Bug 494952

Summary:	Security issues with klipper and saving bugs
Product:	[Plasma] plasmashell	Reporter:	scooter_icky238
Component:	Clipboard widget & pop-up	Assignee:	Plasma Bugs List <plasma-bugs-null>
Status:	CLOSED INTENTIONAL
Severity:	normal	CC:	nate
Priority:	NOR
Version First Reported In:	6.2.0
Target Milestone:	1.0
Platform:	Fedora RPMs
OS:	Linux
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed In:
Sentry Crash Report:

Description scooter_icky238 2024-10-17 18:54:09 UTC

SUMMARY
Klipper doesn't use encryption, so all saved clipboard history is available for everyone to view. 
The only way to get klipper to stop doing this is apparently to disable saving history across sessions, however, contrary to the logical expectation, history is still written to the file. 

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Check the file contents at ~/.local/share/klipper/history2.lst.
2. Disable the mentioned option. 
3. Check the file again. (It should be wiped)
4. Open the panel tray.

OBSERVED RESULT
The history file is re-populated when you open the panel tray. 

EXPECTED RESULT
There should be no writing to the file whatsoever once you disable the option. 

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Windows: 
macOS: 
(available in the Info Center app, or by running `kinfo` in a terminal window)
Linux/KDE Plasma:  6.10.12-200.fc40.x86_64/6.2.0
KDE Plasma Version: 6.2.0
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.7.0
Qt Version: 6.7.2

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Not sure if there should be a new "bug" for this, but it would be great to have an option and a keyboard shortcut to toggle history.  Also, there should absolutely be an option for completely disabling klipper.

Comment 1 Nate Graham 2024-12-12 19:51:01 UTC

You don't want to completely disable Klipper; then clipboard contents vanish when the app you copied it from closes.

"available for everyone to view" is a bit of a stretch; clipboard history available to view for for anyone with physical or remote access to your user account — same as all content on your user account, including the saved settings and data of all other apps too. If your personal security model doesn't allow for this risk, then you should not use SSH or Samba sharing, aggressively lock the screen, turn on auto-lock for a short period of inactivity, use full-disk encryption, put anything truly sensitive in a Plasma Vault in addition, etc.