The Threat of Clickjacking: What It Is and How Your Business Can Stay Protected
One threat that every business owner should be aware of is clickjacking. While it may sound technical, the concept is simple — and the consequences for your business can be serious if left unchecked. This article explains what clickjacking is, why it's a problem for businesses, and how you can protect your company from falling victim to it.
What Is Clickjacking?
Clickjacking is a sneaky online trick used by cyber actors to fool people into clicking on something without realising it. Imagine you’re browsing your business website or an online banking page and go to click on a button, like submitting a form or playing a video. Behind the scenes, however, there’s a hidden layer that you can’t see. When you click the button, you’re actually clicking on something completely different, like allowing someone access to your account or sharing confidential information.
It’s as if you are being tricked into opening a door you did not mean to — and by the time you realise it, the damage could already be done.
Why should businesses care about Clickjacking?
If your business becomes a victim of clickjacking, the consequences can be damaging. Cyber criminals might:
- Gain access to your customers' data, which could lead to identity theft or fraud.
- Trick your employees into unknowingly compromising sensitive company information.
- Harm your business’s reputation by making your website seem untrustworthy to visitors.
Beyond the immediate financial or data loss, the long-term damage to your company’s reputation could be costly. Customers expect businesses to keep their data safe, and if they lose trust in your website, they might stop using your services altogether. In some cases, companies might even face legal consequences for failing to protect sensitive information.
How to Protect Your Business from Clickjacking
Thankfully, there are straightforward steps you can take to protect your business from clickjacking attacks. Here are a few key methods:
Stop your website from being framed: Cyber criminals often use a technique where they put your website inside an invisible frame (like a window within a window) to trick users into clicking on the wrong things. You can prevent this by making sure your website doesn’t allow itself to be “framed” by other sites. This is a basic security feature that your website developer can easily implement.
Use security headers: When someone visits your website, their browser exchanges information with your server. By adding certain "security headers" to your website, you can stop other websites from embedding your content in a way that enables clickjacking. This is a technical fix, but it’s one that can be quickly set up by whoever manages your website.
Update your website regularly: Just like keeping your business up to date, keeping your website's software current is crucial. Regular security updates help fix weaknesses that hackers could exploit. Make sure your website is regularly maintained to stay ahead of these threats.
Educate your team: Cyber security is everyone’s responsibility. Make sure your employees know what clickjacking is and how to spot suspicious online behaviour. A simple security training session can help them avoid falling victim to this or other scams.
Penetration Testing: Consider conducting regular security checks or audits of your website. These tests can find vulnerabilities, including those that might allow for clickjacking. A professional security firm can help identify weak spots in your website before cybercriminals do.
How to protect your users?
Whilst protecting your own website from being utilised as part of a clickjacking attack, it is also essential that businesses protect their employees from other websites which may already have fallen victim to this type of attack. But how?
Web Gateway Security acts as a secure layer between your business devices and the internet, filtering internet traffic, and preventing harmful data from entering and leaving the business. It can also act as a web content filter within your business. Do you not want employees browsing social media on their business devices? Do you want to ensure that gambling or adult websites are blocked? All of this can be accomplished with Web Gateway security, but the security side goes far deeper than this.
Why Clickjacking Protection should be an essential part of your Cyber Security Strategy
Protecting your business from clickjacking is not just an isolated task but a vital piece of your overall cyber security plan. With so much of today’s business activity happening online — from customer transactions to internal operations — keeping your digital environment secure should be a top priority. Clickjacking might seem like a small issue, but it can open the door to much larger problems if left unchecked.
By taking simple steps to prevent clickjacking, you’re also protecting against other online threats. Implementing strong website security practices, staying updated, and educating your team all contribute to a safer business environment.
Your business relies on trust, both from customers and employees. A breach in that trust can have profound consequences, which is why building a strong cyber security strategy — including protection from clickjacking — is essential for success.