Clickjacking: Definition, Defense & Prevention

Clickjacking occurs when a hacker hides hyperlinks behind the content visible to users in order to steal clicks.

A clickjacking attack begins with deception. You encounter a form, button, or another item you can manipulate. Clicking on that item results in an action you never intended. 

For example, you're shown a popup screen on a website, and a large button says, "Click to close this window." When you tap that button, you're also liking the company's Facebook page, even though you never intended to do so. 

Clickjacking attacks can cause you to:

• Download malware 
• Hand out protected information
• Transfer money
• Purchase products
• Offer unwanted social proof 

As a consumer, it's important to understand how these attacks work and how you can protect yourself. As an IT professional, it's critical to build sites that are resistant to common clickjacking approaches.

What Is Clickjacking?

A hacker creates an innocent-seeming web page, button, or form. Multiple layers make up the item. The version you se