The web cam on the inferior computer I use doesn't work if I don't plug it in.
Research shows how MacBook Webcams can spy on their users without warning
141–150 of 241 posts
Re: Research shows how MacBook Webcams can spy on their users without warning
#142And I thought I was clever for turning the light on for only a tiny split-second to take a picture... (I wasn't writing malware. I put the program on my own laptop before I sent it in to be serviced. http://ecritters.biz/applecarefacility/ )
Split second as in actually significantly under a second? I've never been able to get mine to take a picture without lighting up for very nearly a full second.
It really was significantly under a second. This was a much older model of MBP, though. A comment elsewhere in this thread suggests that maybe Apple switched from simply wiring the LED in with the camera to using a microcontroller for this very reason -- so the light would stay on for a minimum amount of time.
Re: Research shows how MacBook Webcams can spy on their users without warning
#143Earlier quoted context omitted.
One of the best ways is to have a dedicated "Chip Enable" pin on the camera module. You then connect an LED to the state of this pin and when the Chip Enable pin is "Hight" the LED is turned on. However, there needs to be additional circuitry (an extra pin) and some work to ensure proper voltage levels are met for both the pin and the LED (extra cost). Another option is to enable the LED when power is turned onto the…
Look at figure 2 in the attached research paper. You'll find this is exactly how this model of iSight camera works. This interlock failed because the Micron sensor Apple used had software straps that could be reconfigured to have the sensor ignore its enable pin.
What is a software strap? Tried to google what that is and how it works, but I don't see much. Is it known by another term?
Re: Research shows how MacBook Webcams can spy on their users without warning
#144That's why I disable the webcam in the device manager
Can you re-enable it?
Then so can malware.
Re: Research shows how MacBook Webcams can spy on their users without warning
#145Earlier quoted context omitted.
It actually is clever. I like this "go around instead of breaking" approach very much. Two similar cases: A car magazine claimed they discovered a serious weakness in a particular brand of a steering wheel lock. The company made a series of improvements to the lock and challenged the magazine to demo their hack. The magazine guy approached the new lock, gave it a good hard yank and it came off the steering wheel. Ano…
Do you have sources? They seem like interesting stories.
Don't know, but I've seen The Club circumvented by cutting the steering wheel with what looked like gardening shears. Literally took less than two seconds to remove the device.
Re: Research shows how MacBook Webcams can spy on their users without warning
#146Earlier quoted context omitted.
Having an inline LED is still a bit over-engineered in my opinion. The earliest standalone webcams, for instance Logitech models and the IndyCam that came with the Silicon Graphics 'Indy' workstation, had a 'door' that you could slide over the lens when not in use. Lenovo had this on their all in one PC's a few years ago but I don't think they kept that feature. What was wrong with the slide-across lens cover? You wo…
> What was wrong with the slide-across lens cover? The fact that you can forget it open, duh!
It could be motorised :-)
Re: Research shows how MacBook Webcams can spy on their users without warning
#147Honestly, I don’t understand why it’s so difficult to create a camera chip not susceptible to any software hack. The camera sensor needs electrical current to work. Simply place the LED inline or in parallel to the camera and you are done. Any time current is sent to the camera sensor, the LED cant help it but light up. My knowledge of electronics is limited, but I know for a fact that this can be achieved without th…
Having an inline LED is still a bit over-engineered in my opinion. The earliest standalone webcams, for instance Logitech models and the IndyCam that came with the Silicon Graphics 'Indy' workstation, had a 'door' that you could slide over the lens when not in use. Lenovo had this on their all in one PC's a few years ago but I don't think they kept that feature. What was wrong with the slide-across lens cover? You wo…
Macbooks already have this: it's called the keyboard and it "slides over the lens" when you close the laptop when it's not in use. Much easier to do automatically than remember to slide a 'door' across. Or do people really leave their laptops open when not in use?
Re: Research shows how MacBook Webcams can spy on their users without warning
#148Earlier quoted context omitted.
"Now all you have to do is warn users that the one LED is important and means something. Not like all the other LEDs that are on all the time and are mostly pointless." No longer plastering devices with semi-pointless LEDs would help. Harddrive activity? Wifi? Bluetooth? I don't think all these lights are really necessary. Throw one on the power cable maybe, and a few to backlight the keyboard, but otherwise only use…
Hey, I find the hard drive light very helpful in determining whether my system is thrashing for virtual memory, or likely stuck on some CPU-bound process.
May be solution could be putting all useful for troubleshooting and annoying in everyday use LEDs under special cover.
Re: Research shows how MacBook Webcams can spy on their users without warning
#149Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'd pay someone $10 if I could figure out a way to make sure that my macbook never plays the "I AM NOW TURNING ON" sound.
sudo nvram SystemAudioVolume=0 If this works for you, please donate the $10 to Archive.org.
If that works for me on my Mac Mini, I'll donate $10 to Archive.org too.
Re: Research shows how MacBook Webcams can spy on their users without warning
#150Earlier quoted context omitted.
Having an inline LED is still a bit over-engineered in my opinion. The earliest standalone webcams, for instance Logitech models and the IndyCam that came with the Silicon Graphics 'Indy' workstation, had a 'door' that you could slide over the lens when not in use. Lenovo had this on their all in one PC's a few years ago but I don't think they kept that feature. What was wrong with the slide-across lens cover? You wo…
Macbooks already have this: it's called the keyboard and it "slides over the lens" when you close the laptop when it's not in use. Much easier to do automatically than remember to slide a 'door' across. Or do people really leave their laptops open when not in use?
But then you can't see the keys or the monitor.