Linux xclip Clipboard Image Collection via Image MIME Types

Flags xclip usage that outputs image/* data from the clipboard on Linux.

FreeReviewedSigma · Low · v3

Product: linux
Service: auditd
Author: Pawel Mazur (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2021-10-01
Updated: 2026-07-31

ATT&CK techniques

Collection

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
- T1115Clipboard Data
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule identifies execution of the xclip tool to read image data from the clipboard by using the -t option with an image/* MIME type and outputting the clipboard contents. Collecting clipboard image data can enable attackers to capture sensitive visual information copied by a user. The detection relies on Linux auditd EXECVE telemetry capturing the xclip command-line arguments, specifically the -selection/-sel selection mode, the targeted image MIME type, and the -o output flag.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1115 — drag to rearrange

Suspicious Clipboard Data Access via Get-Clipboard (BeaverTail OtterCookie)

Possible Clipboard Data Capture via PowerShell (via process_creation)

macOS pbpaste Clipboard Read via Process Execution

macOS osascript Clipboard Access via AppleScript Commands

Linux Clipboard Data Collection via xclip -sel clip -o

Clipboard Data Collection via xclip (auditd Linux EXECVE)

Windows: clip.exe Execution to Copy Data to Clipboard

Windows PowerShell Get-Clipboard Command Execution

PowerShell Get-Clipboard Cmdlet Execution via CLI on Windows

Linux xclip Clipboard Image Collection via Image MIME Types

Pivot detection · T1115 · 9 related

Changelog

v3
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
v2
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
v1
No changelog recorded for this version.2026-07-30

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.

linux-clipboard-image-data-collection-via-xclip-f200dc3f

title: Linux xclip Clipboard Image Collection via Image MIME Types
id: a51ee099-2c43-41f2-a759-9550a906804d
status: test
description: This rule identifies execution of the xclip tool to read image data from the clipboard by using the -t option with an image/* MIME type and outputting the clipboard contents. Collecting clipboard image data can enable attackers to capture sensitive visual information copied by a user. The detection relies on Linux auditd EXECVE telemetry capturing the xclip command-line arguments, specifically the -selection/-sel selection mode, the targeted image MIME type, and the -o output flag.
references:
  - https://linux.die.net/man/1/xclip
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/linux/auditd/execve/lnx_auditd_clipboard_image_collection.yml
author: Pawel Mazur, Huntrule Team
date: 2021-10-01
modified: 2022-10-09
tags:
  - attack.collection
  - attack.t1115
logsource:
  product: linux
  service: auditd
detection:
  selection:
    type: EXECVE
    a0: xclip
    a1:
      - -selection
      - -sel
    a2:
      - clipboard
      - clip
    a3: -t
    a4|startswith: image/
    a5: -o
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Legitimate usage of xclip tools
level: low
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: f200dc3f-b219-425d-a17e-c38467364816
    type: derived

Convert

This rule as a query you can run. Uses no unlock credit.

SplunkSPL