Linux Zoom client proactively reading everything written to X11 clipboard
- ID
- 23920
- Status
- summarized
- Published
- 13 Sep 2026, 2:58 AM
- Fetched
- 15 Sep 2026, 4:45 AM
- Provider
- Hacker News
- Category
- dev-community
- Original URL
- https://hachyderm.io/@simontatham/117201594980991062
- Source URL
- https://hnrss.org/best
Summary
- Score
- 6.0
- Created
- 15 Sep 2026, 5:51 AM
- Tags
- Audience
- developersvibe_coderssaas-startup-founders
What happened
Simon Tatham reported that the Linux Zoom client version 7.1.5 now proactively reads everything written to the X11 CLIPBOARD selection, a behavior not present in version 6.6. This poses a risk to users who store sensitive data, such as passwords copied from a password manager, in their clipboard while Zoom is running.
Why it matters
Linux users on the call should be aware that updating Zoom to 7.1.5 might expose their clipboard contents to the application, and they should consider using clipboard managers that clear history or avoiding copying sensitive passwords while Zoom is active.
Discussion angle
Discuss whether this is a deliberate feature (like for meeting link detection) or an overzealous bug, and how to practically mitigate clipboard exposure on Linux when using proprietary software.