I used to have a piece of tape on my webcam. But I figured that it couldn't possibly be so interesting to see my face, so I took a different strategy, and moved the tape piece 1cm to the right, so it covers the led indicating if the camera is in use.
I don't trust that LED anyway, and if someone should peek at me, I do not want to be made aware of it (and thereby distracted)
The FBI Director Puts Tape Over His Webcam
121–130 of 218 posts
Re: The FBI Director Puts Tape Over His Webcam
#122I care about audio so much more than video, and text/keys/etc captured from the machine even more. As long as my screen and keyboard are out of the frame of the camera, I don't really care about it getting RATed. At worst, you'll see me naked, or making angry/etc. faces at someone on irc or email. While embarrassing it would be less bad than most of what you could accomplish by stealing actual information. OTOH, carr…
> no built-in mic/camera Most people would settle for a physical switch, that is, a switch in hardware.
Switch would be the best, as long as it is a physical switch that physically disconnects the whole module. Not the kind that is typical nowadays, that only reports its state to the firmware which then decides what to do.
Re: The FBI Director Puts Tape Over His Webcam
#123Earlier quoted context omitted.
That is already out there too, with Purism Librem laptops. The commenter you're replying to would be better off giving his money to a company that puts privacy (and FOSS) above all else, instead of trying to bribe a lost cause (let's not forget about the 3 times Lenovo has been caught with nasty factory-installed malware on their consumer laptops). Here's the Librem laptop homepage: https://puri.sm/products/
Purism is a joke - they rely on binary blobs like everybody else. It's an overpriced laptop with a fancy marketing campaign - might as well buy a Lenovo.
I think they were referring to the part where it says
Mic/Camera hardware cut-off: YesRe: The FBI Director Puts Tape Over His Webcam
#124While it's not reasonable to ask this of everyone, it would seem to me that if anyone should strive to have "nothing to hide" it would be politicians and people in positions where they are definitely under foreign surveillance.
Like okay, they have to do deal with classified material and sensitive things - but there is a time and place for that and I trust the FBI director doesn't use his personal laptop for work.
He should be basically streaming his video camera on the internet for everyone to see - b/c the people that want to see it probably will
Re: The FBI Director Puts Tape Over His Webcam
#125I don't really understand the webcam paranoia. If my computer is completely compromised, somebody watching my face is the least of my worries.
The first Apple iSight cameras, back in the days of Firewire, had this nifty mechanical iris that covered the lens. A twist of the bezel ring and it opened, another and it closed. Granted, just that feature was 6 times the volume of a modern webcam and probably three times the cost, but it did perfectly address people's discomfort with the eye staring at them. For some reason, the ear listening to them doesn't seem t…
People don't react the same to audio because when we got on a call, audio is presumed to be on, while we may not be prepared or video. And when we're not on a call, chances of being caught saying something embarrassing is lower than chances of being caught in an embarrassing state of undress etc.
Re: The FBI Director Puts Tape Over His Webcam
#126I wonder what he uses as a (Smart)phone, if he uses any at all. Since there are very few with physical lens cover for the back camera, and probably none covering both (the front camera and the back).
Recently, I have got back to feature phone after decade long struggle with several smartphones, keeping all on my desk for app development purpose only. I hope Comey would follow me. If not doing it now. ;)
Re: The FBI Director Puts Tape Over His Webcam
#127Earlier quoted context omitted.
"Stop using it altogether" isn't a viable option, because it's not this particular laptop whose security is questionable, it's every laptop.
That may be true, but again, what do you care about more, your files and key strokes, or your webcam. If you have tape over your webcam but you still use online banking, you are a fucking idiot. You either have faith in the security of your computer, and log into your bank (risking hackers stealing all your money) or you don't. But if you don't think twice about saying anything you want in front of your computer or l…
"But if you don't think twice about saying anything you want in front of your computer or logging into your bank, but still chose to have type over your camera, I am sorry, but you are a idiot."
Not necessarily. Maybe an adversary having naked pictures of you (or seeing your affair, or whatever) causes you more (financial?) trouble than what is on the bank account.
Re: The FBI Director Puts Tape Over His Webcam
#128There are actually smartphones and laptops where you can close the camera with an integrated sliding window. I don't know of such a thing for integrated microphones, but Thinkpad's bios allows disabling mic and camera, though if you don't trust bios's software switch, I'd recommend pulling the internal cables. Then you can connect a USB headset and/or camera on demand, knowing there's no always-on mic.
But, since even Windows desktop edition has Cortana these days, I'm afraid mic will be harder to disable in newer machines.
Re: The FBI Director Puts Tape Over His Webcam
#129I'd be interested in finding out how many people do this with the front facing camera on their phone. It seems to be a much lower percentage than those who do it with their laptop webcam (from what I've observed at least).
I recently did it with the front facing camera of my phone. The back facing camera always points into the table. I feel uncomfortable undressing myself with that 'eye' staring at me (crazy times we live in ;p). I mean, this is one of those security measures that cost you basically nothing (a sticker) and can save you a huge ache in the unlikely case that someone is actually recording - why not do it?
Re: The FBI Director Puts Tape Over His Webcam
#130I care about audio so much more than video, and text/keys/etc captured from the machine even more. As long as my screen and keyboard are out of the frame of the camera, I don't really care about it getting RATed. At worst, you'll see me naked, or making angry/etc. faces at someone on irc or email. While embarrassing it would be less bad than most of what you could accomplish by stealing actual information. OTOH, carr…
All smartphones now come with programmable low-power audio recognition DSPs for always-on "Hey Siri" and "Ok Google". So it's here.
A co worker is heading to Las Vegas next week and we chatted about it yesterday. My Facebook ads are now advertising Las Vegas night clubs.