Clipboard privacy feature in iOS 14 beta informs users of breaches

A new privacy feature in iOS 14 informs the users when their information copied to clipboard is being tracked or recorded. Two iOS developers, @mysk_co found that iPhone and iPad users will be informed via notification banners when an app or a web service reads their copied text/information to Clipboard without consent. The developers posted a short clip of the feature’s functionality on Twitter, demonstrating how the new operating system instantly and automatically notifies the users of the unwarranted intrusion.

This breach of privacy by apps can lead to uneventful outcomes, especially when users copy and paste sensitive information like credit card numbers, passwords, bank account details and much more.

These developers found this security issue in March this year and reported to Apple that several popular iPhone and iPad apps and websites read the content users’ copy and pasted via Clipboard. In their blog, they listed down the social networking, games, news apps and webpages which were “snooping” users data:

  • News
    • Al Jazeera
    • The New York Time
  • Games
    • PUBG mobile
    • Fruit Ninja
  • Social
    • Tik Tok
    • Weibo

These are a few apps which were caught, discreetly, collecting users data without them ever knowing. Therefore, since the discovery of the security patch in the iOS 14, everyone is praising Apple for prioritizing users’ privacy and protection of their data.

How does iOS 14 notify users

The innovative iPhone and iPad software, now, instantly notifies the users of the intrusion by default. As shows in the short video clip, after content is copied to Clipboard, users is immediately sent a notification if the open app “pasted” his/her information. In the demonstration when Google Chrome was opened, not only the copied detail was instantly copied by the app but the user was notified immediately as well.

https://twitter.com/mysk_co/status/1275184485781381123?s=21

In today’s digitally and virtually connected world, breach of users privacy has been an enormous issue; where their personal information, preferences, location and search history are tracked. In some extreme cases, apps also pry in their conversations and private correspondence via the smartphone’s mic and camera. Fortunately, Apple is break the chain of intrusive business mode by protecting users privacy.

Apple’s new Privacy Features

Besides the discovered Clipboard privacy feature, there are other new privacy updates introduced by the company in iOS 14.

  • Easily switch their existing accounts to Sign-in with Apple.
  • Share proximate location, instead of sharing precise location.
  • Visible signal to alert when mic and camera are used for recording by an app.
  • Apps ask for permission to track user’s information.
  • Developers self report all the data their app will gather.

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About the Author

Addicted to social media and in love with iPhone, started blogging as a hobby. And now it's my passion for every day is a new learning experience. Hopefully, manufacturers will continue to use innovative solutions and we will keep on letting you know about them.