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Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera

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Re: Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera

#661

Post by hunter-gatherer »

bloody-crow wrote: post #648

This statement has a number of issues. First, you have to trust Apple that the indicator _really_ can't be disabled. You also have to trust that there isn't a vulnerability Apple is not aware about that could allow rolling the camera without the light coming on. This has happened in the past [0] and there are known Apple products that are vulnerable, yet the statement never mentions this making you believe it's impos…

> First, you have to trust Apple that the indicator _really_ can't be disabled.

I'm not disagreeing with your other points nor am I saying that this isn't the case nor am I a fan of any apple products... However designed circuits to implement such functionality is quite common.

[0]; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Series_and_parallel_circuits

Re: Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera

#662

Post by esprehn »

tlrobinson wrote: post #178
miles wrote: post #23

> "Designed to protect your privacy, Mac notebooks have a camera indicator light to let you know when the camera is on. ... Published Date: July 02, 2020" Perhaps Apple missed these? 2013: iSeeYou: Disabling the MacBook Webcam Indicator LED https://jscholarship.library.jhu.edu/handle/1774.2/36569 2016: Your Mac’s Camera Can Be Hacked https://www.intego.com/mac-security-blog/your-macs-camera-ca... 2016: Former NSA emp…

There should be roughly ~0 cost (maybe a few cents?) to tie indicator LEDs to the camera and microphones's power supplies, and make it independently auditable by anyone with a multimeter (and maybe a magnifying glass?) Is there a database of laptops that do this correctly? I guess you'd also want the microphone physically disconnected when the cover is closed, or at least have the LED visible when the cover is closed…

Chromebooks all do this, it's a requirement that the LED is on if the camera is on from within the camera module itself. There's no software involved.

Re: Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera

#664

Post by dwd »

bloody-crow wrote: post #648

This statement has a number of issues. First, you have to trust Apple that the indicator _really_ can't be disabled. You also have to trust that there isn't a vulnerability Apple is not aware about that could allow rolling the camera without the light coming on. This has happened in the past [0] and there are known Apple products that are vulnerable, yet the statement never mentions this making you believe it's impos…

I had to switch on my camera for a video call for the first time yesterday. (I can usually get around it and do audio only)

Removed the piece of electrical tape I had over the camera to find the image was completely blurry from the glue. Good to know if it ever falls off and I don't have tape to replace immediately.

Re: Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera

#665

Post by airstrike »

hpen wrote: post #576
airstrike wrote: post #494

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unless the LED somehow gets disabled, stops working, or something like it. It's not like the tape is ineffective, so why does Apple care if people use it?

Apple hardwired the LED to the camera. It can't be disabled.

"Even God himself couldn't sink this ship", said the captain of the Titanic

Re: Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera

#666

Post by jackewiehose »

rgbrenner wrote: post #436

As an alternative to a camera cover, use the camera indicator light to determine if your camera is active I've been thinking about privacy all wrong. I thought it was about preventing access to my data... but Apple has cleared up my misunderstanding and now I know that it's just about being notified when my data is stolen. Everyone feel free to post your credit card numbers... your privacy is secure, since your bank…

>> As an alternative to a camera cover, use the camera indicator light to determine if your camera is active

I don't care because I don't use Apple but I still feel very offended as a human being.

WTF? How can they give such a disrespectful fuck-you response?

Re: Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera

#668

Post by fortran77 »

rgbrenner wrote: post #436

As an alternative to a camera cover, use the camera indicator light to determine if your camera is active I've been thinking about privacy all wrong. I thought it was about preventing access to my data... but Apple has cleared up my misunderstanding and now I know that it's just about being notified when my data is stolen. Everyone feel free to post your credit card numbers... your privacy is secure, since your bank…

If you notice that the light is on, you won't be faster than the speed of light when you run to cover it.

Re: Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera

#669

Post by Forgeties79 »

mmmateo wrote: post #652
Wowfunhappy wrote: post #541

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think the price of a hardware switch would be a concern for Apple, but the size would. A hardware switch would take up space. Apple broke their keyboards to shave a couple millimeters of thickness off their laptops.

Not necessarily. Apple owns the patent for a camera cover made of the privacy film that turns transparent with a switch; why they haven’t used it is beyond me.

We all know why they haven’t used it.

Re: Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera

#670

Post by PascLeRasc »

inopinatus wrote: post #480
PascLeRasc wrote: post #360

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple's already addressed this by making their laptops nearly impossible to open up.

I had an Apple on-site support engineer open up a 16” MBP on my kitchen table a couple of weeks ago to replace a cracked screen, and he brought only a small tool roll, a headlamp, and a anti-static work surface and wrist-strap. Took him only a few minutes to strip it down, longer to rebuild and recommission for use. I must add, I peeked over his shoulder a few times, and my comment that it looks as good inside as it…

I was just trying to make a joke. I've actually been very happy with working on my MBP, it was easier to re-paste than a Dell XPS from the same year. The interior of Macbooks I've seen have been laid out remarkably well.
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