Facebook improves link security infrastructure by implementing HSTS Preloading

Facebook has implemented HSTS preloading that instructs a browser to always use SSL/TLS to communicate with eligible websites.

Facebook has upgraded its link security infrastructure to include HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) preloading that instructs a browser to always use SSL/TLS to communicate with eligible websites.

Facebook and Instagram links will automatically update from HTTP to HTTPS for eligible websites.

“We have recently upgraded our link security infrastructure to include HSTS preloading, which automatically upgrades HTTP links to HTTPS for eligible websites. This will improve people’s security and will also often improve the speed of navigation to sites from Facebook.” reads the announcement published by Facebook.

According to Facebook, the modification aims to improve security and navigation speed for Facebook and Instagram links.

Facebook determines the links that are eligible for HTTPS based on two sources:

The Chromium preload list, that is currently used in most major browsers;
Recording HSTS headers from sites shared on Facebook, in this case, the browser preload list is updated with any sites that serve HSTS with the preload directive.

Facebook invites websites to support HTTPs and sponsors Let’s Encrypt initiative which provides free TLS certificates and instructions on how to enable HTTPS for most common server software.

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Pierluigi Paganini

(Security Affairs – HTTPS, HSTS Preloading)

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Pierluigi Paganini

Pierluigi Paganini is member of the ENISA (European Union Agency for Network and Information Security) Threat Landscape Stakeholder Group and Cyber G7 Group, he is also a Security Evangelist, Security Analyst and Freelance Writer. Editor-in-Chief at "Cyber Defense Magazine", Pierluigi is a cyber security expert with over 20 years experience in the field, he is Certified Ethical Hacker at EC Council in London. The passion for writing and a strong belief that security is founded on sharing and awareness led Pierluigi to find the security blog "Security Affairs" recently named a Top National Security Resource for US. Pierluigi is a member of the "The Hacker News" team and he is a writer for some major publications in the field such as Cyber War Zone, ICTTF, Infosec Island, Infosec Institute, The Hacker News Magazine and for many other Security magazines. Author of the Books "The Deep Dark Web" and “Digital Virtual Currency and Bitcoin”.