Clickjacking Attacks: How They Work and How to Prevent Them

Ritisha

March 7, 2025

Have you ever clicked on something online and ended up somewhere unexpected? That’s exactly what clickjacking is all about – a sneaky cybersecurity threat where attackers trick you into clicking on hidden elements you can’t see.

To define clickjacking, it is a deceptive technique where an attacker overlays invisible elements on a seemingly harmless webpage. When a user interacts with the visible content, they may unknowingly:

• Like a social media page without consent
• Download malware
• Make unauthorized purchases
• Disclose personal information

As a website owner or developer, protecting your users from clickjacking isn’t just good practice – it’s essential for maintaining trust and security. Imagine losing customer confidence because their accounts were compromised through your website!

In this guide, we’ll explore the world of clickjacking attacks. You’ll learn about different types of attacks, see how they work in action, and discover practical clickjacking prevention strategies to keep your web applications safe. Let’s turn your website from a potential target into a security fortress!

Clickjacking- Definition and Types

Also known as UI redressing, clickjacking means a deceptive attack where hackers create an invisible layer over legitimate website elements. It’s like a transparent mask placed on top of a genuine webpage – you see what’s underneath, but you’re actually interacting with something completely different.

Here’s how a typical clickjacking (UI Redressing) attack works:

• An attacker creates a malicious webpage that loads your trusted website in an invisible iframe
• They position this iframe precisely over a fake button or link on their page
• When you click what appears to be the fake element, you’re actually clicking something on the legitimate site below

Real-World Clickjacking Example:

A shopping website shows a “View Item” button

↓

Attacker overlays this with an invisible “Buy Now” button

↓

You click to view, but accidentally make a purchase

Clickjacking can target various user actions:

• Social media likes and shares
• Financial transactions
• Permission grants
• File downloads
• Password changes

The attack’s success relies on precise positioning and timing – the malicious elements must align perfectly with the legitimate website’s interactive components to trick users effectively.

Types of Clickjacking Attacks

There are three dangerous variations of click-jacking attacks that pose unique threats to users:

1. Likejacking

Likejacking specifically targets social media platforms. In this variation, attackers trick users into clicking the “Like” or “Share” buttons without their knowledge. They achieve this by creating fake overlays on legitimate social media buttons, making it appear as though users are interacting with the actual content. As a result, malicious content can spread virally through user networks.

2. Cursorjacking

Cursorjacking involves manipulating the visual position of the cursor. Attackers show the cursor in one location while the actual pointer is elsewhere. This technique deceives users into thinking they are clicking on something safe when, in reality, they are interacting with hidden malicious elements. Cursorjacking is commonly found in fake download buttons or deceptive ads.

3. Cookiejacking

Cookiejacking is a way hackers steal sensitive information from browser cookies. They use hidden iframes to grab authentication tokens, which lets them take over user accounts without permission. This is especially risky for banking and e-commerce websites.

Hackers often combine different tricks to make their attacks stronger. For example, they might use cursorjacking to hide harmful elements while also using cookiejacking to steal login details. This makes the attack harder to notice and stop.

Executing Clickjacking Attacks

Let’s break down a typical clickjacking attack to understand how attackers exploit website vulnerabilities. Here’s a basic attack scenario:

Creating the Overlay

• Attacker builds a decoy web page
• Places an invisible iframe containing target website
• Positions transparent buttons over legitimate elements

How It Works:

• The iframe loads a targeted website but is made invisible.
• A deceptive (fake) button is placed over the intended element to mislead users into clicking on something unintended.
• If the iframe contains a login button, purchase button, or other sensitive actions, users may unknowingly interact with it.

Real-World Example: A malicious page displays what appears to be a “Play Video” button. When clicked, the user unknowingly interacts with a Facebook “Like” button hidden beneath the visible element.

The iframe plays a crucial role by:

• Loading target website content
• Maintaining active user sessions
• Preserving legitimate website functionality

Common Attack Methods:

• Disguising malicious elements as game interfaces
• Using fake download buttons
• Creating false survey forms
• Implementing deceptive social media interactions

Attackers often combine these techniques with social engineering, creating compelling reasons for users to interact with the manipulated elements. The success of these attacks relies on precise positioning and timing of the overlay elements with the target website’s interactive components.

Recognizing Vulnerabilities to Clickjacking

Is your website at risk of clickjacking attacks? Let’s explore the key indicators that might make your site vulnerable.

Common Red Flags:

• Missing HTTP security headers (X-Frame-Options or Content-Security-Policy)
• Ability to load the website in an iframe without restrictions
• Legacy browser compatibility requirements
• Lack of frame-busting scripts

Design Flaws That Create Vulnerabilities:

• Single-click action buttons for critical functions
• Auto-filled forms with sensitive data
• Insufficient authentication checks for important actions
• UI elements that rely solely on CSS positioning

High-Risk Website Features:

• Social media integration buttons
• Payment processing forms
• File upload functionality
• User account management panels
• Administrative interfaces

These vulnerabilities become particularly dangerous when combined with social engineering tactics or when targeting high-privilege user accounts.

Prevention Strategies Against Clickjacking

Protecting your website from clickjacking attacks requires a multi-layered defense strategy. Let’s explore effective prevention methods you can implement right now.

