cyberstrikeus T1414 Clipboard Data
High-Level Description
Adversaries may abuse clipboard manager APIs to obtain sensitive information copied to the device clipboard. For example, passwords being copied and pasted from a password manager application could be captured by a malicious application installed on the device.
On Android, applications can use the ClipboardManager.OnPrimaryClipChangedListener() API to register as a listener and monitor the clipboard for changes. However, starting in Android 10, this can only be used if the application is in the foreground, or is set as the device’s default input method editor (IME).
On iOS, this can be accomplished by accessing the UIPasteboard.general.string field. However, starting in iOS 14, upon accessing the clipboard, the user will be shown a system notification if the accessed text originated in a different application. For example, if the user copies the text of an iMessage from the Messages application, the notification will read “application_name has pasted from Messages” when the text was pasted in a different application.
Kill Chain Phase
- Collection (TA0035)
- Credential Access (TA0031)
Platforms: Android, iOS
What to Check
- Identify if Clipboard Data technique is applicable to target mobile environment
- Check Android devices for indicators of Clipboard Data
- Check iOS devices for indicators of Clipboard Data
- Verify mitigations are bypassed or absent (1 known mitigations)
- Assess detection coverage (1 detection strategies)
How to Test
Identify Attack Surface
Determine if the target mobile environment is susceptible to Clipboard Data by examining the target platforms (Android, iOS).
Assess Existing Defenses
Review whether mitigations for T1414 are in place. If defenses are absent or misconfigured, this technique may be exploitable.
Remediation Guide
M1006 Use Recent OS Version
Android 10 introduced changes to prevent applications from accessing clipboard data if they are not in the foreground or set as the device’s default IME.
Detection
Detection of Clipboard Data
Risk Assessment
| Finding | Severity | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Clipboard Data technique applicable | Low | Collection |
CWE Categories
| CWE ID | Title |
|---|---|
| CWE-200 | Exposure of Sensitive Information |