Security fix guide
Cookies Missing Secure Flag
Cookies are set without the Secure flag, allowing them to be transmitted over unencrypted HTTP connections. This exposes session data to interception.
Issue ID: SEC-COOKIE-SECURE-001
Severity: moderate
Impact: Med
Effort: S
Use this article when
- You need deeper remediation guidance than the issue card can show.
- You want CMS-specific steps before handing the fix to a developer.
- You want a repeatable re-check path after shipping the change.
What this issue is
Cookies are set without the Secure flag, allowing them to be transmitted over unencrypted HTTP connections. This exposes session data to interception.
Why it matters
Cookies are set without the Secure flag, allowing them to be transmitted over unencrypted HTTP connections. This exposes session data to interception. This affects browser trust signals and whether visitors feel safe submitting contact details.
How we detect it
- FreeSiteAudit flags this issue when the rule for SEC-COOKIE-SECURE-001 fails and the page evidence points to Http headers.
- You can usually confirm this by checking the page source or the relevant page settings inside your CMS.
Evidence examples
Check the affected page source, rendered output, or relevant CMS setting to confirm the missing or incorrect element.
How to fix it
- 1Add the Secure flag to all cookies: Set-Cookie: name=value; Secure
- 2Ensure your site is served over HTTPS
How to re-check it
- Inspect cookies in DevTools and confirm all have the Secure flag
Related tools
This issue is best verified with the full FreeSiteAudit crawl rather than a single-point mini tool.