iOS 15 Includes Secure Paste Feature That Hides the Clipboard From Developers

[MacRumors]

iOS 15 has multiple significant privacy-focused improvements such as new protections in the Mail app to prevent tracking, an App Privacy section that shows you how often apps access sensitive information like location, and on-device Siri processing, but there are also some smaller but equally important changes.

One of these updates is a new Secure Paste function for developers, which can be built into apps. With this feature implemented, users can paste something from a different app, with the content of what's copied hidden unless it's pasted into the developer's own app.

If secure paste is implemented, users can copy and paste from one app to another without being alerted through the clipboard notification that was introduced in iOS 14, giving them peace of mind that what they've copied is secure.

This feature sounds complicated, but it stems from a major privacy issue that surfaced last year. Back in March 2020, it came to light that many iPhone and iPad apps were "snooping" on pasteboard data, as developers could access whatever was on the pasteboard without the user being aware.

Apps like TikTok, Hotels.com, Reddit, Zillow and others could see whatever a user copied from another app, which was a concern because sometimes sensitive information like a password is copied.

Apple addressed this issue in iOS 14 by implementing a small banner that notifies you whenever an app accesses the clipboard, which means apps can no longer see the clipboard without your knowledge. iOS 15 takes it further with the secure paste feature that prevents developers from seeing the clipboard entirely unless you opt to copy something from one app and paste it into the app you're actively using.

With secure paste, developers can let users paste from a different app without having access to what was copied until the user takes action to paste it into their app. When developers use secure paste, users will be able to paste without being alerted via the pasteboard transparency notification, helping give them peace of mind.

After Apple first implemented the iOS 14 feature to unveil when apps were accessing the clipboard, many apps were found to be copying the clipboard on a frequent basis, though some apps like TikTok claimed that this was a mistake.

Article Link: iOS 15 Includes Secure Paste Feature That Hides the Clipboard From Developers

 

[joecomo]

more annoying are those apps that do not allow something to be pasted in their entry fields - that's enervating.
Those custom keyboard apps could offer a "paste simulator" - would be much appreciated

 

[FSMBP]

I must be 100% naive because before iOS 14, I had no idea apps could 'see' what I had in my clipboard. Unless I pasted something, why should the app have access?

Edit: Grammar, spelling, carelessness.

 

[contacos]

Why would THEY decide to actually implement something like that if it isn’t enforced

 

[mazz0]

What a confusingly written article. I still have no idea what this feature means.

 

[Populus]

I wonder how this new feature can impact @ChristianSelig Apollo app, hopefully we will be able to whitelist apps we trust. By the way, we’re still eager to see Apollo’s new iPad interface!!

I guess this means there are still little features to discover that weren’t disclosed on stage yesterday.

 

[macduke]

I was under the impression that password apps like 1Password already worked this way? For instance, on my Mac, I can paste something from 1Password but it doesn’t show up in the clipboard of the Paste app, which manages the clipboard. Another thing 1Password does by default is it clears your pasteboard a minute or so after you copy something from it (by default).

 

[Apple_Robert]

Why a confusingly written article. I still have no idea what this feature means.

From what I saw...

1) If you copy material from the current app you are using, the developer of the app has no way to see what you copied.

2) If you copy material from one app and paste it into another app, the app being used will be able to see what you copied from the clipboard.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I was under the impression that password apps like 1Password already worked this way? For instance, on my Mac, I can paste something from 1Password but it doesn’t show up in the clipboard of the Paste app, which manages the clipboard. Another thing 1Password does by default is it clears your pasteboard a minute or so after you copy something from it (by default).

1Password is the exception because they made that action part of their app by default.

 

[Wildkraut]

ROFL, better late than never.
I've pointed out the clipboard scraping and requested this though a dev portal in 2013/2014!
My ticket is still open...

 

[Commodore 64]

Makes you wonder how the world would look like today if Apple had the same privacy policy and concerns 15 years ago as they have reached now…

 

[SkyRom]

Did someone say Privacy benefiting Consumers?! Count me IN. 🥳

 

[Mr. Awesome]

From what I saw...

1) If you copy material from the current app you are using, the developer of the app has no way to see what you copied.

2) If you copy material from one app and paste it into another app, the app being used will be able to see what you copied from the clipboard.

The way I interpreted it, it means...

1) App ABC can't read what's on your clipboard directly...

2) ...UNLESS that clipboard content was copied from app ABC. E.G. If you copy something from app XYZ, app ABC can't read it.

I believe pasting into input fields works fine, but the app won't be able to read your clipboard directly without action on your part. E.G. if you paste into a search field, the app can read the search field, but it can't gain access to your clipboard content directly unless that content came from the same app.

 

[_Spinn_]

Another great addition for privacy.

 

[9927036]

I must be 100% naive because before iOS 14, I had no idea apps could 'see' what I had in my clipboard. Unless I pasted something, why should the app have access?

Edit: Grammar, spelling, carelessness.

Poor security design by Apple.

 

[mazz0]

From what I saw...

1) If you copy material from the current app you are using, the developer of the app has no way to see what you copied.

2) If you copy material from one app and paste it into another app, the app being used will be able to see what you copied from the clipboard.

The way I interpreted it, it means...

1) App ABC can't read what's on your clipboard directly...

