diff --git a/internal/middleware/apicsrf_test.go b/internal/middleware/apicsrf_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e3efaf2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/middleware/apicsrf_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+package middleware //nolint:testpackage // tests internal middleware behavior
+
+import (
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+func newAPICSRFTestMiddleware() *Middleware {
+	return newCORSTestMiddleware("")
+}
+
+func TestAPICSRFProtection_SafeMethods_Allowed(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	m := newAPICSRFTestMiddleware()
+	handler := m.APICSRFProtection()(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, _ *http.Request) {
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+	}))
+
+	for _, method := range []string{http.MethodGet, http.MethodHead, http.MethodOptions} {
+		req := httptest.NewRequest(method, "/api/v1/apps", nil)
+		rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+		handler.ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+
+		assert.Equal(t, http.StatusOK, rec.Code,
+			"expected %s to be allowed without X-Requested-With", method)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestAPICSRFProtection_POST_WithoutHeader_Blocked(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	m := newAPICSRFTestMiddleware()
+	handler := m.APICSRFProtection()(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, _ *http.Request) {
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+	}))
+
+	req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodPost, "/api/v1/apps", nil)
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	handler.ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+
+	assert.Equal(t, http.StatusForbidden, rec.Code)
+	assert.Contains(t, rec.Body.String(), "X-Requested-With")
+}
+
+func TestAPICSRFProtection_POST_WithHeader_Allowed(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	m := newAPICSRFTestMiddleware()
+	handler := m.APICSRFProtection()(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, _ *http.Request) {
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+	}))
+
+	req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodPost, "/api/v1/apps", nil)
+	req.Header.Set("X-Requested-With", "XMLHttpRequest")
+
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	handler.ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+
+	assert.Equal(t, http.StatusOK, rec.Code)
+}
+
+func TestAPICSRFProtection_DELETE_WithoutHeader_Blocked(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	m := newAPICSRFTestMiddleware()
+	handler := m.APICSRFProtection()(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, _ *http.Request) {
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+	}))
+
+	req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodDelete, "/api/v1/apps/1", nil)
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	handler.ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+
+	assert.Equal(t, http.StatusForbidden, rec.Code)
+}
diff --git a/internal/middleware/middleware.go b/internal/middleware/middleware.go
index 4a57c31..78704be 100644
--- a/internal/middleware/middleware.go
+++ b/internal/middleware/middleware.go
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ func (m *Middleware) CORS() func(http.Handler) http.Handler {
 	return cors.Handler(cors.Options{
 		AllowedOrigins:   origins,
 		AllowedMethods:   []string{"GET", "POST", "PUT", "DELETE", "OPTIONS"},
-		AllowedHeaders:   []string{"Accept", "Authorization", "Content-Type", "X-CSRF-Token"},
+		AllowedHeaders:   []string{"Accept", "Authorization", "Content-Type", "X-CSRF-Token", "X-Requested-With"},
 		ExposedHeaders:   []string{"Link"},
 		AllowCredentials: true,
 		MaxAge:           corsMaxAge,
@@ -370,6 +370,38 @@ func (m *Middleware) LoginRateLimit() func(http.Handler) http.Handler {
 	}
 }
 
+// APICSRFProtection returns middleware that requires a custom header on
+// state-changing API requests (POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH) to prevent CSRF.
+// Browsers will not send custom headers on cross-origin requests without a
+// CORS preflight, which effectively blocks CSRF attacks via cookie-based auth.
+// Safe methods (GET, HEAD, OPTIONS) are allowed without the header.
+func (m *Middleware) APICSRFProtection() func(http.Handler) http.Handler {
+	return func(next http.Handler) http.Handler {
+		return http.HandlerFunc(func(
+			writer http.ResponseWriter,
+			request *http.Request,
+		) {
+			switch request.Method {
+			case http.MethodGet, http.MethodHead, http.MethodOptions:
+				// Safe methods — no CSRF risk.
+			default:
+				if request.Header.Get("X-Requested-With") == "" {
+					writer.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+					http.Error(
+						writer,
+						`{"error":"missing X-Requested-With header"}`,
+						http.StatusForbidden,
+					)
+
+					return
+				}
+			}
+
+			next.ServeHTTP(writer, request)
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 // APISessionAuth returns middleware that requires session authentication for API routes.
 // Unlike SessionAuth, it returns JSON 401 responses instead of redirecting to /login.
 func (m *Middleware) APISessionAuth() func(http.Handler) http.Handler {
diff --git a/internal/server/routes.go b/internal/server/routes.go
index 3339bb8..95e89b2 100644
--- a/internal/server/routes.go
+++ b/internal/server/routes.go
@@ -102,8 +102,10 @@ func (s *Server) SetupRoutes() {
 		})
 	})
 
-	// API v1 routes (cookie-based session auth, no CSRF)
+	// API v1 routes (cookie-based session auth, CSRF protected via custom header)
 	s.router.Route("/api/v1", func(r chi.Router) {
+		r.Use(s.mw.APICSRFProtection())
+
 		// Login endpoint is public (returns session cookie)
 		r.With(s.mw.LoginRateLimit()).Post("/login", s.handlers.HandleAPILoginPOST())
 
diff --git a/internal/service/auth/auth.go b/internal/service/auth/auth.go
index 726c2c0..3beaa31 100644
--- a/internal/service/auth/auth.go
+++ b/internal/service/auth/auth.go
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ func New(_ fx.Lifecycle, params ServiceParams) (*Service, error) {
 		MaxAge:   sessionMaxAgeSeconds,
 		HttpOnly: true,
 		Secure:   !params.Config.Debug,
-		SameSite: http.SameSiteLaxMode,
+		SameSite: http.SameSiteStrictMode,
 	}
 
 	return &Service{