I copy passwords from my password manager all the time (I use KeePass, so they're long and complex), and I know a lot of people do the same. How is it that Samsung’s clipboard saves everything in plain text with no expiration? That’s a huge security issue.
I even tried switching to Gboard (Google’s keyboard), thinking that would help, but nope, everything I copied was still getting saved in Samsung’s clipboard. Turns out the clipboard functionality is tightly integrated with One UI, so it doesn’t matter what keyboard you use, your clipboard history still gets stored in plain text.
There should at least be an option to auto-delete clipboard history after a few hours. Right now, the only option is to manually go in and delete sensitive stuff. If someone steals your phone, or even if a friend or acquaintance uses it while it’s unlocked, they can just scroll through your clipboard and see all your passwords? That’s wild.
A Google search for this issue shows it being known and discussed since at least Dec 1, 2019.
Even the published "fix" using adb does not apparently solve the issue as the clipboard history is part of Samsung's take on the Android OS.
Even when using a different keyboard, such as G-board, as the default keyboard the Samsung keyboard STILL copies and retains everything that is copied.
With the widespread adoption of password managers passwords are frequently copied and pasted, usually before or after a username. Keeping these sensitive items in plain text AND NOT INFORMING USERS ABOUT THIS is a huge liability for anyone using a Samsung device.
Best solution: DON'T DO THIS AT ALL! Samsung needs to remove the clipboard history for their version of the Android OS.
Next "best" solution: have a user configurable auto delete setting.
Minimum "acceptable" solution: explicitly warn users about this and how to delete the clipboard history.
