iOS apps can steal data from device’s clipboard + MacOS threat monitoring survey

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Attackers can steal user’s GPS coordinates, passwords or financial information.

IOS apps, including malware, can access any data stored on the iPhone or iPad clipboard. In this way, attackers can steal confidential data, such as the user's GPS coordinates, credentials, or financial information.

To demonstrate the danger of this problem, German programmer Tommy Mysk has developed the KlipboardSpy PoC application and the KlipSpyWidget widget for iOS. They demonstrate how any program installed on an iOS device can access the clipboard data and use it to spy or steal confidential information.

“The user can unwittingly give the program his exact location by simply copying the photo to the clipboard. Any application used by the user after copying such a photo to the clipboard can read the location information stored in the photo properties. This happens completely unnoticed and without the consent of the user, ”the developer explained.

Apple, in response to a study by Bowl, stated that it considers such use of the clipboard not as a vulnerability, but as the core function of most applications and operating systems.

According to Misk, Apple should set permissions for the clipboard data in the same way that applications request permission to access the contacts and location of the iPhone.

In May 2020, the tenth anniversary forum on practical information security Positive Hack Days will be held. PT Expert Security Center expert Aleksey Potapov will conduct a workshop on threat monitoring for MacOS. To make the presentation even more useful, we invite IT and information security specialists to participate in a small survey: