How to add Cross-Origin-Resource-Policy on WordPress
Last updated · Reviewed by a CISSP-certified security practitioner
To add Cross-Origin-Resource-Policy on WordPress, set the header in functions.php (child theme) or a headers plugin with the value same-origin. Stops other sites from loading your resources. Clear page caches (plugin + CDN) and curl -I your homepage. Then confirm it with curl -I or a free FixSecurityHeaders scan.
What does Cross-Origin-Resource-Policy do?
CORP tells browsers which origins may embed your images, scripts and other resources.
Risk if missing: Other sites can embed your resources and use side channels to leak data.
What is the WordPress configuration?
Add this to functions.php (child theme) or a headers plugin:
<?php
// Child theme functions.php (or a small mu-plugin)
add_action('send_headers', function () {
header('Cross-Origin-Resource-Policy: same-origin');
});How do I add it step by step?
- Open functions.php (child theme) or a headers plugin.
- Paste the Cross-Origin-Resource-Policy configuration shown below.
- Clear page caches (plugin + CDN) and curl -I your homepage.
- Run curl -I https://yourdomain.com and look for the cross-origin-resource-policy line.
- Scan your site on FixSecurityHeaders to confirm the grade improved.
How do I verify it worked?
curl -sI https://yourdomain.com | grep -i "cross-origin-resource-policy"
# expected:
# cross-origin-resource-policy: same-originCheck your site now
Free scan, instant grade, exact fixes for your stack.
What are the common mistakes?
- Public CDNs and assets meant for embedding should use cross-origin.
- Prefer setting headers at the web server (nginx/Apache) — PHP headers don't apply to static files.
- Page-cache plugins may serve cached responses without your headers until purged.
Quick reference
| Header | Cross-Origin-Resource-Policy |
|---|---|
| Recommended value | same-origin |
| Stack | WordPress |
| Where | functions.php (child theme) or a headers plugin |
| Compliance | OWASP ASVS V14.4 |
FAQ
What value should I use for Cross-Origin-Resource-Policy?
A safe default is same-origin. Public CDNs and assets meant for embedding should use cross-origin.
Why isn't Cross-Origin-Resource-Policy showing up on WordPress?
Prefer setting headers at the web server (nginx/Apache) — PHP headers don't apply to static files. Also clear any CDN or page cache, and check you edited the config that actually serves your domain.
Does Cross-Origin-Resource-Policy affect SEO or performance?
No measurable performance cost — it's a few bytes per response. It doesn't affect rankings directly, but a misconfigured policy can break page resources, so test before enforcing.
Which compliance frameworks reference Cross-Origin-Resource-Policy?
OWASP ASVS V14.4.
Related guides
- Cross-Origin-Resource-Policy explained
- Cross-Origin-Resource-Policy on Nginx
- Cross-Origin-Resource-Policy on Apache
- Cross-Origin-Resource-Policy on IIS
- Cross-Origin-Resource-Policy on Cloudflare
- Strict-Transport-Security on WordPress
- Content-Security-Policy on WordPress
- X-Content-Type-Options on WordPress
- X-Frame-Options on WordPress