‘Clickjacking’: The Hidden Threat

Right in Front of You

Even savvy computer users can fall for “clickjacking,” the latest trick that hides a scam on a seemingly safe web page.

How it works
Clickjacking starts like most online phishing scams.  You receive an email, social media message, or text that directs you to a website.  Scammers may claim to be a major retailer giving away an iPad, for example.

The message instructs you to go to a website and enter to win.  When you get to the site, everything looks normal.  But scammers have hidden links and other content on the page.  In addition to the content you can see, there’s an invisible layer.

You complete the form and hit the “Register Now!” button, and that’s when you’re snared: the scammers have placed an invisible link on top of that button.

You think your click is entering you to win the gift, but you’re actually activating software code that may do anything from ordering goods from Amazon.com (using the “one-click” feature) to changing the settings on your computer.

The technique is often used to trick victims into “liking” something on Facebook, a variant dubbed “likejacking.”

How to spot a clickjacking scam   

If it seems too good to be true, it probably isn’t.  Stay away from teasers for sensational videos and offers that are too good to be real.

Update your web browser.  Newer versions of browsers have security updates that warn you of suspicious websites.

Log out of websites.  Many clickjacking scams take advantage of web users’ habit of staying logged into sites like Facebook or Amazon.

Don’t believe what you see.  It’s easy to steal the colors, logos, and header of any established organization.  Always keep your guard up!

  By: © National Security Institute, Inc.

 Get Paid to Shop www.TeraShoppes.com

Earn up to 50% cash back while shopping at all 

your favorite stores.