Smile For The Camera!

[big_teee]

Say Cheeze!
Are you being tracked by your Smartphone, or Laptop Camera?

https://thehackernews.com/2018/08/so...per-osint.html
T

[tedmich]

Every laptop cam I've had for the last decade gets one of these 1st thing, we use them in the lab, just the white ones.

The UK and China have cameras EVERYWHERE so there's no hiding without a disguise!

(Your Samsung TV can record sound even when OFF, but not unplugged and in a box like mine for the last 2 years...)

[J M Fahey]

[IMG](Your Samsung TV can record sound even when OFF, but not unplugged and in a box like mine for the last 2 years...)

You sure?

[Steve A.]

Every laptop cam I've had for the last decade gets one of these 1st thing, we use them in the lab, just the white ones.

The UK and China have cameras EVERYWHERE so there's no hiding without a disguise!

(Your Samsung TV can record sound even when OFF, but not unplugged and in a box like mine for the last 2 years...)

So how do you disable the microphone?

Steve A.

[Enzo]

You could open up the set and unplug it.

[tedmich]

for the microphone, I live alone so unless hours of guitar playing, me texting, the sizzle of a soldering iron or an intermittent toilet flush make the russian hackers any money I think I'm safe

(of course there's many many hours of recorded music of dubious copyright as well)

[big_teee]

Just Thinking?
Wouldn't a TV have to have a wifi hookup or something to do the dirty deeds, with camera and mic.
I have a Samsung Smart 50 inch in the Living Room.
Don't know if it has a mic or camera.
I run the smart features off the wifi.
My Laptops all have Cameras, which I keep covered with tape.
The Laptop Mic, I keep turned off on the audio Mixer? (a feature in Linux Pulse Audio)
Anyway, I thought the HackerNews article was an interesting read.
T

[J M Fahey]

for the microphone, I live alone so unless hours of guitar playing, me texting, the sizzle of a soldering iron or an intermittent toilet flush make the russian hackers any money I think I'm safe

(of course there's many many hours of recorded music of dubious copyright as well)

Who needs Russian hackers when friendly NSA is available 24/7 ?

[mikepukmel]

So how do you disable the microphone?

Steve A.

Soldering iron, followed by a screwdriver.

[mikepukmel]

Just Thinking?
Wouldn't a TV have to have a wifi hookup or something to do the dirty deeds, with camera and mic.
I have a Samsung Smart 50 inch in the Living Room.
Don't know if it has a mic or camera.
I run the smart features off the wifi.
My Laptops all have Cameras, which I keep covered with tape.
The Laptop Mic, I keep turned off on the audio Mixer? (a feature in Linux Pulse Audio)
Anyway, I thought the HackerNews article was an interesting read.
T

Yes, needs an internet connection. Careful, though, some nice queueing software out there that can collect data, then sit and wait. If at some point, it detects a wifi, or wired connection, it can upload the payload.

[mikepukmel]

Besides 24/7 exposure to low level microwaves all over the damn place, this is one of the main reasons for my dislike of the 'internet of things'.

[Leo_Gnardo]

Don't know if it has a mic or camera.

Read the owner's manual. Yeh, I know - nobody does that, everything's plug & play and we all want our entertainment NOW. Something to do on a rainy afternoon.

[mikepukmel]

I will try to find the article, but recently (few years) a guy was accused of a crime, based on computer image recognition software from some kind of security software, and it turned out to be wrong. Really awful story. Threw a wrench into the guys life. The criminal looked a lot like the guy. FOund it:

https://www.vocativ.com/418052/false...ing/index.html

[Koderty]

I don't think that someone needs me)

[syzygyn]

These reports are terrible news and I had to double check them to see if they were true. I have so many questions:
Why isn't this openly disclosed before a purchase? Why hasn't the media covered this in detail? Why are we okay with this as citizens? What can we do to limit this kind of spying besides damaging our electronics?