Apple’s upcoming iOS 14 has fixed a severe issue where applications were able to access the users’ clipboard without their knowledge. After the new iOS update, the phone will detect if any app is reading users’ copied data and promptly warn the users.
Back in April, security researchers had found TikTok spying on user data and raised security concerns over these practices. TikTok’s popularity has turned this into a media frenzy, with many states showing concern over TikTok’s Chinese origins. TikTok’s owner assured the public with claims that the issue was caused by an outdated SDK that will soon be replaced.
Apple recently released a beta version of iOS 14, which has brought this issue to the forefront yet again. Jeremy Burge, head of Emojipedia, posted a shocking video of iOS 14 repeatedly warning him that TikTok was spying on his clipboard and logging his keystrokes.
This time TikTok has blamed it on a feature designed to identify spammy behavior while claiming that an updated version of the app has been uploaded to the app store. TikTok has also stressed that they are committed to the protection of their users’ privacy and transparency regarding the workings of the app.
With these new security features in iOS 14, TikTok isn’t the only app that will be under fire. Other apps with similar practices will have to change their accidental or purposeful clipboard access functions as well. However, with millions of active users worldwide, TikTok’s popularity puts it in a unique position.
A more in-depth look at the clipboard access issue reveals some sinister insights. The impact of this vulnerability is increased tenfold due to Apple’s universal clipboard, which connects all Apple products. This entails that your iPhone and vice versa can read anything you copy on your Mac, iPad, or other Apple products. If you have TikTok active on your phone, the app can virtually read anything that you copy on your other devices. This may include credit card information, passwords, sensitive business information, and more.
Considering all that, the new security is a critical change and definite win for Apple users who have been using the TikTok app. With this new feature, iPhone users can trust that applications are not stealing their information through their keystrokes.
Conclusion
Surprisingly, Apple had initially dismissed this major vulnerability as a trivial issue. It was only after the significant media discourse that the problem was considered and finally solved. Unfortunately, whether the clipboard vulnerability affects Android users or not is still unknown. iPhone users, however, can benefit from the added security by updating to the latest version of TikTok upon its release. Keep in mind that the current version is still reading your clipboard and logging keystrokes when you share critical information on your Apple devices.