# Cookie Security Auditor (`phoenix2810/cookie-security-auditor`) Actor

Audit Set-Cookie response headers for Secure, HttpOnly, SameSite, cookie prefixes, Partitioned (CHIPS), tracking cookies, and privacy posture.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/phoenix2810/cookie-security-auditor.md
- **Developed by:** [Sanskar Jaiswal](https://apify.com/phoenix2810) (community)
- **Categories:** Developer tools, SEO tools, Open source
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

Pay per usage

This Actor is paid per platform usage. The Actor is free to use, and you only pay for the Apify platform usage, which gets cheaper the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-usage

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

## Cookie Security Auditor

Fetches one public URL and deeply audits its `Set-Cookie` response headers for security and privacy posture. Checks the Secure, HttpOnly, and SameSite (Lax/Strict/None) flags, `__Host-` and `__Secure-` prefix rules, Partitioned (CHIPS) cookies, session vs persistent expiry risk, first-party vs third-party Domain scope, and known tracking-cookie classification (Google Analytics, Meta Pixel, Hotjar, HubSpot, LinkedIn, X, and more). Returns a readiness score, letter grade, per-cookie issues, and actionable recommendations. Built for security teams, devops engineers, frontend platform teams, site migration QA, and agency consultants.

### Use cases

- Verify all session and auth cookies carry Secure and HttpOnly after a deploy or CDN cutover.
- Detect SameSite=None without Secure, which browsers silently reject.
- Catch session cookies that lack HttpOnly, exposing them to JavaScript-based XSS theft.
- Audit `__Host-` and `__Secure-` prefix compliance for hardened cookie scoping.
- Identify tracking and analytics cookies and review consent gating under GDPR and CCPA.
- Spot long-lived persistent cookies that increase privacy exposure.
- Check whether third-party Domain attributes allow cross-site cookie transmission.
- Evaluate adoption of Partitioned (CHIPS) cookies for privacy isolation in embedded contexts.
- Run scheduled checks on critical origins to catch cookie configuration drift on edge servers.
- Feed structured results into security QA dashboards or CI pipelines.

### Input

| Field | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `startUrl` | string | Public HTTP or HTTPS URL to audit. URLs with credentials and private network targets are rejected. |
| `timeoutSeconds` | integer | Request timeout from 3 to 30 seconds. Defaults to 10. |

### Output

The actor pushes one dataset item per run.

| Field | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `inputUrl` | string | Original URL from input. |
| `normalizedInputUrl` | string | Normalized input URL after defaulting the scheme. |
| `finalUrl` | string | Final page URL after redirects. |
| `https` | boolean | True when the final URL is HTTPS. |
| `ok` | boolean | True when the fetch succeeded. |
| `checkedAt` | string | ISO timestamp for the audit. |
| `httpStatus` | integer or null | HTTP status code from the response. |
| `cookieCount` | integer | Number of distinct cookies after deduplication. |
| `cookies` | array | Per-cookie analysis objects. |
| `secureCount` | integer | Number of cookies with the Secure flag. |
| `httpOnlyCount` | integer | Number of cookies with the HttpOnly flag. |
| `sameSiteLaxCount` | integer | Number of cookies with SameSite=Lax. |
| `sameSiteStrictCount` | integer | Number of cookies with SameSite=Strict. |
| `sameSiteNoneCount` | integer | Number of cookies with SameSite=None. |
| `sameSiteUnsetCount` | integer | Number of cookies with no SameSite attribute. |
| `partitionedCount` | integer | Number of Partitioned (CHIPS) cookies. |
| `hostPrefixedCount` | integer | Number of `__Host-` prefixed cookies. |
| `securePrefixedCount` | integer | Number of `__Secure-` prefixed cookies. |
| `sessionCookieCount` | integer | Number of session cookies (no Max-Age or Expires). |
| `persistentCookieCount` | integer | Number of persistent cookies. |
| `firstPartyCount` | integer | Number of first-party cookies. |
| `thirdPartyCount` | integer | Number of third-party cookies (Domain does not match request host). |
| `trackingCookieCount` | integer | Number of known tracking or analytics cookies. |
| `trackingCookies` | array | List of tracking cookie names. |
| `hasInsecureCookie` | boolean | True when at least one cookie lacks the Secure flag. |
| `hasMissingSecure` | boolean | True when at least one cookie lacks the Secure flag. |
| `hasMissingHttpOnly` | boolean | True when at least one session-like cookie lacks HttpOnly. |
| `hasSameSiteNone` | boolean | True when at least one cookie uses SameSite=None. |
| `hasSameSiteUnset` | boolean | True when at least one cookie has no SameSite attribute. |
| `hasInvalidPrefix` | boolean | True when a `__Host-` or `__Secure-` prefix is invalid. |
| `hasTrackingCookie` | boolean | True when at least one known tracking cookie is present. |
| `hasLongExpiry` | boolean | True when at least one cookie expires beyond 1 year. |
| `score` | integer | Cookie security readiness score from 0 to 100. |
| `grade` | string | Letter grade from A+ to F. |
| `issues` | array | Human-readable issues with severity where applicable. |
| `recommendations` | array | Suggested fixes. |
| `error` | string or null | Fetch-level error, if the request failed. |

