What is Clickjacking?
Clickjacking is where an attacker disguises a webpage element or makes it invisible on top of an existing page, in an attempt to redirect you or make you click on something else. When you click or get tricked into clicking onto another element, you can accidentally visit malicious websites, hand over your credentials or leak sensitive information. You might even purchase products online from a fake scammy website.
Clickjacking attacks are usually done by showing you an invisible page or HTML element, typically inside an iframe, on top of an existing page that you as the user already see. This makes you believe that you are clicking on the actual visible page, but instead you're clicking on an invisible button or element that is linked to an additional page which has been transposed on it.
If that sounds a little confusing, just bear with us a bit. In this guide, we will break down what clickjacking attacks are and how they work. You will know how to prevent clickjacking and what you can do to fight against these cases.
Why Clickjacking Prevention Matters in 2026?
Clickjacking matters because it turns a harmless interaction into something dangerous that could have devastating consequences. You are not even aware of the overlay that has been placed on your page. It's invisible to the naked eye and it can redress your page's interface to misdirect your user actions. If you land on a malicious site with social handles that have already been authenticated, your attacker can steal your sensitive credentials and other details.
Clickjacking also matters because a single or hidden click can change your account settings, make you forcefully subscribe to other content and follow pages without your consent. Imagine if a hacker somehow got your hands on your user credentials by making you click on a page through clickjacking. They can then take control of your account and make you do malicious activities without you knowing about anything in the background.
Clickjacking will collectively erode your customer's trust in your organization, increase your support expenses and make it harder to prevent these attacks. The more fragmented and scaled up they become across different services. And the worst part is that users can't distinguish between your website's overlays and these deceptive overlays because they stay hidden.
How Clickjacking Attacks Work?
A common example of a clickjacking attack is the invisible “buy” and “like” buttons which you click on thinking that you’re closing a popup. Another classic scenario is placing a hidden “enable” or “activation” control button at the bottom of a screen for a video game interface you are playing on.
Keep in mind clickjacking is not phishing. Phishing preys on convincing or persuading you into taking action. But in a clickjacking attack, you are deceived or conned by being misdirected into where your clicks land. Clickjacking feels more natural since you don’t get a second thought and don’t see the attack coming (it’s not so obvious).
Disguised clicks can also confirm purchases, OTPs and do transfers without needing your confirmation or authentication. Clickjacking attacks can use UI elements to grant permissions which can be clicked under false pretenses. It can also turn your camera, microphone and location settings on and expose privacy via deceptive overlays.
So is a clickjacking attack a kind of browser bug? Not really, but it can abuse your site's standard features like layering and iframes.
Can single sign-on authentication prevent it? No, it won't work because a clickjacking attack can manipulate your UI while your SSO is only responsible for managing identity.
Both mobile apps and hybrid apps can be impacted by clickjacking attacks, especially if they are used for showing external content.
How to Detect Clickjacking Vulnerabilities?
One of the best ways to detect clickjacking vulnerabilities is to try framing your web page from other servers.
- Open a local environment and make a simple HTML file. Let's call this your Proof of Concept (PoC) HTML file. Now, use an
<iframe>tag within the HTML body. Embed the URL of the sensitive page that you want to test with your<iframe>tag. - Replace your target URL with the URL of the page you want to test. Save and view the page on your browser. If your target page's content loads successfully (the one you mentioned in your iframe tag), then your site is most likely vulnerable. If it doesn't load, then you're safe.
- This is the first way to detect a clickjacking vulnerability which we call manual testing.
Another way to find out is to test for defense bypasses. You can use a simple frame-busting script if JavaScript has been disabled by your web browser. You can use advanced techniques like double framing for clickjacking attack prevention and testing too.
Automated vulnerability scanners can scan web apps for misconfigured anti-clickjacking HTTP headers and some of them can inspect the HTTP response headers in the network tabs. Any pages with missing headers like X-Frame-Options and Content-Security-Policy are susceptible.
There are also tools out there that can record your clicks on target pages and replay them with attack UI overlays to mimic real attack scenarios. These can help you find various clickjacking vulnerabilities.
How to Prevent Clickjacking Attacks?
