Malware can turn off webcam LED and record video, demonstrated on ThinkPad X230
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Re: Malware can turn off webcam LED and record video, demonstrated on ThinkPad X230
#2For what it's worth, my Lenovo laptop has a manuel shutter slider button on the side that actually physically covers the camera (and it must also does something driver wise because windows considers it unplugged). It's so easy and convenient that I always use to off the camera.
Many of lenovo have that even included their gaming laptop line (it's actually even better and more convient on that one, thanks to the larger size available).
Doesn't solve the problem this article talks about, but if that's something that worries you I would still trust that more than most (and it's a lot less weirdo looking than taping your camera).
Re: Malware can turn off webcam LED and record video, demonstrated on ThinkPad X230
#3I thought the whole point of these camera LEDs was to have them wired to/through the power to the camera, so they are always on when the camera is getting power, no matter what.
Having the LED control exposed through the firmware completely defeats this.
Re: Malware can turn off webcam LED and record video, demonstrated on ThinkPad X230
#4I assumed that most if not all of these webcam LEDs are wired in series with the power to the camera itself. Which then makes it impossible to disable them. Who designs this LED to be software addressable?
Re: Malware can turn off webcam LED and record video, demonstrated on ThinkPad X230
#5my ideapad has a native physical webcam cover. no idea why this isn't universal standard
Re: Malware can turn off webcam LED and record video, demonstrated on ThinkPad X230
#6I thought the whole point of these camera LEDs was to have them wired to/through the power to the camera, so they are always on when the camera is getting power, no matter what. Having the LED control exposed through the firmware completely defeats this.
I might be out of the loop, but I thought that was only for some machines - I remember the LED being wired that way being a selling point for MacBooks at some point, as a privacy feature. It definitely should be the standard, though!
Re: Malware can turn off webcam LED and record video, demonstrated on ThinkPad X230
#7I thought the whole point of these camera LEDs was to have them wired to/through the power to the camera, so they are always on when the camera is getting power, no matter what. Having the LED control exposed through the firmware completely defeats this.
Yeah, my understanding is that is how the light on MacBooks works, but I'm not sure about any other makes/models. Obviously, if this is possible that Thinkpad model doesn't do that.
Re: Malware can turn off webcam LED and record video, demonstrated on ThinkPad X230
#8I am so disappointed that there are camera LEDs out there that they aren't hardware connected to the sensor. Especially when there are bio-metric sensors out there that can do a crap-ton of calculation all in-device so no privacy concerns arise. I wonder if any of them are vulnerable to a firmware attack.
Re: Malware can turn off webcam LED and record video, demonstrated on ThinkPad X230
#9I thought the whole point of these camera LEDs was to have them wired to/through the power to the camera, so they are always on when the camera is getting power, no matter what. Having the LED control exposed through the firmware completely defeats this.
I'd like a law to this effect.
Re: Malware can turn off webcam LED and record video, demonstrated on ThinkPad X230
#10Arguably a much, much bigger problem are the (many) microphones of modern devices.
These usually get neither an LED nor a switch, and unlike cameras can't easily be covered, nor pointed away from potentially sensitive topics/subjects.