How a MacBook Camera Can Spy Without Lighting Up 371
New submitter ttyler writes "It turns out a MacBook's built-in camera can be activated without turning on the green LED. An earlier report suggested the FBI could activate a device's camera without having the light turn on, and there was a case in the news where a woman had nude pictures taken of her without her knowledge. The new research out of Johns Hopkins University confirms both situations are possible. All it takes are a few tweaks to the camera's firmware."
It's pretty simple (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:It's pretty simple (Score:5, Insightful)
Far simpler for the manufacturer to wake up to what is going on and provide a sliding lens cover and that means you, you big screen smart TV designers.
Re:It's pretty simple (Score:4, Insightful)
You're assuming it's not by design.
Re:It's pretty simple (Score:5, Insightful)
If they cared even remotely enough to do that, then they would have already hardwired the indicator light to the same power source as the camera so that one couldn't be run without the other regardless of the firmware.
Dont forget about Sound (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:It's pretty simple (Score:5, Insightful)
It's pretty simple: if you have a device with a camera, just cover the camera with a little black tape and tada, no more spying
I use a Post-It, with the non-sticky part over the camera hole.
That way, when I actually do want to use the camera, I simply bend the paper back and expose the camera. When I am done, I fold it back. Replacements are pretty simple. One pad should last you a long time. ;^)
Re:Firmware (Score:5, Insightful)
Surely firmware can not be updated/modified without user knowledge, am I wrong?
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This is news? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Not by accident (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:It's pretty simple (Score:5, Insightful)
30 years on, how times have changed!
Re:It's pretty simple (Score:5, Insightful)
Now, why they have an 8051 hardwired to the USB bus that accepts arbitrary firmware uploads without even having to elevate beyond user permissions, I can only blame stupidity.
Re:It's pretty simple (Score:5, Insightful)
Cams can see through black plastic (Score:5, Insightful)
Many IR receivers and transmitters, such as on remote controls, are covered by opaque black plastic. That black plastic is opaque to visible light, but transparent in infrared. CMOS cameras are very good at seeing in infrared. Therefore, a factory installed cover could APPEAR opaque but actually be transparent for spying purposes.
When I was a licensed private investigator I may have taken advantage of that fact.
Re:It's pretty simple (Score:2, Insightful)
Of course it is by design, Apple will drop any feature if it allows them to shrink the case another mm. That's how they make their margins.
Not to mention there's a single piece of glass covering both the screen and the camera, like Apple would ever ugly that up with some shitty slider.
$5 solution (Score:3, Insightful)