Covering webcam

[Techicolors]

with laptops having recessed webcams in the keyboard, to a shutter cover to cover the webcam, it seems that covering webcams is more common than i thought. when i walk about my local school campus, i see tons of people with duct tape over their laptop webcams. even the school-issued laptops have tape over the webcam. and AFAIK, many laptops will enable a bright light to indicate the webcam is on 

 

so what's up with that? and do you cover your webcam? 

[Mira Yurizaki]

2 minutes ago, Technicolors said:

with laptops having recessed webcams in the keyboard, to a shutter cover to cover the webcam, it seems that covering webcams is more common than i thought. when i walk about my local school campus, i see tons of people with duct tape over their laptop webcams. even the school-issued laptops have tape over the webcam. and AFAIK, many laptops will enable a bright light to indicate the webcam is on 

 

so what's up with that? and do you cover your webcam? 

As my instructor(s) during motorcycle training told me about the neutral light on bikes, "The light is there just to tell you it works. Don't blindly believe the bike is in neutral" And to this day, I don't blindly believe that just because the light is on, the bike is in neutral (It basically makes I let go of the clutch slowly so that I can catch it if the bike really isn't in neutral).

 

Anyway, most people cover their webcams because there are hackers out there than can tap into the webcam and spy on you through it. There's dozens of examples, both for good (like IDing a criminal that stole a laptop) and for bad (for... well spying), but that's the primary reason.

[Guest]

I don't cover mine, though it has an led indicator that *should* light up when used.

*Note: No clue whether it's firmware based or hardware based (i.e. receives power when the camera receives power, if the former then it can be worked around )

 

I probably should cover mine since it isn't overly hard these days to access them.

[Cookybiscuit]

The government can't drone strike your house as accurately or steal your brain as easily if you have your webcam covered up so they don't know what room you're in.

[IBM_THINKPAD_R51]

3 minutes ago, M.Yurizaki said:

As my instructor(s) during motorcycle training told me about the neutral light on bikes, "The light is there just to tell you it works. Don't blindly believe the bike is in neutral" And to this day, I don't blindly believe that just because the light is on, the bike is in neutral (It basically makes I let go of the clutch slowly so that I can catch it if the bike really isn't in neutral).

 

Anyway, most people cover their webcams because there are hackers out there than can tap into the webcam and spy on you through it. There's dozens of examples, both for good (like IDing a criminal that stole a laptop) and for bad (for... well spying), but that's the primary reason.

didnt someone from the cia or the fbi say that you should cover them because those agencies (the cia and fbi) also tap into your webcam?

[Spotty]

6 minutes ago, Technicolors said:

i see tons of people with duct tape over their laptop webcams. even the school-issued laptops have tape over the webcam. and AFAIK, many laptops will enable a bright light to indicate the webcam is on 

It's possible to hack a webcam and view it, even without enabling the webcam light.
These people are protecting themselves and their privacy by physically blocking the view of the camera. It's a low grade solution, but it works.

While I'm not using my webcam (usb) I either unplug it or rotate it around so it faces directly against the wall.

None of us want to be the guy out of American Pie.

[Mira Yurizaki]

4 minutes ago, tjcater said:

I don't cover mine, though it has an led indicator that *should* light up when used.

*Note: no clue whether it's firmware based or hardware based (i.e. receives power when the camera receives power.)

 

I probably should cover mine since it isn't overly hard these days to access them.

My laptop's BIOS had the option to disable it.

 

Still don't trust it.

 

... Still not paranoid enough to cover it.

Just now, IBM_THINKPAD_R51 said:

didnt someone from the cia or the fbi say that you should cover them because those agencies (the cia and fbi) also tap into your webcam?

Probably.

[Jtalk4456]

I don't have a webcam! Hackers thwarted!

[Guest]

1 minute ago, M.Yurizaki said:

Still don't trust it.

 

... Still not paranoid enough to cover it.

I don't either One comfort I have is that the camera detects jack in low lighting at least.