#### Per-cookie fields

Each object in the `cookies` array contains:

| Field | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `name` | string | Cookie name. |
| `value` | string | Cookie value. |
| `secure` | boolean | Secure flag present. |
| `httpOnly` | boolean | HttpOnly flag present. |
| `sameSite` | string | `lax`, `strict`, `none`, or `unset`. |
| `sameSiteRaw` | string or null | Raw SameSite attribute value. |
| `domain` | string or null | Domain attribute value. |
| `path` | string or null | Path attribute value. |
| `maxAge` | integer or null | Max-Age in seconds. |
| `expires` | string or null | Expires attribute value. |
| `partitioned` | boolean | Partitioned (CHIPS) flag present. |
| `prefix` | string | `__Host-`, `__Secure-`, or `none`. |
| `prefixValid` | boolean | True when prefix rules are satisfied. |
| `prefixIssues` | array | List of prefix validation failures. |
| `isSession` | boolean | True when no Max-Age or Expires is set. |
| `expirySeconds` | integer or null | Calculated expiry in seconds from now. |
| `longExpiry` | boolean | True when expiry exceeds 1 year. |
| `tracking` | boolean | True when the cookie matches a known tracking pattern. |
| `thirdParty` | boolean | True when the Domain attribute does not match the request host. |
| `likelySession` | boolean | True when the name suggests a session or auth token. |
| `sameSiteNoneWithoutSecure` | boolean | True when SameSite=None is set without Secure. |
| `issues` | array | Per-cookie issues with severity and message. |

### Example input

```json
{
  "startUrl": "https://example.com/",
  "timeoutSeconds": 10
}
```

### Example output

```json
{
  "inputUrl": "https://example.com/",
  "normalizedInputUrl": "https://example.com/",
  "finalUrl": "https://example.com/",
  "https": true,
  "ok": true,
  "checkedAt": "2025-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
  "httpStatus": 200,
  "cookieCount": 2,
  "cookies": [
    {
      "name": "__Host-session",
      "value": "abc123",
      "secure": true,
      "httpOnly": true,
      "sameSite": "strict",
      "sameSiteRaw": "Strict",
      "domain": null,
      "path": "/",
      "maxAge": 3600,
      "expires": null,
      "partitioned": false,
      "prefix": "__Host-",
      "prefixValid": true,
      "prefixIssues": [],
      "isSession": false,
      "expirySeconds": 3600,
      "longExpiry": false,
      "tracking": false,
      "thirdParty": false,
      "likelySession": true,
      "sameSiteNoneWithoutSecure": false,
      "issues": []
    },
    {
      "name": "_ga",
      "value": "GA1.2.xxx",
      "secure": true,
      "httpOnly": false,
      "sameSite": "lax",
      "sameSiteRaw": "Lax",
      "domain": ".example.com",
      "path": "/",
      "maxAge": 63072000,
      "expires": null,
      "partitioned": false,
      "prefix": "none",
      "prefixValid": true,
      "prefixIssues": [],
      "isSession": false,
      "expirySeconds": 63072000,
      "longExpiry": true,
      "tracking": true,
      "thirdParty": false,
      "likelySession": false,
      "sameSiteNoneWithoutSecure": false,
      "issues": [
        { "severity": "info", "message": "Cookie \"_ga\" is a known tracking/analytics cookie; review consent requirements under GDPR/CCPA." },
        { "severity": "warn", "message": "Cookie \"_ga\" has an expiry exceeding 1 year; long-lived cookies increase privacy exposure." }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "secureCount": 2,
  "httpOnlyCount": 1,
  "sameSiteLaxCount": 1,
  "sameSiteStrictCount": 1,
  "sameSiteNoneCount": 0,
  "sameSiteUnsetCount": 0,
  "partitionedCount": 0,
  "hostPrefixedCount": 1,
  "securePrefixedCount": 0,
  "sessionCookieCount": 0,
  "persistentCookieCount": 2,
  "firstPartyCount": 2,
  "thirdPartyCount": 0,
  "trackingCookieCount": 1,
  "trackingCookies": ["_ga"],
  "hasInsecureCookie": false,
  "hasMissingSecure": false,
  "hasMissingHttpOnly": false,
  "hasSameSiteNone": false,
  "hasSameSiteUnset": false,
  "hasInvalidPrefix": false,
  "hasTrackingCookie": true,
  "hasLongExpiry": true,
  "score": 92,
  "grade": "A",
  "issues": [
    "1 known tracking/analytics cookie(s) detected; review consent requirements under GDPR/CCPA.",
    "One or more cookies have an expiry exceeding 1 year; long-lived cookies increase privacy exposure."
  ],
  "recommendations": [
    "1 known tracking/analytics cookie(s) detected; review consent requirements under GDPR/CCPA.",
    "One or more cookies have an expiry exceeding 1 year; long-lived cookies increase privacy exposure.",
    "Ensure tracking cookies are gated by a consent management platform (CMP) and documented in the privacy policy.",
    "Reduce cookie expiry to the shortest practical lifetime; avoid persisting identifiers beyond 1 year.",
    "Consider adopting Partitioned (CHIPS) cookies for third-party embeds to improve privacy isolation."
  ],
  "error": null
}
```

