Friday, 26 June 2015

How to disable your webcam (& why you should)

It’s not news that there are morally disabled people on the ‘Net prepared to invade your privacy, for a range of purposes, including fraud & vandalism. There are hacker tools available, some with a low skill level entry requirement, & forums where advice & other information is exchanged.

More newsworthy is the capacity of some tools to seize control of computer webcams, in some cases without activating the camera activity light. Such tools open up a new range of abuses including voyeuristic invasion of privacy & sharing of images & video.

Below is a screen-shot showing one of the available tools in use, with an image (suitably disguised) of a woman whose privacy has been invaded.


Credit: Ars Technica

How to disable your webcam
http://www.howtogeek.com/210921/how-to-disable-your-webcam-and-why-you-should/

Meet the men who spy on women through their webcams
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/03/rat-breeders-meet-the-men-who-spy-on-women-through-their-webcams/ / slave slaves concern paranoia paranoid reports revelations spy on you through webcam disable cover webcam review handy products Script-kiddie hackers easily accessible tools phishing techniques hijack webcams unsuspecting people watch them through their camera store images videos people in compromising situations bedroom uploaded shady websites kids children implementing stop webcams on all the time webcam spying threat government agents hackers law-breaking voyeurs actively spy computer’s webcam ramblings paranoid conspiracy theorist hypervigilant hyper vigilant hyper-vigilant privacy advocate news stories over paranoia uncomfortable reality student sued his school school-provided laptop secretly photographing ensuing legal investigation revealed school collected 56,000 photographs students without their knowledge consent researchers demonstrated activate webcam MacBooks without indicator light turning on previously considered impossible former FBI agent confirmed possible doing it for years documents leaked by Edward Snowden NSA backdoor access cameras on iPhones Blackberries NSA tools remotely monitor users Gumfish malware tool remote video monitoring via webcam BlackShades remote access webcam access victim’s computers Back Orifice marginally skilled malicious users gain access your computer Ars Technica Meet The Men Who Spy On Women Through Their Webcams spying government agents low-tier hackers simple phishing tricks malicious websites simple tools catalog monitor allegations government spying intellectual majority of actual webcam spying creepy Peeping Toms Remote Access Tools RATs Trojans malware well documented examples only active snapping selfies Skyping trust indicator light camera can be active without the light webcam spying real threat spooks at the NSA kid next door access tools webcam against owner then threat legitimate disable or obscure computer webcam documented cases webcam spying insecure recording device permanently disable remove webcam obscure lens disable webcam antivirus anti-virus link running wrong executable whitelist trojan antivirus malware secure help unplug camera desktop users external webcams desktop machines external USB web cam webcam hacking hacker hacked plug an unplugged device workstation monitors USB cable hardware operating system OS BIOS option laptops integrated webcams disable webcam via BIOS reboot microphone camera microphone module same expansion board privacy mic microphone disable OS operating system solution secure foolproof disabling webcam cripple webcam disabling removing driver support Windows Device Manager Imaging Devices roster of devices remote administrative access install missing drivers enable device disable webcam Eyebloc Cover C-Slide tiny plastic slider Creative Cam Covers DIY electrical tape cover /