Clickjacking is a hidden threat that organizations usually fail to recognize. It is a method by which web attackers exploit users’ trust in the everyday sites they visit. The technique is performed by taking control of the page without the user’s knowledge. Cyber attackers seem to insert hidden buttons or mimic layers of genuine content so that when a person clicks what appears to be a normal link or button, they do something completely different instead.

This action could include entering the user's private data, altering vital system settings, or even authorizing actions that the user did not explicitly agree. Clickjacking goes unnoticed. There are no warnings, the system won't be acting strangely. Until an undesirable incident is initiated, everything seems to be just right. And when one gets an idea that something is wrong, the pain is usually already good and deep.

So, without any delay, let's explore more about clickjacking, how it works, and much more in detail.

What is Clickjacking?

Clickjacking is a technique web attackers use to trick users into clicking on something they don't mean to. It happens when they layer hidden elements over a real page, like transparent buttons or frames. So when they try to do something simple, like hit "Play" on a video or submit a form, they might be clicking on something completely different.

Source: Freepik

The site still looks the same. No weird pop-ups, no warnings, no glitches. But their click triggered something behind the scenes — maybe a like on a spam page, perhaps a settings change, maybe worse. It feels normal. That’s what makes it effective.

Behind that clean-looking page is a hidden setup, waiting for your one innocent click. Just that one action is enough to change account settings, share personal details, or approve a transaction. All without your permission. All without a clue.

Clickjacking is hard to detect and even harder to notice while it’s happening. That’s why knowing how it works — and being a little more careful online — can go a long way in staying protected.

How Does Clickjacking Work?

Clickjacking works by exploiting the interaction between a user and an authorized website and changing it to cause unexpected consequences.

Placing an Invisible Frame

Attackers use HTML to create an invisible iframe on top of a valid webpage. This iframe is usually transparent, making it undetectable to the user, yet it includes harmful content or behaviors. The user feels they are engaging with visible, safe items on the page, like buttons or links. In reality, their clicks are directed to the unseen iframe rather than the visible UI.

Misleading UI Elements

The cyber attacker can change the appearance of the UI by placing fake buttons or links over real ones. When a user clicks on what looks to be a genuine element, the attacker's hidden frame records the interaction. This approach confuses the user into clicking on a masked, harmful target. Because the user believes they are interacting with trusted content, they unintentionally initiate risky actions like changing settings or transferring sensitive information.

Exploiting Trusted Websites

A key component of clickjacking is manipulating users' faith in recognized websites. Attackers often target popular and trustworthy sites to maximize the possibility that users will participate without suspicion. Once the attacker has added their malicious content, they can perform actions on behalf of the user within the trusted domain. The attack often succeeds because the user believes that interactions with a reputable site are secure, unaware that they are being tricked.

Manipulating User Actions

The strategy allows the cyber attacker to control operations that would normally need user authorization or involvement, like liking a page, confirming a purchase, or changing account settings. By misleading the user into clicking hidden buttons or links, the attacker takes over the intended activity. This can have serious consequences, like unauthorized transactions or data disclosure. The user may be unaware of the modifications until it is too late, making clickjacking an invisible yet dangerous attack.

Avoiding Detection

Clickjacking is often ignored by users because it does not directly disturb the visual layout of the page. The attacker's operations are hidden behind the scenes, and because the visible part of the page appears normal, users are unaware that their account has been hacked. The invisibility of iframes or fake UI elements makes it difficult for security systems to identify attacks continuously.

Clickjacking Example

Clickjacking attacks can be carried out in a variety of ways, often using users' trust in genuine websites to conduct actions without their awareness.

Invisible Like Button

An attacker can place an invisible iframe over a social media site's "Like" button. When a user clicks what they assume to be a harmless part of the page, such as a video play button, the click redirects to the "Like" button, causing them to unintentionally like a page or post. This form of attack can spread undesirable content and cause undesirable activities on the user's social media profile.

<iframe src="<http://socialmedia.com/like>" style="position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;opacity:0;"></iframe>

Disguised Login Form

Attackers may place an invisible login form over a trusted website's login button. When the user interacts with the webpage, their credentials are unintentionally sent to a malicious server rather than the intended service. This can lead to stolen login information and account compromises.

