, and media files are permitted to load under various policy configurations. What you will learn: Understand the core principles of the Same-Origin Policy and why CSP is essential; Analyze key CSP directives such as default-src, script-src, and style-src; Determine which external resources are allowed or blocked under specific header rules; Implement modern security standards including strict-dynamic and reporting directives; Configure fallback strategies and test policies safely using report-only headers. This text-based course begins with fundamental web security concepts before walking you through the structure of CSP headers. You will practice evaluating real-world policy scenarios through detailed written explanations and code examples. This course is designed for web developers, security enthusiasts, and technical beginners who want to secure their web applications. No prior security experience is required, though basic familiarity with HTML is helpful. Start securing your web applications today by mastering the fundamentals of Content Security Policy headers.