A clickjacking attack is a type of web security exploit that involves tricking a user into clicking on a malicious link or button, typically by overlaying the malicious element on top of a legitimate element on a web page. This can be done by using transparent or opaque layers to hide the true nature of the button or link, or by using other techniques to deceive the user into thinking they are clicking on a harmless or legitimate element.
Clickjacking attacks can be used to perform a wide range of malicious actions, such as stealing the user's login credentials, redirecting the user to a malicious website, or infecting the user's device with malware. Because the user is tricked into clicking on the malicious element, they may not realize that they have been targeted by an attack until it is too late.
To protect against clickjacking attacks, web developers can use various techniques, such as implementing a "frame busting" script that prevents the page from being loaded in an iframe, or using the X-Frame-Options
HTTP header to prevent the page from being loaded in a frame. Users can also protect themselves by being cautious when clicking on links or buttons on unfamiliar websites, and by using web browsers with built-in protection against clickjacking attacks.
There are several steps that web developers and users can take to prevent clickjacking attacks:
X-Frame-Options
HTTP header: This is an HTTP response header that can be used to prevent a page from being loaded in a frame or iframe. By setting the X-Frame-Options
header to DENY
, the server will refuse to display the page in a frame or iframe, providing protection against clickjacking attacks.Content-Security-Policy
HTTP header: This is an HTTP response header that allows web developers to specify which sources are allowed to load content on the page, such as scripts, stylesheets, and images. By setting the Content-Security-Policy
header to only allow content from trusted sources, web developers can prevent attackers from loading malicious content on the page.By implementing these steps, web developers and users can significantly reduce their risk of being targeted by a clickjacking attack. It is important to remember, however, that no single solution can provide complete protection against clickjacking attacks