Sec-Fetch-Site

Baseline 2023

Newly available

Since March 2023, this feature works across the latest devices and browser versions. This feature might not work in older devices or browsers.

The HTTP Sec-Fetch-Site fetch metadata request header indicates the relationship between a request initiator's origin and the origin of the requested resource.

In other words, this header tells a server whether a request for a resource is coming from the same origin, the same site, a different site, or is a "user initiated" request. The server can then use this information to decide if the request should be allowed.

Same-origin requests would usually be allowed by default, but what happens for requests from other origins may further depend on what resource is being requested, or information in another fetch metadata request header. By default, requests that are not accepted should be rejected with a 403 response code.

Header type Fetch Metadata Request Header
Forbidden header name Yes (Sec- prefix)
CORS-safelisted request header No

Syntax

http
Sec-Fetch-Site: cross-site
Sec-Fetch-Site: same-origin
Sec-Fetch-Site: same-site
Sec-Fetch-Site: none

Directives

cross-site

The request initiator and the server hosting the resource have a different site (i.e. a request by "potentially-evil.com" for a resource at "example.com").

same-origin

The request initiator and the server hosting the resource have the same origin (same scheme, host and port).

same-site

The request initiator and the server hosting the resource have the same site, including the scheme.

none

This request is a user-originated operation. For example: entering a URL into the address bar, opening a bookmark, or dragging-and-dropping a file into the browser window.

Examples

A fetch request to https://mysite.example/foo.json originating from a web page on https://mysite.example (with the same port) is a same-origin request. The browser will generate the Sec-Fetch-Site: same-origin header as shown below, and the server will typically allow the request:

http
GET /foo.json
Sec-Fetch-Dest: empty
Sec-Fetch-Mode: cors
Sec-Fetch-Site: same-origin

A fetch request to the same URL from another site, for example potentially-evil.com, causes the browser to generate a different header (e.g. Sec-Fetch-Site: cross-site), which the server can choose to accept or reject:

http
GET /foo.json
Sec-Fetch-Dest: empty
Sec-Fetch-Mode: cors
Sec-Fetch-Site: cross-site

Specifications

Specification
Fetch Metadata Request Headers
# sec-fetch-site-header

Browser compatibility

BCD tables only load in the browser

See also