Here are some ways you can prevent clickjacking attacks:
Use Permissions Policy to Control Browser Features
Modern browsers let you limit what features embedded iframes can access. Set the Permissions-Policy header to disable fullscreen, geolocation, camera, microphone, and payment request APIs. This stops attackers from hijacking sensitive browser features through overlays. Even if they trick you into clicking, they can't trigger dangerous permissions without your explicit allow. It's a smart defense layer that restricts what attackers can actually do with their overlays.
Apply iframe Sandbox Restrictions to Embedded Content
When you embed external content in iframes, the sandbox attribute locks it down by default. Block scripts, forms, and pop-ups unless you specifically need them. Use the allow values carefully—only grant allow-scripts if the iframe truly needs JavaScript, and avoid allow-same-origin unless necessary. This containment strategy prevents malicious embedded content from accessing your main page or user data. Test your sandbox configurations regularly to ensure they still work as intended.
Monitor User Click Behavior with Event Listeners
Add JavaScript event listeners to track where clicks actually originate. Check if clicks come from legitimate UI elements or from positions that don't match visible buttons. Compare event.target with event.currentTarget to catch mismatches. This helps detect clicks that appear to target visible elements but actually hit invisible layers beneath them. While this won't stop determined attackers, it catches common overlay tricks and creates audit trails for security teams.
Use Machine Learning and AI Detection
Advanced ML models can now recognize clickjacking patterns by analyzing page layouts and user interactions. These systems spot suspicious iframe overlays, unusual element positioning, and behavioral anomalies in real time. CNN and neural network models trained on phishing datasets can identify threats before users get hurt. As these technologies improve, they'll catch sophisticated attacks that slip past traditional defenses. Deploy automated threat detection alongside your HTTP headers for deeper protection.
Use Browser Fingerprinting to Identify Suspicious Activity
Create unique digital fingerprints for each visitor based on their browser, device, and hardware characteristics. Compare fingerprints against your database of known users. If you see clicks from a new device or location that's never been used before, flag it for additional verification. Fingerprinting spots emulators, VPNs, and spoofing tools that attackers use to mask their identity. Combined with behavioral analysis, it helps you separate real users from bots and fraudsters attempting clickjacking attacks.
Display Website Authenticity Indicators to Users
Show visual watermarks or proof-of-source badges that prove your page is genuine and unaltered. When users see these indicators disappear or change, it signals a spoofed page or overlay attack. Defensive UI code can detect when your page is being framed and display warnings automatically. Users learn to trust these visual cues, making it harder for attackers to trick them into clicking hidden elements.
Best Practices for Clickjacking Prevention
Here are some of the best practices to follow for clickjacking prevention:
1. Set X-Frame-Options HTTP Headers
The first line of defense is setting the X-Frame-Options header on your server. This tells browsers whether your page can be loaded inside an iframe or frame. You have three main options here:
- 'DENY' is the most secure choice and blocks any domain from framing your content.
- 'SAMEORIGIN' allows only your own domain to frame the page, which works if you need internal framing.
- 'ALLOW-FROM uri' lets you whitelist specific trusted domains, but use this with caution because of browser compatibility issues.
2. Implement Content Security Policy with frame-ancestors
CSP is the modern way to prevent clickjacking and it's more flexible than X-Frame-Options. You add the frame-ancestors directive to your Content Security Policy header and specify which domains are allowed to frame your content. Set it to 'none' if you don't need any framing at all, or specify trusted domains using CSP syntax.
3. Secure Your Session Cookies with SameSite Attribute
Mark all your session cookies with the SameSite attribute set to either 'Strict' or 'Lax'. This prevents cookies from being sent when your page is loaded inside an iframe from another domain.
When combined with other defenses, this blocks attackers from hijacking authenticated user sessions through framing attacks. The protection is stronger when set to 'Strict', but 'Lax' provides a good balance between security and user experience for legitimate cross-site navigation.
4. Add Frame-Busting JavaScript Code
Include a JavaScript frame-buster in the <head> section of your HTML document. This script checks if your page is being loaded inside a frame and automatically breaks out of it if detected. It's a simple backup layer that works across most modern browsers. Make sure your frame-busting code is solid though; avoid outdated techniques that attackers can easily circumvent with advanced framing methods like double framing.
5. Use window.confirm() for Critical Actions
Before allowing users to complete sensitive transactions or make account changes within iframes, use the window.confirm() method to force explicit confirmation. This creates a dialog that requires users to actively acknowledge what they're about to do. Even if other protections are bypassed, this adds friction and catches accidental clicks that attackers are relying on.