Unwanted Transactions

A clickjacking attack may target an online payment form or a contribution website. The web attacker adds an invisible form submission button to a genuine page, so when the user clicks on the visible parts, they unintentionally approve a money transaction or gift. This type of attack can lead to wrongful payments or donations made on behalf of the user.

Changing Account Settings

Attackers use clickjacking to change account settings, like security preferences or personal information, on safe websites. An invisible button can be placed over a page's settings option, causing changes without the user's knowledge. These changes include changing the password recovery choices or sending the user to a different email address.

Clickjacking Risks

Clickjacking poses significant threats to both users and organizations by exploiting their trust and manipulating their interactions on authorized websites.

Unauthorized Access and Account Control

One of the most serious threats of clickjacking is unauthorized access to user accounts. By bringing users into clicking on hidden features, web attackers can modify account settings, passwords, or authorize account modifications. This can result in compromised accounts, data theft, or malicious action using the user's identity.

Financial Loss

Clickjacking can be used to perform malicious operations, like approving payments or donations. Users may unintentionally approve payments, donations, or financial transfers that result in significant monetary losses. This is especially concerning for e-commerce websites, online banking systems, and other organizations that deal with sensitive financial information.

Loss of Sensitive Information

Attackers can use clickjacking to obtain sensitive information such as login credentials, personal details, and credit card information. By adding invisible forms or buttons on trusted websites, web attackers can collect user data and transport it to malicious servers. This causes identity theft and data breaches, risking user privacy.

Damage to Reputation

If clickjacking attacks reach an organization's website, it can cause considerable reputational damage. Customers and users may lose faith in a brand if they believe their interactions with the website are not secure. When a website is identified as vulnerable to clickjacking, it is considered insecure by which organization can lose clients and ruin its reputation.

Undetected Exploitation

Clickjacking attacks are hard to detect because they often do not affect the visible content of a webpage. Users may not be aware that their actions have been hijacked until serious damage happens. Without sufficient protection in place, both the user and the organization may be uninformed of the attack, making it more difficult to respond or recover from the breach.

Clickjacking Prevention

Preventing clickjacking is essential for protecting user interactions and the security of web applications.

X-Frame-Options Header

The most efficient technique to avoid clickjacking is to use the X-Frame-Options HTTP header. This header prevents a web page from being placed in an iframe or frame, effectively limiting the possibility of overlaying risky material. The X-Frame-Options header can be set to DENY (disallow all framing).

Example code to set this header in a javascript server configuration:

app.use((req, res, next) => {
  res.setHeader("X-Frame-Options", "DENY");
  next();
});

Content Security Policy (CSP)

Implementing a Content Security Policy (CSP) can give an extra layer of security by limiting which sources can be included on a page. A strict CSP can prevent content from being inserted into iframes, significantly reducing the possibility of clickjacking attacks. The frame-ancestors directive is very important for protecting a page from being framed by rogue sites.

Example code for adding a header:

app.use((req, res, next) => {
  res.setHeader("Content-Security-Policy", "frame-ancestors 'self'");
  next();
});

This policy ensures that the page can only be framed by itself, preventing clickjacking from other sources.

Framebusting JavaScript

While not an ideal solution, some websites employ JavaScript to identify if their page is embedded in a frame and block it from being displayed. This procedure is referred to as framebusting. If the page is being framed, it may exit the frame or redirect to the top-level window.

Example JavaScript code:

if (top !== self) {
    top.location = self.location;
}

While effective against simple attacks, experienced attackers may bypass this mechanism, so it should be used in conjunction with other methods like X-Frame-Options and CSP.

Regular Security Audits

Regular security audits of web applications and websites are essential for discovering potential vulnerabilities, including those that could be exploited by clickjacking. Penetration testing and vulnerability scanning technologies should be used to ensure that clickjacking protection is complete.

Final Thoughts

Clickjacking is a silent attacker that takes advantage of trust and familiarity. By staying hidden and using clever tricks, it makes users perform actions they never intended. The risks are high, but awareness and strong security practices can make a big difference.

Staying alert, avoiding suspicious links, and implementing security features like frame-busting scripts can help prevent clickjacking attacks. In the digital world, a little extra caution goes a long way.

Akto offers API security testing tools to help organizations protect their system from vulnerabilities like clickjacking. Akto provides an agentic AI security suite that allows security engineers to find and mitigate any risks in their web applications. Schedule a demo today to learn how Akto can improve your security posture and protect your organization from advanced threats.