What is a Formjacking attack and How Does it Work?

Formjacking attack: A formjacking attack is when cybercriminals insert some malicious JavaScript code to hack a website and take over the functionality of the site’s form page to collect sensitive user information. Formjacking is designed to attack or steal credit card details and other information from payment forms that can be captured on the checkout pages of websites.

How does Formjacking work?

Imagine you’re buying something online and entering your credit card details. Sometimes, attackers (hackers) can hide malicious code on the website. This code acts like a secret thief, stealing your information when you click “submit.”

What kind of information can they steal? They can take away your credit card number, address, phone number, and more! Then, they send this stolen information to their computers, like a secret hiding place.

What can they do with your stolen information? These cyber thieves might use it themselves to steal your money, or they might sell it online in a shady marketplace called the dark web. With your information, they could even pretend to be you and commit crimes like identity theft or credit card fraud.

What to do If you have been formjacked? 

Act quickly to inform your bank and cancel your credit or debit card if it’s compromised. Quick action often means you won’t be blamed for any fraudulent charges. Watch your bank and credit card activity carefully for any transactions you don’t recognize. Regularly check your credit scores, as unexpected changes might indicate that someone has opened a new account in your name. Think about getting identity theft protection services; they alert you to suspicious use of your personal info. Additionally, installing strong security software, like Norton 360, can safeguard your devices from threats like malware and ransomware.

How to Detect Formjacking

Here are some key steps to detect and prevent formjacking:

1. Regular Website Scanning

• Automated Security Scans: Use website security scanning tools to detect vulnerabilities, including those that could be exploited for formjacking.
• Code Review: Regularly review your website’s codebase for any unauthorized changes or suspicious script insertions.

2. Monitor for Suspicious Activities

• Traffic Analysis: Monitor network traffic for unusual patterns that could indicate data exfiltration, like a sudden spike in data being sent to unknown addresses.
• Behavioral Monitoring: Use tools that track and analyze user behavior on your site to identify anomalies, such as unexpected form submissions.

3. Implement Security Best Practices

• Content Security Policy (CSP): Use CSP to control the sources from which your website can load resources, preventing malicious code execution.
• Secure Your Supply Chain: Ensure that third-party scripts and plugins you use are from reputable sources and are kept up-to-date.

4. Use Web Application Firewalls (WAF)

• WAF: Deploy a web application firewall to block malicious traffic and prevent unauthorized data from leaving your network.

5. Educate and Train Your Staff

• Awareness Training: Regularly train your development and IT teams on the latest cyber threats, including formjacking, and how to respond to them.

6. Continuously Monitor and Update

• Patch Management: Keep all your software and systems updated with the latest security patches.
• Continuous Monitoring: Implement continuous monitoring tools to detect and respond to threats in real time.

By following these steps, you can enhance your ability to detect and prevent formjacking attacks, protecting both your website and your users’ sensitive information.

E-commerce Skimming Attacks

The introduction of EMV chip technology in payment cards has made traditional card fraud, like skimming, harder for criminals. Consequently, they have shifted their focus to online fraud, particularly e-commerce. Criminals use a widespread strategy, attacking many websites at once, hoping some will be profitable.

Formjacking is a stealthy yet straightforward attack where hackers inject harmful code into the checkout pages of online stores. This code is often well-hidden, mimicking legitimate elements like a Google tag or a seemingly related domain, making it hard to spot. Once injected, it steals customers’ payment information as they make purchases.

According to SecurityMetrics’ Brad Caldwell, formjacking is both sneaky and simple for cybercriminals to execute. Symantec’s findings reveal that around 4,800 websites fall victim to formjacking monthly. This shows the attack’s profitable and ongoing nature. Research from RiskIQ indicates that the Magecart group’s formjacking activities are even more widespread than previously thought, affecting a broad range of online service providers.

Conclusion

In conclusion, formjacking is a serious and growing cybersecurity threat targeting online shopping sites. This deceptive tactic involves hackers injecting malicious code into e-commerce platforms to steal sensitive customer information, like credit card details, during the checkout process. With the rise of online shopping, formjacking has become a preferred method for cybercriminals seeking to capitalize on the vast amounts of financial data processed daily.

Its stealthy nature makes it hard to detect, requiring businesses and security professionals to stay vigilant and employ advanced security measures. As formjacking continues to evolve, understanding and combating this insidious attack becomes crucial for protecting consumer trust and financial integrity in the digital marketplace.

What is a Formjacking attack and How Does it Work? – FAQs

What is an example of a Formjacking attack?

Two major examples of successful formjacking attacks were against British Airways and Ticketmaster. Vulnerabilities found in features on their websites allowed attackers to modify JavaScript code to detect when forms were submitted.

How does Magecart work?

Magecart attacks target client-side code, which runs on users’ browsers. This means that malicious skimmers fall outside of common web controls, such as web application firewalls (WAFs). In addition, cybercriminals increasingly use scripts designed to evade detection.

Which type of cyber attack inserts malicious JavaScript code into online payment forms to harvest customers card details?

The type of cyber attack that inserts malicious JavaScript code into online payment forms to harvest customers’ card details is known as formjacking.