Anti Clickjacking Header

Web application security is a critical aspect of maintaining user trust and safeguarding sensitive information. One often overlooked yet potentially dangerous vulnerability is clickjacking. In this blog post, we'll explore what clickjacking is, delve into real-life examples, and provide detailed mitigation guidelines, including code samples, for implementing anti-clickjacking headers.

Understanding Clickjacking

Clickjacking is a malicious technique used by attackers to trick users into clicking on elements of a web page without their knowledge or consent. The attacker overlays a transparent layer containing malicious elements on top of legitimate web content. When users interact with the visible content, they inadvertently interact with the hidden malicious elements, leading to unintended actions such as clicking on buttons, links, or submitting forms.

Real-Life Examples

1. Example 1: Likejacking on Social Media Platforms
   Attackers may overlay a transparent layer containing a "Like" button on top of legitimate content on social media platforms. Unsuspecting users may click on what appears to be genuine content, but they are, in fact, liking a post or page without their consent.
   ‍
2. Example 2: Clickjacking in Financial Transactions
   Malicious actors can overlay a transparent layer on a banking website's interface, tricking users into initiating unauthorized fund transfers or revealing sensitive information by clicking on what appears to be innocuous buttons or fields.

‍

Mitigation Strategies

Implementing anti-clickjacking measures is essential to protect your web application and its users from potential threats. One effective approach is to utilize anti-clickjacking headers, specifically the 'X-Frame-options' header, which controls how a web page can be framed within an iframe.

‍

Implementing Anti-Clickjacking Headers

‍

Step 1: Choose a Suitable 'X-Frame-options' header directive

There are three directives commonly used with the  'X-Frame-options' header

• DENY: This directive prevents any domain from framing the web page.
• SAMEORIGIN: This directive allows the page to be framed only by pages from the same origin.
• ALLOW-FROM uri: This directive specifies a specific URI that is allowed to frame the page.
  ‍

Step 2: Add the Header to HTTP Responses

You can add the 'X-Frame-options' header to your web application's HTTP responses. Below are examples of how you can implement it using different programming languages and frameworks:

Example 1: Using Node.js with Express.js

const express = require('express');
const app = express();

// Middleware to set X-Frame-Options header
app.use((req, res, next) => {
 res.setHeader('X-Frame-Options', 'DENY');
 next();
});

// Your routes and other middleware

‍


Example 2: Using Java with Spring Boot

import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.GetMapping;
import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RestController;
import org.springframework.http.HttpHeaders;
import org.springframework.http.ResponseEntity;

@RestController
public class MyController {

   @GetMapping("/my-page")
   public ResponseEntity<String> myPage() {
       HttpHeaders headers = new HttpHeaders();
       headers.set("X-Frame-Options", "DENY");
       return ResponseEntity.ok().headers(headers).body("Hello, World!");
   }
}


Step 3: Test and Verify

After implementing the anti-clickjacking headers, it's crucial to thoroughly test your web application to ensure that the headers are correctly applied and that they do not interfere with the functionality of your application.

‍

Conclusion

Clickjacking poses a significant threat to web application security, potentially leading to unauthorized actions, data breaches, and compromised user privacy. By understanding the nature of clickjacking attacks and implementing effective mitigation strategies such as anti-clickjacking headers, you can bolster the defenses of your web application and safeguard the integrity of user interactions.

Remember, proactive security measures, regular security assessments, and staying informed about emerging threats are key components of a robust web application security strategy. Stay vigilant, prioritize security, and keep evolving to stay ahead of malicious actors.

‍