Opera has launched a new security feature named Paste Protect to defend against malicious clipboard attacks, which are often associated with the ClickFix cyberattack method. The company stated that Paste Protect is the first native protection and warning system against such attacks, which represented over half of malware loading cyberattacks in 2025.
ClickFix attacks typically disguise themselves as Captcha prompts, tricking users into copying malicious code to their clipboard. Attackers then instruct users to paste and execute this code, leading to potentially harmful websites that may deploy malicious files. Such codes can execute “infostealer” malware, such as Lumma Stealer, which can compromise sensitive data including saved passwords and browser cookies.
Paste Protect operates by identifying malicious scripts on Windows, macOS, and Linux systems. When a malicious command is detected, the copy action is blocked, and users receive a warning. A red icon will appear in the address bar to signify this warning, and users can review the first 120 characters of the copied command. Users also have the option to mark certain sites as safe in cases of false positives.
The feature is enabled by default but can be disabled or enabled in the browser settings under “Privacy & Security.” The update for Paste Protect is currently being rolled out to Opera users regionally.