6. Test Your Vulnerabilities Regularly
Create a simple HTML file locally with an iframe tag pointing to your site's URL. Try loading it in your browser to see if your page appears inside the frame. If it loads successfully, you're vulnerable and need to implement the headers above. If it doesn't load, your protections are working. Use automated vulnerability scanners to check for missing X-Frame-Options and CSP headers in your HTTP response headers. Manual testing combined with automation gives you comprehensive coverage.
7. Monitor for Misconfigurations
Use tools that can inspect your HTTP response headers directly from the network tabs in your browser. Look for X-Frame-Options and Content-Security-Policy headers on every page. Any pages missing these headers are potential targets. Some automated scanners can also test for defense bypasses and flag weaknesses in your implementation.
8. Incorporate Double Confirmation Steps
Make your users double confirm before they are allowed to perform an explicit and highly sensitive action (like money transfer or deleting accounts). Don't rely on client-side scripts.
9. Educate Your Users
Tell your employees about clickjacking attacks and how they work. Educate them about unsuspecting overlays, weird popups, and sudden permission requests. Whatever implementation measures you take for clickjacking prevention, please check it against the OWASP clickjacking cheat sheet and verify if your site is truly protected.
Conclusion
Clickjacking is becoming a common issue these days but don't worry, now you know what you can expect to encounter on your browser-side and client-ends. Server-driven protocols can constrain browser iframe usage and defend against clickjacking attacks.
How good a clickjacking attack will work will depend on the browser-side behavior as well. If you conform to the best web standards and safe browsing usage practices, then you and your users are likely to be safe. Stay vigilant, check your browser compliance, and don't forget to make full use of your X-Frame-Options and Content Security Policy for sufficient protection!
FAQs
Clickjacking is when attackers trick users into clicking on things they don't intend to click on. A malicious website will overlay invisible buttons or links on top of legitimate content. When you click what you think is a normal button, you're actually activating something hidden behind it. The attacker controls what happens next. Your clicks might trigger unwanted actions like changing account settings, posting content, or authorizing permissions. You won't even realize it happened.
Missing X-Frame-Options headers is the main reason clickjacking works. If your website doesn't set this header, attackers can embed it in iframes. Not using Content Security Policy headers leaves you vulnerable too. Some sites fail to validate user actions properly, making it easy to trick visitors. Websites that don't implement anti-framing techniques are targets. Old frameworks without built-in protections are especially at risk. Applications handling sensitive operations need proper defenses, or clickjacking will get through.
Developers should set the X-Frame-Options header to DENY or SAMEORIGIN. This stops browsers from loading your site inside iframes. You can also use Content Security Policy with frame-ancestors directive to control framing. Check all user actions that matter, especially sensitive ones like payments or permission changes. Add visual indicators so users know when they're interacting with real buttons. Test your site regularly to find framing vulnerabilities. Use JavaScript frame-busting code as backup protection if older browsers are involved.
X-Frame-Options is an HTTP header that tells browsers whether your site can be framed. When set to DENY, your site won't load inside any iframe, period. SAMEORIGIN allows framing only from the same domain. ALLOW-FROM lets you specify trusted domains that can frame you. Browsers respect this header and block framing attempts from other sites. Attackers can't overlay your content without your permission. This simple header removes the main tool attackers use for clickjacking, making their job impossible.
You can check your response headers using online tools or browser developer tools. Look for the X-Frame-Options header in your site's HTTP responses. If it's missing, you're vulnerable. Try creating a test HTML file that iframes your site and see if it loads. If it appears inside the iframe, clickjacking is possible. Manual testing helps, but automated security scanners can find issues faster. Test both your main domain and subdomains. Remember to test after making changes to confirm your fix actually works.
First, add the X-Frame-Options header to all your responses. Set it to DENY unless you need framing. Use Content Security Policy headers for additional protection. Train users to be aware of unusual behavior or unexpected prompts. Don't assume clicks are always intentional from visitors. Implement CSRF tokens for actions that matter. Keep your framework and libraries updated since they patch vulnerabilities. Run security audits regularly to catch misconfigurations. Test your defenses often so you know they're actually working when attacks happen.
