Best HSTS Testers for Secure Website Optimization in 2023

Introduction

In an era where cybersecurity threats continue to evolve, ensuring the security of your website is of paramount importance. One powerful tool to bolster website security is HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS). HSTS helps protect against protocol downgrade attacks and ensures that your website is accessed securely over HTTPS. To ensure the effective implementation of HSTS, it is crucial to use reliable and up-to-date HSTS testers. In this blog post, we will learn what HSTS is, and its benefits, and also explore some of the best HSTS testers available in 2023 that will optimize the security of your website.

Introduction to HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS)

HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) is a web security mechanism that helps protect websites from certain types of attacks, such as protocol downgrade attacks and man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks. It aims to ensure that a website is accessed securely over HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) by enforcing secure connections between the browser and the server.

 HSTS works by instructing web browsers to always use HTTPS when communicating with a particular website, even if the user types "http://" in the URL or follows a non-secure link. This is achieved through the use of a special HTTP response header, called the Strict-Transport-Security header, which is sent by the server to the browser during the initial HTTPS connection.

When a browser receives the HSTS header, it stores the information and remembers to always use HTTPS for future connections to that website. This means that even if an attacker attempts to intercept the communication and downgrade the connection to HTTP, the browser will automatically redirect it back to HTTPS, providing a secure connection and preventing potential security vulnerabilities.

Benefits of using HSTS for website security

Here are a few benefits of using HSTS for website security:

Protection against protocol downgrade attacks: HSTS prevents attackers from downgrading a secure HTTPS connection to an insecure HTTP connection, which can be exploited to intercept sensitive information.

Enhanced user privacy: By ensuring that all communication with the website is encrypted, HSTS helps protect user privacy by preventing unauthorized access or eavesdropping.

Mitigation of cookie hijacking: HSTS can mitigate cookie hijacking attacks, where an attacker intercepts and uses session cookies to impersonate a user and gain unauthorized access to their accounts.

Improved search engine ranking: Search engines, such as Google, consider HTTPS as a ranking signal. Implementing HSTS and enforcing HTTPS connections can positively impact your website's search engine ranking.

It's important to note that HSTS is an opt-in mechanism. Website administrators need to explicitly enable and configure it on their servers. Once enabled, HSTS should be carefully implemented and tested to avoid any misconfigurations that could lead to issues for users trying to access the website.

Introduction to HSTS Testing Tools

Testing the implementation and effectiveness of HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) on your website is crucial to ensure its security and compliance with web standards. HSTS testing tools help you verify if your website is properly configured for HSTS and if it adheres to the necessary security requirements. 

Best HSTS Testing Tools in 2023 to ensure your website’s security

SSL Labs

SSL Labs, developed by Qualys, is a widely-used security testing tool that includes comprehensive SSL/TLS server testing capabilities. It also incorporates HSTS testing as part of its assessment. SSL Labs scans your website and provides a detailed report on the implementation and configuration of HSTS. Additionally, it offers valuable insights into other security aspects, such as SSL/TLS protocol support, cipher strength, and certificate validity. With SSL Labs, you can identify any misconfigurations or vulnerabilities and take necessary actions to enhance your website's security.

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SSL Checker

SSL Checker is a tool that quickly identifies if a chain certificate is implemented correctly. It is useful for proactive testing after SSL certificate implementation to ensure that the chain certificate is not broken. SSL Checker also provides information about the website's SSL certificate, SSL errors (if any), expiry date, issuer name, and location.

Domsignal

Domsignal provides a free HSTS (HTTP Strict Transport Security) test. You can use this tool to verify if HSTS is enabled and if the browser preloads content only through HTTPS. HSTS is a security policy that can be injected into the response header by implementing it in web servers, network devices, and CDN. It helps to protect from protocol downgrade attacks and cookie hijacking.

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Wormly Web Server Tester

Web Server Tester by Wormly checks for more than 65 metrics and provides a status of each of the metrics, including overall scores. The report contains a certificate overview, encryption cipher details, public key size, secure renegotiation, protocols like SSLv3/v2, and TLSv1/1.2.