### Security

- Only public HTTP and HTTPS URLs are fetched.
- URLs with usernames or passwords are rejected.
- Private IPv4, private IPv6, localhost, link-local, and private DNS resolutions are blocked before fetching.
- Redirect destinations are revalidated before they are followed.
- The actor does not require logins, browser sessions, or credentials.
- The actor reads `Set-Cookie` response headers only; it does not execute JavaScript, render pages, or follow client-side cookie assignment.

### Pricing

| Event | Suggested price |
| --- | ---: |
| Actor start | `$0.005` |
| URL audited | `$0.01` |

Suggested launch price: about `$0.015` per audited URL. Teams can schedule the actor for recurring checks on important origins after deploys and CDN cutovers.

### FAQ

#### Does this actor crawl multiple URLs or a whole site?

No. It fetches one URL per run, collecting `Set-Cookie` headers across the redirect chain. This keeps runs cheap and predictable for CI and scheduled monitoring.

#### How does the score work?

The score starts at 100 and is reduced for: missing Secure (-20), missing HttpOnly on session-like cookies (-20), SameSite=None without Secure (-15), SameSite=None with Secure (-10), SameSite unset (-5), invalid prefix (-10), tracking cookies (-3 each, capped at -15), long expiry over 1 year (-5), and third-party Domain (-5). Partitioned (CHIPS) cookies add +3 when no insecure cookies are present. Pages with no `Set-Cookie` headers receive an A+.

#### What is the difference between this actor and the HTTP Security Headers Auditor?

The HTTP Security Headers Auditor checks ten security response headers (HSTS, CSP, X-Frame-Options, etc.) and does not inspect `Set-Cookie` attributes. This Cookie Security Auditor is specialized: it parses every `Set-Cookie` header, evaluates Secure, HttpOnly, SameSite, cookie prefixes, Partitioned, expiry, scope, and tracking classification, and returns a recommended hardening path for cookies specifically.

#### Which cookies are classified as tracking cookies?

The actor checks cookie names against a curated list of well-known analytics and tracking cookies, including Google Analytics (`_ga`, `_gid`, `_gat`), Meta Pixel (`_fbp`, `_fbc`), Hotjar (`_hjid`), HubSpot (`__hstc`), LinkedIn (`bcookie`, `lidc`), X/Twitter (`personalization_id`, `guest_id`), Microsoft Clarity (`_clck`), Segment (`ajs_user_id`), Mixpanel, Amplitude, and others. Consent-management cookies (OneTrust, Cookiebot) are also flagged for review.

#### What are `__Host-` and `__Secure-` prefixes?

Cookie prefixes from RFC 6265bis that enforce tighter rules. `__Host-` requires the Secure flag, no Domain attribute, and Path=/. `__Secure-` requires the Secure flag. Browsers reject cookies that declare a prefix without meeting its requirements.

#### What is a Partitioned (CHIPS) cookie?

The Partitioned attribute (Cookies Having Independent Partitioned State, CHIPS) scopes third-party cookies to the top-level site that embedded them, improving privacy isolation. The actor detects and counts Partitioned cookies as a positive privacy posture signal.

# Actor input Schema

## `startUrl` (type: `string`):

Public HTTP or HTTPS URL to audit.

## `timeoutSeconds` (type: `integer`):

Request timeout from 3 to 30 seconds.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "startUrl": "https://example.com/",
  "timeoutSeconds": 10
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

No description

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "startUrl": "https://example.com/"
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("phoenix2810/cookie-security-auditor").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "startUrl": "https://example.com/" }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("phoenix2810/cookie-security-auditor").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "startUrl": "https://example.com/"
}' |
apify call phoenix2810/cookie-security-auditor --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,phoenix2810/cookie-security-auditor"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/VdPxIdFNpqcx2yeDz/builds/u6gf50Zhch2YQ0hex/openapi.json