Feb
27
2010

Security Alert. Can someone remotely access your webcam ?

Yes it is true. And it has happened as well. The Webcam spy case in the Lower Merion School District near Philadelphia has raised concern in this matter. The School had issued MacBook to its students and used this method to locate stolen/lost laptops. The school district admitted to activating the webcams 42 times over a 14 month period.
Most of the laptops were found to be misplaced in the class rooms instead. Snippets of the students as well as few teachers using them were recorded and used to identify which person currently had which laptop.

Is it really that simple to remotely activate a webcam? Sad truth is yes. All the new laptops now come with a built in webcam. And with correct software installed on the laptop, along with it connected to the internet, the webcam can be remotely turned on. This is bad news for people who are infected with remote camera Trojan/viruses. I don’t think there is any such Trojan out there yet, but I won’t be too sure. Won’t be long before people realize that they have been recorded while they were busy tapering away with on their laptops.

Here is Mike Perbix who talks about spying with laptop remote admin software If you want to know more.

Very disturbing piece of news indeed. Well I am glad that my webcam has a white bright LED that turns on when the webcam is on. At least I get to know if I am being watched or not.

Regards,
Kaiser2011

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About the Author: Bilal Mughal

Bilal Mughal is a 20 year old Geneticist from Leeds with a perpetual passion for technology and gadgets, he also has a perpetual-ness for gleefully ripping apart 'things' that don't match his ridiculously high standards. Coming to think of it, it could be the only reason he is in this field.

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I am Bilal, 20, a geneticist, studying at University of Leeds. Am a Microsoft Student Partner in the UK and love to blog extensively. I'm also a public speaker, an avid gamer and a peace activist.
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