The Content Security Policy (CSP) is a computer security standard that serves as an additional layer of protection against various types of
attacks, including Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) and clickjacking. It provides a set of standard procedures for loading resources by user agents, which
can help to mitigate the risk of content injection vulnerabilities.
However, it is important to note that CSP is not a primary line of defense, but rather a safety net that catches attempts to exploit
vulnerabilities that exist in the system despite other protective measures. An insecure CSP does not automatically imply that the website is
vulnerable, but it does mean that this additional layer of protection is weakened.
A CSP can be considered insecure if it allows potentially harmful practices, such as inline scripts or loading resources from arbitrary domains.
These practices can increase the risk of content injection attacks.
What is the potential impact?
An insecure Content Security Policy (CSP) can increase the potential severity of other vulnerabilities in the system. For instance, if an attacker
manages to exploit a Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability, an insecure CSP might not provide the intended additional protection.
The impact of a successful XSS attack can be severe. XSS allows an attacker to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. These
scripts can then be used to steal sensitive information like session cookies, personal data, or credit card details, leading to identity theft or
financial fraud.
Moreover, XSS can be used to perform actions on behalf of the user without their consent, such as changing their email address or password, or
making transactions. This can lead to unauthorized access and potential loss of control over user accounts.
In addition, an insecure CSP that allows loading resources from arbitrary domains could potentially expose sensitive user data to untrusted
sources. This could lead to data breaches, which can have serious legal and reputational consequences.
