Linux Zoom Client Proactively Reads X11 Clipboard

Simon Tatham reports that Zoom's Linux client proactively reads the X11 clipboard, potentially exposing copied passwords and other sensitive data.

A Mastodon post by Simon Tatham, shared via Lobsters, reports that the Linux Zoom client proactively reads the X11 system clipboard rather than accessing it only on explicit paste. Because X11 allows any running application to query clipboard contents, secrets such as copied passwords or tokens may be captured by the app. The observation highlights the broader privacy gap between X11's unrestricted clipboard access and more restricted display servers like Wayland.

• Linux Zoom client reads the X11 clipboard proactively, not only when the user pastes
• X11 lacks per-application clipboard access controls, enabling silent clipboard monitoring
• Copied passwords, tokens, or other secrets could be exposed to the application