Client-Side Defenses Against Clickjacking

Frame-busting scripts serve as your first line of defense against clickjacking attempts. These JavaScript snippets detect when your webpage is loaded inside an iframe and force it to break free.

Here’s a basic frame-busting script example:

  
  javascript if (window !== window.top) { window.top.location = window.location; }

Advanced Frame-Busting Techniques:

• Use the window.self and window.top comparison
• Implement timing checks for frame-breaking attempts
• Add random number verification between parent and child windows

Limitations of Client-Side Prevention:

• JavaScript can be disabled by users
• Attackers can bypass simple frame-busting code
• Browser compatibility issues may affect script execution

Enhanced Frame-Busting Code:

 javascript
    (function() {
        if (self === top) {
            document.documentElement.style.display = 'block';
        } else {
            top.location = self.location;
        }
    })();

This enhanced version includes a self-executing function and CSS display manipulation for better security. You’ll need to pair this with CSS that initially hides your content:

css html { display: none; }

Remember that client-side defenses work best when combined with server-side protection methods. While frame-busting scripts provide an essential layer of security, they shouldn’t be your only line of defense against clickjacking attacks.

Server-Side Defenses Against Clickjacking

Server-side security measures provide robust protection against clickjacking attacks. Let’s explore two powerful defensive tools: X-Frame-Options headers and Content Security Policy.

X-Frame-Options Header Settings

The X-Frame-Options HTTP response header offers three key directives:

• DENY: Blocks all attempts to load the page in a frame
• SAMEORIGIN: Allows framing only by pages from the same origin
• ALLOW-FROM uri: Permits framing only from specified URIs

Here’s a simple implementation example: http X-Frame-Options: DENY

Content Security Policy (CSP)

CSP provides more granular control through the frame-ancestors directive:

http Content-Security-Policy: frame-ancestors ‘none’; Content-Security-Policy: frame-ancestors ‘self’; Content-Security-Policy: frame-ancestors example.com trusted-site.com;

Best Practices for iframe Protection

• Implement both X-Frame-Options and CSP for broader browser compatibility
• Set strict frame-ancestors policies
• Regular security header audits
• Test iframe functionality after implementing protections
• Monitor security logs for potential breach attempts

Code Example for Apache Server

apache Header set X-Frame-Options “DENY” Header set Content-Security-Policy “frame-ancestors ‘none’;”

These server-side measures create a strong foundation for clickjacking protection when combined with proper client-side defenses.

Advanced Techniques for Detecting Clickjacking Attempts

Detecting clickjacking attempts requires a combination of specialized tools and browser extensions. Here’s how you can strengthen your website’s security against these deceptive attacks:

Browser Extensions for Protection:

• NoScript Security Suite: Blocks JavaScript execution and allows content only from trusted domains
• NoClickjack: Provides visual alerts when clickjacking attempts are detected
• Clickjacking Revealer: Shows hidden iframes and suspicious overlays

Professional Detection Tools:

• Web vulnerability scanners: For clickjacking, OWASP ZAP and Burp Suite scan websites to check vulnerabilities
• Browser Developer Tools: Inspect element feature reveals suspicious iframe implementations
• Custom JavaScript testing scripts: Check frame nesting and overlay positioning

Manual Testing Methods:

Add this CSS code temporarily to your site to reveal hidden iframes. A legitimate site shouldn’t have unexpected overlays or nested frames.

Automated Monitoring:

• Set up alerts for unusual iframe implementations
• Track suspicious click patterns through analytics
• Monitor cross-origin resource requests

These detection methods work best when combined with the server-side security measures discussed earlier.

The Role of Secure Cookies in Preventing Clickjacking

Secure cookies are essential in enhancing your website’s defense against clickjacking attacks. The SameSite cookie attribute is a powerful security measure that helps prevent cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attacks often linked to clickjacking vulnerabilities.

Here’s how secure cookie attributes enhance protection:

• SameSite=Strict: Cookies only sent in first-party context
• SameSite=Lax: Cookies sent with top-level navigations
• SameSite=None: Cookies sent in all contexts (requires Secure attribute)

The Secure flag ensures cookies are transmitted exclusively through encrypted HTTPS connections:

http Set-Cookie: sessionId=abc123; SameSite=Strict; Secure

Additional cookie attributes that strengthen security:

• HttpOnly – Blocks JavaScript access to cookies
• Domain – Limits cookie scope to specific domains
• Path – Restricts cookie access to specific URL paths

These cookie security measures create multiple layers of protection against malicious attempts to hijack user sessions through clickjacking techniques. When implemented correctly, they help maintain the integrity of user interactions and prevent unauthorized cross-origin requests.

Conclusion

Keeping your website safe from clickjacking attacks requires multiple layers of protection. This article covers key strategies like using secure headers and frame-busting scripts to strengthen your site’s defenses.

To improve your website’s security, add X-Frame-Options headers, set up a Content Security Policy, use frame-busting scripts, secure your cookies, and run regular security checks. These steps need ongoing updates to stay effective against new threats. Experienced security professionals can help ensure your site follows best practices.

Want to protect your website from clickjacking and other online threats? Our Core Web Vitals Consultants provide customized security solutions to keep your site and users safe. Contact us today!