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Research shows how MacBook Webcams can spy on their users without warning

washingtonpost.com

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Re: Research shows how MacBook Webcams can spy on their users without warning

#11

Post by wil421 »

I really would hate to taint my MBP with ugly duct tap on the camera, but I may have to in the future.

Months ago I read about a company that rented laptops for people to make payments on and eventually own. They installed spy software so they could locate the laptops had the user not made a monthly payment. Employees were spying on users while they were having sex and other things. This wasnt on MBPs but they still managed to not notify the user.

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/09/laptop-rental-spywa...

Re: Research shows how MacBook Webcams can spy on their users without warning

#12

Post by toomuchtodo »

mathhead wrote: post #2

Nice. I own a Logitech C920 Pro and a software called webcam settings allows me to easily turn off the lights. If this software can do this, so can a malware. Also, a malware can be designed to click quick snaps when there is no keyword or mouse activity for a specific period. This can help the malware go unnoticed without controlling the light. Want to take it to the next level? You can use the mic anytime to estima…

You could use the hard drive accelerometer to feel for vibrations to guess proximity. Just like a snake.

Re: Research shows how MacBook Webcams can spy on their users without warning

#13

Post by jrochkind1 »

mathhead wrote: post #2

Nice. I own a Logitech C920 Pro and a software called webcam settings allows me to easily turn off the lights. If this software can do this, so can a malware. Also, a malware can be designed to click quick snaps when there is no keyword or mouse activity for a specific period. This can help the malware go unnoticed without controlling the light. Want to take it to the next level? You can use the mic anytime to estima…

This story is not about a Logitech camera.

It is about the Macbook iSight. There is definitely no (official, known) software that allows you to turn off the privacy light. The Apple engineers intended it to be impossible to disable, and believed it was.

Re: Research shows how MacBook Webcams can spy on their users without warning

#14

Post by Zikes »

auctiontheory wrote: post #8

One of my friends always keeps her MacBook open, and had Skype set up to auto-answer video calls. (Until I fixed that for her.) She's a very educated professional woman who teaches at a university you've heard of. In other words, HN readers might come up with defensive hacks, but 99% of the population is completely vulnerable to all kinds of spying, whether government or stalker, and the situation can only get worse…

One could argue that devising an effective privacy strategy to build into new device categories would be a waste of time until the devices are sufficiently popular enough to warrant the effort.

Now that we've reached that tipping point there should be sufficient interest from an adequate number of skilled and educated people to begin to work on solving this problem.

Re: Research shows how MacBook Webcams can spy on their users without warning

#18

Post by mathhead »

jrochkind1 wrote: post #13
mathhead wrote: post #2

Nice. I own a Logitech C920 Pro and a software called webcam settings allows me to easily turn off the lights. If this software can do this, so can a malware. Also, a malware can be designed to click quick snaps when there is no keyword or mouse activity for a specific period. This can help the malware go unnoticed without controlling the light. Want to take it to the next level? You can use the mic anytime to estima…

This story is not about a Logitech camera. It is about the Macbook iSight. There is definitely no (official, known) software that allows you to turn off the privacy light. The Apple engineers intended it to be impossible to disable, and believed it was.

Yes, I do understand the story is about Macbook iSight. Was just sharing what happens with another vendor as this is relevant and related.

Re: Research shows how MacBook Webcams can spy on their users without warning

#19

Post by Zikes »

jrochkind1 wrote: post #10

So their proof of concept malware... actually changes the firmware in the camera micro-controller? Do I have that right? Here's the research paper linked to in the story, if anyone wants to see what the researchers have to say. I haven't taken a look yet myself: https://jscholarship.library.jhu.edu/handle/1774.2/36569 Ah, there it is right in the abstract, yep: > The same technique that allows us to disable the LED,…

Seems that way. It wasn't too long ago there was a post about new breeds of malware that target various microcontrollers throughout a PC, able even to "hide out" in something like an optical drive to avoid detection or removal.

Re: Research shows how MacBook Webcams can spy on their users without warning

#20

Post by shabble »

The obvious solution is of course a bit of tape, but that's less convenient when you do actually want to use the camera.

I notice that the EFF have some nifty little 'ultra-removable adhesive' stickers[1] that might do better, but what would be better is some sort of low-profile adhesive backed sliding cover.

...

It appears I spoke too soon, there are already plenty out there, with mixed reviews. The 'iPatch'[2] looks interesting.

[1] https://supporters.eff.org/shop/laptop-camera-cover-set

[2] http://www.virtualspaceindustries.com/theipatch/

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