It turns out that the iOS 14 beta isn't just for those who want to try out the new widgets. The latest iPhone software is also a security watchdog that caught the very popular app TikTok doing something it shouldn't.
According to Forbes, Apple's iOS 14 identified TikTok as one of several apps that steal users' iPhone clipboards. When security researchers reported the data privacy issue earlier this year, TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, reportedly denied any intentional involvement. However, it appears that users of the new iOS 14 can't dance their way out of getting caught by the social media app, as they can receive "paste" alerts when the app is reading their clipboard.
Twitter user Jeremy Burge shared a screen recording earlier this week showing the new clipboard paste warning in action; Burge installed the iOS 14 beta after it was released to developers on Monday, and ByteDance reported in April that the issue warning on TikTok, even though ByteDance told Forbes that it had fixed the issue in April.
TikTok said the warnings seen in screen recordings are "triggered by features designed to identify repetitive and spammy behavior." The company also told Forbes that an update addressing this behavior has "already been submitted" to Apple's App Store.
There is no way of knowing what TikTok is doing with the copied clipboard data. It is possible that it is doing nothing, which may be a relief to TikTok users, but it exposes a larger iPhone threat that is right in front of us. Malicious iOS apps could be scraping usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, and any other information you might have copied and pasted.
iOS 14 detects when such data is being misused, but will not be rolled out to the public until the fall, when iPhone 12 debuts.
iPhone users should update to the latest version of the TikTok app as soon as it becomes available. Until then, be careful what you copy to the clipboard. If you find yourself using the copy/paste function for personal information, you may want to take a break from the app.
Also, if you want to know if other apps besides TikTok are stealing information copied to the clipboard, you can download the iOS 14 beta version right now. Since the current version is intended for developers trying to integrate iOS 14 features into their products, there are a few caveats to consider before installing the software on your phone.
That said, those currently using the iOS 14 beta can continue to flag apps that display the paste warning. Again, be sure to run app updates when they become available - they may be designed to keep your personal data safe.
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