2) ...UNLESS that clipboard content was copied from app ABC. E.G. If you copy something from app XYZ, app ABC can't read it.

I believe pasting into input fields works fine, but the app won't be able to read your clipboard directly without action on your part. E.G. if you paste into a search field, the app can read the search field, but it can't gain access to your clipboard content directly unless that content came from the same app.

To be honest I’m still unclear.

Let’s see what Apple says: (https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2021...os-15-ipados-15-macos-monterey-and-watchos-8/)

• With secure paste, developers can let users paste from a different app without having access to what was copied until the user takes action to paste it into their app. When developers use secure paste, users will be able to paste without being alerted via the pasteboard transparency notification, helping give them peace of mind.

So, if I’m understanding that correctly, you can set a permission so that your app is not able to see the clipboard except when a user-initiated paste occurs, in which case the notification doesn’t appear.

That’s it? Seems pointless to me. Seeing that notification when I manually-paste is not an inconvenience (in fact it’s a reassuring reminder that that feature exists). In fact given that seeing that notification increases my peace of mind, this change will actual lower it!

 

[9927036]

Makes you wonder how the world would look like today if Apple had the same privacy policy and concerns 15 years ago as they have reached now…

As the poster above pointed out he filed bugs in 2013 and 2014 and was ignored.

 

[Apple_Robert]

The way I interpreted it, it means...

1) App ABC can't read what's on your clipboard directly...

2) ...UNLESS that clipboard content was copied from app ABC. E.G. If you copy something from app XYZ, app ABC can't read it.

I believe pasting into input fields works fine, but the app won't be able to read your clipboard directly without action on your part. E.G. if you paste into a search field, the app can read the search field, but it can't gain access to your clipboard content directly unless that content came from the same app.

That sounds reasonable. I think seeing it in action in a video will help clarify our understood stances.

And from what I read, the developer will need to offer the ability in the respective app for us to make use.

 

[TiggrToo]

As the poster above pointed out he filed bugs in 2013 and 2014 and was ignored.

Show me a bug tracker for a large system with over a hundred thousand submitters that’s not filled to the brim with user submitted bugs not touched, and I’ll tell you the location of El Dorado’s gold, Jimmy Hoffa’s body AND next weeks winning lottery numbers…

There’s a difference between “being ignored” and “unable to deal with” (for any number of reasons).

 

[abhibeckert]

Apps like TikTok, Hotels.com, Reddit, Zillow and others could see whatever a user copied from another app, which was a concern because sometimes sensitive information like a password is copied.

Never mind passwords (how would they know what the password is for? Why would hotels.com want your password? It's only useful if you use the same password everywhere but then hotels.com already knows your password).

The concern is selling your clipboard to data brokers as a tracking identifier. It allows them to verify that your TikTok account is owned by the same person as your Zillow account.

 

[abhibeckert]

Show me a bug tracker for a large system with over a hundred thousand submitters that’s not filled to the brim with user submitted bugs not touched, and I’ll tell you the location of El Dorado’s gold, Jimmy Hoffa’s body AND next weeks winning lottery numbers…

There’s a difference between “being ignored” and “unable to deal with” (for any number of reasons).

Given app developers pay up to 30% of their gross revenue to Apple... thousands of dollars per month even for small apps... it seams like Apple should be able to dedicate at least one hour per month to looking into that developer's bug reports.

But as far as I can tell, my bug reports get between zero and two or three minutes. The few times I've been given a response, it's been clear the person didn't even read my but report properly, let alone consider it.

 

[TiggrToo]

Given app developers pay up to 30% of their gross revenue to Apple... thousands of dollars per month even for small apps... it seams like Apple should be able to dedicate at least one hour per month to looking into that developer's bug reports.

But as far as I can tell, my bug reports get between zero and two or three minutes. The few times I've been given a response, it's been clear the person didn't even read my but report properly, let alone consider it.

I’d warrant you’ve never worked at a company with a large bug tracking system then. What you want and what’s usually possible are two totally different things.

 

[mejsric]

this sounds like a malware.

 

[twistedpixel8]

more annoying are those apps that do not allow something to be pasted in their entry fields - that's enervating.
Those custom keyboard apps could offer a "paste simulator" - would be much appreciated

Even worse is when they use the wrong auto-fill attribute on the password field they’ve disabled paste on so iCloud Keychain is like “here’s a new password” 😖😖😖😤😤😤😡😡😡🤬🤬🤬

 

[chabig]

So, if I’m understanding that correctly, you can set a permission so that your app is not able to see the clipboard except when a user-initiated paste occurs, in which case the notification doesn’t appear.

Close. It says that if a developer uses the new secure paste feature, they will not have access to the pasteboard unless a user initiated paste occurs. This prevents unscrupulous developers from programmatically reading the pasteboard behind the users back, which was occurring unknowingly before iOS 14.

That’s it? Seems pointless to me. Seeing that notification when I manually-paste is not an inconvenience (in fact it’s a reassuring reminder that that feature exists). In fact given that seeing that notification increases my peace of mind, this change will actual lower it!

The paste transparency banner will identify to users the apps that don’t implement secure paste and those that do. Hopefully apps that don’t will be publicly shamed into using the new API. In time, every developer should transition to secure paste. I expect sites like MacRumors to list the bad actors who don’t.