Description: The ‘Allowed Hosts’ feature is a security measure implemented in web frameworks, such as Django, that specifies which domains or IP addresses are valid for accessing a web application. This feature is crucial for protecting applications from ‘HTTP Host header attacks’, where an attacker might try to trick the application into responding to requests that should not be allowed. By defining a list of allowed hosts, developers can ensure that their applications only respond to requests coming from trusted sources. This configuration is typically done through an ‘ALLOWED_HOSTS’ variable in the settings file of the framework, where domain names, subdomains, or specific IP addresses can be included. If a request is made from a host not included in this list, the application will return a 400 (Bad Request) error, thus preventing it from processing the request. This measure is part of best security practices in web development and is essential for maintaining the integrity and security of applications in production.