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DigiCert SSL Installation Diagnostics Tool

The DigiCert SSL Installation Diagnostics Tool is a valuable resource for verifying the ciphers supported by your server. This tool performs various tasks such as DNS resolution to obtain the IP address, retrieving certificate details, determining server-supported SSL cipher suites, and providing expiry information. By utilizing this tool, you can easily verify the ciphers supported by your server and ensure the security of your SSL installation.

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How’sMySSL

How's My SSL is a free service that assesses the installation of your SSL/TLS certificate and assigns it a grade ranging from A+ (excellent) to F (poor). This service also examines the presence of HSTS features. The generated report includes an overview of the certificate, encompassing details such as Common Name (CN), expiry information, and trust chain. Furthermore, it provides information about encryption ciphers, public key size, secure renegotiation, and protocols like SSLv3, SSLv2, TLSv1, and TLSv1.21. This comprehensive analysis allows you to evaluate the transport layer security and effectiveness of your SSL installation.

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Observatory

Observatory by Mozilla is a free service that tests your website’s security and privacy. It checks for HTTP headers like HSTS, Content Security Policy (CSP), X-Frame-Options, and more. The report contains a summary of the test results and recommendations for improving your website’s security.

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CryptCheck

CryptCheck is a free service that checks your website’s SSL/TLS setup. It also checks for HSTS features. The report contains a summary of the test results and recommendations for improving your website’s security.

Features to Look for in an HSTS Testing Tool

When evaluating an HSTS (HTTP Strict Transport Security) testing tool, there are several important features to consider:

HSTS Compliance: The tool should be capable of accurately determining whether a website has implemented HSTS correctly and is compliant with the HSTS specification.

HSTS Header Analysis: It should be able to analyze the HSTS response headers sent by the web server and provide information on the HSTS policy, including the max-age directive, SubDomains directive, and preload status. 

HTTP to HTTPS Redirection Testing: The tool should verify if the website redirects all HTTP traffic to HTTPS, ensuring that the HSTS policy is effectively enforced.

HSTS Preload Readiness: It should assess whether a website meets the requirements for inclusion in the HSTS preload list maintained by web browsers, which allows for HSTS enforcement before the initial connection is made.

Reporting and Analysis: The tool should generate comprehensive reports with detailed information about the HSTS configuration, including any potential issues or vulnerabilities identified during the testing process.

Support for Multiple Platforms, Apps, and Major Browsers: It is beneficial if the tool is compatible with various platforms and browsers to ensure thorough testing across different environments.

Ease of Use: The tool should have a user-friendly interface and be easy to navigate, allowing users to perform HSTS testing and obtain results without extensive technical expertise.

Updates and Maintenance: Look for a tool that is regularly updated to keep pace with the latest HSTS specifications and best practices.

By considering these features, you can select an HSTS testing tool that provides an accurate and comprehensive analysis of HSTS implementation on your website, helping to enhance its security and compliance with HSTS standards.

Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best HSTS Tester

Your Business Needs

Determine the specific requirements of your business and choose an HSTS testing tool that caters to those needs. Some tools offer more advanced features and in-depth analysis, while others focus on simplicity and ease of use.

Customer Support

Choose a tool that offers excellent customer support to assist you in resolving any issues that may arise during the testing process.

Integration with Other Tools

Consider whether the HSTS testing tool can integrate with other tools you use for website security and performance optimization, such as SSL/TLS monitoring tools or content delivery networks.

Conclusion

Ensuring the security of your website is crucial in today's digital landscape. By using the best HSTS testing tools, you can proactively identify and address potential vulnerabilities and misconfigurations in your SSL/TLS implementation. Explore the best HSTS tester options listed in this blog, and select the HSTS testing tool that best aligns with your business needs and requirements, ensuring your website stays secure and compliant with HSTS standards. Also, sign up for a free 7-day trial with Scalenut to optimize your website content and improve your rankings in Google search results. 

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