Cyber Security

Nowadays, cyber attackers are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their crimes. One of the rising cybersecurity cases is clickjacking, where an attacker manipulates a real page to deceive users into clicking on something they didn’t intend to.

Have you ever wondered what could happen with a simple click? This deceptive tactic can lead to unauthorized actions, jeopardizing your data and privacy.

Read on to learn about clickjacking, how it works, real-world examples, and important steps for mitigation and prevention!

What is Clickjacking?

Clickjacking is an interface-based attack where an attacker deceives users into performing unintended actions on a webpage. This attack hides clickable elements under seemingly innocent content, making it hard for users to realize they’re actually being misled.

When users unknowingly interact with these hidden elements, they may do actions they never intended, like sharing personal information or initiating a transaction.

Common types include UI redressing, likejacking, malware downloads, location identification, microphone or webcam activation, login credential theft, and unwanted product purchases.

How Does a Clickjacking Attack Work?

An Attacker Creates a Malicious Dummy Website 

First thing first, the attacker sets up a dummy website that looks legitimate but has invisible elements.

The hidden elements, like buttons or links, are strategically placed to trick users into interacting with them. The message may read, “Click here for a free gift!” or similar tones.

Upon finishing the website, the attackers lure victims to this site, where their actions can be manipulated.

Victims Visit the Webpage

When victims visit the dummy website, they see a seemingly normal page. However, hidden layers are embedded within the site. As they navigate and click on the page, they unknowingly interact with these hidden elements, falling into the attacker’s trap.

Unintended Action is Executed

As soon as the victim clicks the hidden elements, the browser executes an unintended action. This could involve sharing personal information, authorizing a transaction, or changing account settings, all without the victim’s knowledge.

Clickjacking Examples

Webcam and Microphone Activation

An invisible frame is placed over a legitimate website, such as a video chat service. When the victim clicks a button, thinking they are enabling a feature or starting a conversation, they unknowingly grant access to their webcam and microphone.

As a result, the attacker can record video and audio without the user’s awareness.

Money Transfer Scams

In money transfer scams, clickjacking tricks victims into authorizing transactions from their bank account by placing a transparent layer over a banking site or payment portal. As the victim believes they are performing a routine action, such as closing a pop-up, they unknowingly authorize a fraudulent transfer.

Likejacking

Likejacking is a clickjacking technique where users are deceived into liking a social media post or page without realizing it.

The attacker places an invisible “like” button over another element on a website. When the user clicks, they unintentionally like the attacker’s content. This can cause an accidental endorsement of malicious links.

Cursorjacking

This attack manipulates the cursor’s position on the screen, making the user believe they are clicking on one element when they are actually clicking on something else entirely.

This method can trick users into clicking on malicious links, approving actions, or downloading harmful files, all while thinking they are interacting with a safe element on the page.

Malware Downloads

When an invisible download button is placed over a seemingly harmless link or button on a legitimate website, the user will unknowingly initiate a malware download when they click it.

This can result in installing viruses, spyware, or ransomware on the victim’s device.

Clickjacking Mitigation

Client-side Methods

These methods protect users through browser settings. This method is generally effective but may not cover all types of clickjacking, especially more advanced attacks.

Server-side Methods

These methods focus on securing the web application itself. Compared to the client-side methods, these are highly effective approaches that offer precise control over how the content is displayed and accessed.

How to Prevent Clickjacking Attacks

Content Security Policy (CSP)

This server-side technique uses the frame-ancestors directive in CSP. Developers can control which domains can embed their web pages in iframes. This approach effectively blocks unauthorized sites from framing content, providing strong protection against clickjacking.

X-Frame-Options

X-Frame-Options is a server-side method. This HTTP header is set by the server to control whether a webpage can be embedded in an iframe on other sites. By configuring the header to DENY or SAMEORIGIN, the page is restricted from being framed by unauthorized websites.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Clickjacking is a serious cyber threat that manipulates web pages to deceive users into performing unintended actions and other security risks. Understanding how clickjacking works and implementing effective mitigation techniques is crucial for protecting your online presence.

To safeguard your website from these vulnerabilities, contact Fluxgate for expert assistance in securing your digital assets and ensuring robust cybersecurity measures.