Referrer Leak Test: Privacy Audit

Is your browser sharing your history? Our referrer leak test shows exactly what URLs and private data you are leaking to other websites.

AI Overview

An HTTP Referer Leak happens when your browser tells a new website the exact URL of the page you just left. This can expose private search terms, session tokens, or personal info. Setting a strong Referrer-Policy (like no-referrer) is essential for modern web privacy and security.

Leak Status

✅ NO LEAK

Detected Header

None (Direct Visit)

[HTTP Header Capture]

> Analyzing Referer header...

> No referrer data sent. User privacy is high.

What is an HTTP Referer?

An HTTP Referer is a header sent by your browser to a web server. It contains the address of the webpage that linked to the current site. While useful for analytics, it is a privacy risk because it tells the owner of the new site exactly where you were browsing previously.

Pro Tip: If your URL contains sensitive info (like ?reset_token=123), a referrer leak will send that secret token to any third-party script or external link on that page.

How Referrer Leaks Happen

Leaks occur during cross-domain navigation. If you click a link from Site A to Site B, Site B sees Site A’s URL. Similarly, every third-party ad or tracker on a page automatically gets your full URL through this header unless you block it.

How to Prevent Referrer Leaks

To secure your data, we recommend using these privacy-first policies on ZKB Tracking:

  • no-referrer: The browser never sends the header. Highest privacy.
  • strict-origin-when-cross-origin: Sends the domain name to other sites, but hides the specific page path and query.
  • rel="noreferrer": Add this attribute to your <a> tags to stop leaks on specific links.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a VPN stop referrer leaks?
No. A VPN hides your IP, but the referrer header is sent by your browser. You must change your browser settings or use extensions to stop it.

What is the difference between noreferrer and noopener?
noreferrer stops the URL leak. noopener prevents the new site from controlling your original tab (stops tab-nabbing attacks).

Is my search history leaked?
If you click a link from a search engine result page, the search terms are often visible in the referrer URL unless the search engine hides them.