[TheGlenlivet]

3 minutes ago, Jtalk4456 said:

I don't have a webcam! Hackers thwarted!

Hackers Thwarted!!*

 

*reapply as needed.

[Mira Yurizaki]

Just now, TheGlenlivet said:

Hackers Thwarted!!*

 

*reapply as needed.

I'll sell you one better:

(May impact the resale value of the laptop)

[TheGlenlivet]

Just now, M.Yurizaki said:

I'll sell you one better:

(May impact the resale value of the laptop)

HAHA

Just wait, next we get a post looking for help -

"I damaged my webcam cleaning the sharpie off with acetone. How do I fix it...?"

[Razor Blade]

You could go the retro check engine light fix and use electrician's tape.

[Jtalk4456]

https://www.cnet.com/news/police-visit-facebook-dad-who-shot-daughters-laptop/

Hackers Thwarted!

[TheGlenlivet]

2 minutes ago, Jtalk4456 said:

https://www.cnet.com/news/police-visit-facebook-dad-who-shot-daughters-laptop/

Hackers Thwarted!

Apply Liberally.

[Snapperx]

I have mine covered as well. I don't use it so why should it be open for anyone just in case they gain access over my laptop.

[Razor Blade]

Big brother can listen too... Might want to do something about the microphone in the laptop. Also don't forget about the hidden backup microphone on the motherboard.

[Beef Boss]

I, ahem, rip out the camera and microphone from the laptop. That and the speaker. So I don't worry, at all. 

[wasab]

4 hours ago, M.Yurizaki said:

As my instructor(s) during motorcycle training told me about the neutral light on bikes, "The light is there just to tell you it works. Don't blindly believe the bike is in neutral" And to this day, I don't blindly believe that just because the light is on, the bike is in neutral (It basically makes I let go of the clutch slowly so that I can catch it if the bike really isn't in neutral).

 

Anyway, most people cover their webcams because there are hackers out there than can tap into the webcam and spy on you through it. There's dozens of examples, both for good (like IDing a criminal that stole a laptop) and for bad (for... well spying), but that's the primary reason.

Woot, I just have an amazing idea of installing spying software on ones own laptop in case it ever gets stolen.

[LogicalDrm]

I don't cover. Mainly because what I do ON computer would be more interesting for hackers that what I do OUTSIDE of computer.

[Guest]

Yes. I cover my camera for one simple reason: I'm paranoid as hell. I've tracked packets from some of my clients that had data from the webcam when no one was using the computer.

[Hiitchy]

I’ve gone so far as to disable my webcam, turn off automatic updates, uninstall the webcam driver and desolder/snip the connections from the webcam and microphone to my laptop motherboard. Some call me crazy, but I’d rather  err on the side of caution.

[dcgreen2k]

I don't, because my laptop isn't very interesting or important to national security. Unless they want to see me playing video games and looking up stuff for my car.

[TechyBen]

I once pressed the wrong button and activated my webcam...

 

That made me put a sticker on it.

 

However, I have no chat/web apps that use it, so risk is extremely low...

Woot, I just have an amazing idea of installing spying software on ones own laptop in case it ever gets stolen.

This has been done. Check out Youtube and Defcon etc... It would take a while for me to find the video though... chap "0wn3d" the thiefs entire online life after, and managed to get all his data back too via VPN and FTP remote uploading... lol!

[whoisjaya]

On 30/03/2018 at 12:11 AM, Technicolors said:

with laptops having recessed webcams in the keyboard, to a shutter cover to cover the webcam, it seems that covering webcams is more common than i thought. when i walk about my local school campus, i see tons of people with duct tape over their laptop webcams. even the school-issued laptops have tape over the webcam. and AFAIK, many laptops will enable a bright light to indicate the webcam is on 

 

so what's up with that? and do you cover your webcam? 

I do. I have a Microsoft LifeCam Studio that comes with a rubber plug that you can conveniently plug in; this way it is also way harder for dust do get onto the camera's lens...