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iOS14 reveals that TikTok may snoop clipboard contents every few keystrokes

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Re: iOS14 reveals that TikTok may snoop clipboard contents every few keystrokes

#31

Post by tempestn »

speedyapoc wrote: post #18

I know there are a few apps which will check the clipboard in order to provide functionality to the user. For example, some shipping apps will check the clipboard to see if the user has a copied tracking code and if so, ask the user if they want to track their copied code. Not sure if TikTok does something similar, but there are certainly innocent reasons for checking the clipboard.

You'd think if the user knew to copy a tracking code into their clipboard, they could also paste it into the appropriate field without the app needing to extract it for them.

Edit: fair responses, all. You've convinced me.

Re: iOS14 reveals that TikTok may snoop clipboard contents every few keystrokes

#32

Post by SirensOfTitan »

It seems like a ton of apps are abusing this feature: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRSWdtoUAjo

I categorize this as another reason why "just trust us," just isn't acceptable enough when it comes to data privacy and ownership. Companies just cannot be trusted to treat their users' data with respect given the option of: profit or privacy.

(sourced from reddit: https://old.reddit.com/r/apple/comments/hejb9i/ios14_catches...)

Re: iOS14 reveals that TikTok may snoop clipboard contents every few keystrokes

#33

Post by mkenyon »

tempestn wrote: post #31
speedyapoc wrote: post #18

I know there are a few apps which will check the clipboard in order to provide functionality to the user. For example, some shipping apps will check the clipboard to see if the user has a copied tracking code and if so, ask the user if they want to track their copied code. Not sure if TikTok does something similar, but there are certainly innocent reasons for checking the clipboard.

You'd think if the user knew to copy a tracking code into their clipboard, they could also paste it into the appropriate field without the app needing to extract it for them. Edit: fair responses, all. You've convinced me.

I mean, sure, you're technically correct, but you're missing the point. For just one example, it's so heckin' convenient when an app recognizes that you have a 2FA token in your clipboard copied from your 2FA app and "pastes" it for you automatically.

Re: iOS14 reveals that TikTok may snoop clipboard contents every few keystrokes

#35

Post by the_pwner224 »

tempestn wrote: post #31
speedyapoc wrote: post #18

I know there are a few apps which will check the clipboard in order to provide functionality to the user. For example, some shipping apps will check the clipboard to see if the user has a copied tracking code and if so, ask the user if they want to track their copied code. Not sure if TikTok does something similar, but there are certainly innocent reasons for checking the clipboard.

You'd think if the user knew to copy a tracking code into their clipboard, they could also paste it into the appropriate field without the app needing to extract it for them. Edit: fair responses, all. You've convinced me.

Not having to paste is very useful. Especially on mobile where pasting is slow and tedious.

A few months ago I would have said the same thing as you, but then I experienced some applications which looked at what I had copied and automatically did all the hard work. It's a pleasant surprise to see it happen, and having experienced it, I am happy that the applications have this functionality.

Of course if you're living in a world where all the code on your device is considered hostile, then you may not want this. But I use almost only free software and there you can generally start with a presumption of goodwill instead of starting with a feeling of distrust, like with TikTok.

Re: iOS14 reveals that TikTok may snoop clipboard contents every few keystrokes

#36

Post by beamatronic »

csa wrote: post #14
beamatronic wrote: post #4

Why does any app have access to the clipboard? Seems like a big security hole.

In order to know when you should enable the paste option. It can be an elegant design choice, but also a design choice that appears to be or is an abuse of privacy.

I should be able to paste into specific GUI elements that allow pasting. The application presenting the GUI element to me should be blind to whether I typed that data, or pasted it into there.

Re: iOS14 reveals that TikTok may snoop clipboard contents every few keystrokes

#38

Post by reaperducer »

speedyapoc wrote: post #18

I know there are a few apps which will check the clipboard in order to provide functionality to the user. For example, some shipping apps will check the clipboard to see if the user has a copied tracking code and if so, ask the user if they want to track their copied code. Not sure if TikTok does something similar, but there are certainly innocent reasons for checking the clipboard.

I use a shipping app that does that. Doesn't the shipping app know when it's newly in focus, and shouldn't it only then check the clipboard, not constantly check?

FWIW, the one I use only checks once — upon startup. It's sometimes annoying that I have to kick it out and re-launch if I've copied a tracking URL from e-mail after the delivery tracking app is already open, but now that I know that's the price of privacy, I'm perfectly OK with it.

Re: iOS14 reveals that TikTok may snoop clipboard contents every few keystrokes

#39

Post by pininja »

riskable wrote: post #8
gentleman11 wrote: post #2

I use bitwarden as my password manager. Out of paranoia, I have been logging into Bitwarden only while an empty tab is open in case some random website is able to access my keystrokes while I use the plugin. I am a web developer, but I wasn't actually able to find information about whether this is a real risk or not last year when I began doing it. Can anybody clarify?

The problem is that iOS doesn't differentiate between a call that merely checks for the presence of a clipboard entry (e.g. so you can enable "Paste" in a menu/submenu) and actually copying the contents of the clipboard. The workaround (for legitimate apps) is to simply always keep that "Paste" option enabled--even if the clipboard is empty. That way you won't freak out your users and only suffer the most minor of us…

> I don't think TikTok has any relevant functionality

Does pasting text into a video as an annotation require “Paste” to be enabled in this way?

Re: iOS14 reveals that TikTok may snoop clipboard contents every few keystrokes

#40

Post by jdminhbg »

tempestn wrote: post #31
speedyapoc wrote: post #18

I know there are a few apps which will check the clipboard in order to provide functionality to the user. For example, some shipping apps will check the clipboard to see if the user has a copied tracking code and if so, ask the user if they want to track their copied code. Not sure if TikTok does something similar, but there are certainly innocent reasons for checking the clipboard.

You'd think if the user knew to copy a tracking code into their clipboard, they could also paste it into the appropriate field without the app needing to extract it for them. Edit: fair responses, all. You've convinced me.

Yes, but this is still convenient. For example, Pocket (a read-it-later service) checks your clipboard when you open the app. Normally to add a new URL to your reading list, you need to tap through a menu or two from the front page of the app. But if it detects your clipboard has a URL on it, it provides a small one-tap "Add this copied URL to your list?" button at the bottom of the screen, reducing the friction.
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