macOS pbpaste Clipboard Read via Process Execution
Flags macOS executions of pbpaste that can expose clipboard contents to stdout for potential data collection.
- Product
- macos
- Category
- process_creation
- Author
- Daniel Cortez (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
- Published
- 2024-07-30
- Updated
- 2026-07-31
ATT&CK techniques
CollectionRecon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact
What it detects
This rule matches process creation events where the executable path ends with "pbpaste", indicating clipboard (pasteboard) content is being retrieved to stdout. Attackers can abuse this utility to access sensitive data that users have copied, such as credentials or other confidential information. Telemetry required includes macOS process creation details (including the executed image path).
Reporting behind it
- loobins.iohttps://www.loobins.io/binaries/pbpaste/
- medium.comhttps://medium.com/@NullByteWht/hacking-macos-how-to-dump-1password-keepassx-lastpass-passwords-in-plaintext-723c5b1c311b
- media.defense.govhttps://media.defense.gov/2021/Jul/19/2002805003/-1/-1/1/CSA_CHINESE_STATE-SPONSORED_CYBER_TTPS.PDF
- github.comhttps://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules-threat-hunting/macos/process_creation/proc_creation_macos_pbpaste_execution.yml
Changelog
v5- v5Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v4Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v3Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v2Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v1No 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.
title: macOS pbpaste Clipboard Read via Process Execution
id: d18e99df-24f2-47f6-bf4e-eba15342cb82
status: test
description: This rule matches process creation events where the executable path ends with "pbpaste", indicating clipboard (pasteboard) content is being retrieved to stdout. Attackers can abuse this utility to access sensitive data that users have copied, such as credentials or other confidential information. Telemetry required includes macOS process creation details (including the executed image path).
references:
- https://www.loobins.io/binaries/pbpaste/
- https://medium.com/@NullByteWht/hacking-macos-how-to-dump-1password-keepassx-lastpass-passwords-in-plaintext-723c5b1c311b
- https://media.defense.gov/2021/Jul/19/2002805003/-1/-1/1/CSA_CHINESE_STATE-SPONSORED_CYBER_TTPS.PDF
- https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules-threat-hunting/macos/process_creation/proc_creation_macos_pbpaste_execution.yml
author: Daniel Cortez, Huntrule Team
date: 2024-07-30
tags:
- attack.collection
- attack.credential-access
- attack.t1115
- detection.threat-hunting
logsource:
product: macos
category: process_creation
detection:
selection:
Image|endswith: /pbpaste
condition: selection
falsepositives:
- Legitimate administration activities
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1
related:
- id: d8af0da1-2959-40f9-a3e4-37a6aa1228b7
type: derived