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How to add Referrer-Policy on Apache

Last updated · Reviewed by a CISSP-certified security practitioner

To add Referrer-Policy on Apache, set the header in .htaccess or httpd.conf with the value strict-origin-when-cross-origin. Limits how much of your URLs leak to other sites. Run apachectl configtest, then reload Apache. Then confirm it with curl -I or a free FixSecurityHeaders scan.

What does Referrer-Policy do?

Referrer-Policy controls what URL information the browser sends to other sites when users click links or load resources.

Risk if missing: Full URLs — including reset tokens, search terms or internal paths — can leak to third parties.

What is the Apache configuration?

Add this to .htaccess or httpd.conf:

.htaccess or httpd.conf
<IfModule mod_headers.c>
  Header always set Referrer-Policy "strict-origin-when-cross-origin"
</IfModule>

How do I add it step by step?

  1. Open .htaccess or httpd.conf.
  2. Paste the Referrer-Policy configuration shown below.
  3. Run apachectl configtest, then reload Apache.
  4. Run curl -I https://yourdomain.com and look for the referrer-policy line.
  5. Scan your site on FixSecurityHeaders to confirm the grade improved.

How do I verify it worked?

terminal
curl -sI https://yourdomain.com | grep -i "referrer-policy"
# expected:
# referrer-policy: strict-origin-when-cross-origin

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What are the common mistakes?

  • no-referrer is stricter but can break analytics attribution and some payment flows.
  • mod_headers must be enabled (a2enmod headers).
  • Use Header always set so headers apply to redirects and errors too.

Quick reference

HeaderReferrer-Policy
Recommended valuestrict-origin-when-cross-origin
StackApache
Where.htaccess or httpd.conf
ComplianceOWASP ASVS V14.4.6, SOC 2 CC6.7

FAQ

What value should I use for Referrer-Policy?

A safe default is strict-origin-when-cross-origin. no-referrer is stricter but can break analytics attribution and some payment flows.

Why isn't Referrer-Policy showing up on Apache?

mod_headers must be enabled (a2enmod headers). Also clear any CDN or page cache, and check you edited the config that actually serves your domain.

Does Referrer-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 Referrer-Policy?

OWASP ASVS V14.4.6, SOC 2 CC6.7.

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