Copy and paste is a basic workflow that moves data from one place to another inside an application or between applications. Users rely on it to reuse text, credentials, formulas, files, and other content without retyping. In security terms, that convenience matters because the clipboard can become a hidden data path: sensitive information may be exposed, altered, or carried into the wrong place if an application mishandles it.
Attackers can abuse copy and paste through clipboard hijacking, where malware replaces copied addresses or commands with attacker-controlled data, or by tricking users into pasting dangerous content into a terminal, browser, or admin console. Defenders also watch this workflow closely: secure software may sanitize pasted input, restrict clipboard access, or warn when secrets are copied. Because it is so ordinary, copy and paste is often where small bugs, regressions, and leaks first become visible.