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From: BillW50 on 28 May 2010 17:59
On 5/28/2010 7:34 AM, Linea Recta wrote:
> "BillW50" <BillW50(a)aol.kom> schreef in bericht
> news:htlkpp$j5q$1(a)news.eternal-september.org...
>> In news:4bfd68cc$0$22934$e4fe514c(a)news.xs4all.nl,
>> Linea Recta typed on Wed, 26 May 2010 20:30:33 +0200:
>>> "Linea Recta" <mccm.vos(a)abc.invalid> schreef in bericht
>>> news:4bf6d115$0$22933$e4fe514c(a)news.xs4all.nl...
>>>> I wonder, is there some clip on the market for blinding the webcam
>>>> on a laptop? Never seen anything of the sort though and I don't have
>>>> time to make one myself.
>>>> On the desktop I have a Logitech webcam which is equipped with a
>>>> sort of spectacle which moves over the lens when the cam is not in
>>>> use. This ensures prevention of spying.
>>>
>>> Come to think of it: how about the mic? Microphone does not have an
>>> indicator led, so it can easily be misused by spies...
>>
>> Yes indeed. And the next time you are using the flash player in your
>> browser, right click on it and check your privacy settings. It might
>> have the mic and the webcam set to allow. If so, Adobe can see and
>> hear you whenever they want too.
>
> These issues could be addressed quite simply if manufacturers provide
> their hardware with a little (inexpensive) slider switch
> enabling/disabling the camera/microphone. This way users know for sure
> he's in control himself.

Well I know what you mean. Although I can see why manufactures don't
want to use switches. As some types are problematic (not all of them).
Plus manufactures and software developers like controlling switches
electronically. As software can't flip a manual switch.

I have been thinking this for days and I had a few thoughts for you. One
is most BIOS in the setup you can disable the webcam. And as far as I
know, no software known yet can toggle it back on again. So that should
be really safe. But it requires a reboot to enable it again and you
might not like that idea.

The second plan is disabling it through the Device Manager. Almost no
software can bypass this and you would be really safe here too. Although
the BIOS option is safer. Not impossible, but damn near. As a hacker
would have to know your machine personally to hack into the BIOS.

The mic? Well no bios setting in any one I ever seen. And nothing in the
Device Manager to disable. And software can easily change this one for
sure and turn it on.

With some luck though, some internal mics are disabled if you plug
something into the external mic jack. I would test it to see if yours
does. Even plugging in headphones or ear buds would be okay. But both
can work as a crummy mic. So test them to make sure they won't pick up
too well or not at all. Otherwise just a plug without any wires should
work too.

I don't know? That is the best I can come up with so far.

>> Most cell phones the phone companies have the same ability. Whether
>> you are on a call or not. So they can listen in anytime they want too.
>> Law enforcement uses this little trick to listen in on the bad guys.
>> Supposedly they can listen in even if the phone is off. The only way
>> around this is to pull the battery out.
>
> I've never owned a mobile phone but I guess the same solution as above
> could be applied.

I used too. But I now live in the middle of nowhere and they don't work
too well here anyway. As I have to climb a tall tree just to get one
bar. lol

--
Bill
Thunderbird Portable 3.0 (20091130)
From: Linea Recta on 29 May 2010 07:48
"BillW50" <BillW50(a)aol.kom> schreef in bericht
news:htpec8$to$1(a)news.eternal-september.org...
> On 5/28/2010 7:34 AM, Linea Recta wrote:
>> "BillW50" <BillW50(a)aol.kom> schreef in bericht
>> news:htlkpp$j5q$1(a)news.eternal-september.org...
>>> In news:4bfd68cc$0$22934$e4fe514c(a)news.xs4all.nl,
>>> Linea Recta typed on Wed, 26 May 2010 20:30:33 +0200:
>>>> "Linea Recta" <mccm.vos(a)abc.invalid> schreef in bericht
>>>> news:4bf6d115$0$22933$e4fe514c(a)news.xs4all.nl...
>>>>> I wonder, is there some clip on the market for blinding the webcam
>>>>> on a laptop? Never seen anything of the sort though and I don't have
>>>>> time to make one myself.
>>>>> On the desktop I have a Logitech webcam which is equipped with a
>>>>> sort of spectacle which moves over the lens when the cam is not in
>>>>> use. This ensures prevention of spying.
>>>>
>>>> Come to think of it: how about the mic? Microphone does not have an
>>>> indicator led, so it can easily be misused by spies...
>>>
>>> Yes indeed. And the next time you are using the flash player in your
>>> browser, right click on it and check your privacy settings. It might
>>> have the mic and the webcam set to allow. If so, Adobe can see and
>>> hear you whenever they want too.
>>
>> These issues could be addressed quite simply if manufacturers provide
>> their hardware with a little (inexpensive) slider switch
>> enabling/disabling the camera/microphone. This way users know for sure
>> he's in control himself.
>
> Well I know what you mean. Although I can see why manufactures don't want
> to use switches. As some types are problematic (not all of them). Plus
> manufactures and software developers like controlling switches
> electronically. As software can't flip a manual switch.
>
> I have been thinking this for days and I had a few thoughts for you. One
> is most BIOS in the setup you can disable the webcam. And as far as I
> know, no software known yet can toggle it back on again. So that should be
> really safe. But it requires a reboot to enable it again and you might not
> like that idea.


In fact the BIOS of my laptop is very spartan with surprising few settings.
Also there is no webcam setting.


>
> The second plan is disabling it through the Device Manager. Almost no
> software can bypass this and you would be really safe here too. Although
> the BIOS option is safer. Not impossible, but damn near. As a hacker would
> have to know your machine personally to hack into the BIOS.
>
> The mic? Well no bios setting in any one I ever seen. And nothing in the
> Device Manager to disable. And software can easily change this one for
> sure and turn it on.
>
> With some luck though, some internal mics are disabled if you plug
> something into the external mic jack. I would test it to see if yours
> does. Even plugging in headphones or ear buds would be okay. But both can
> work as a crummy mic. So test them to make sure they won't pick up too
> well or not at all. Otherwise just a plug without any wires should work
> too.


I think a dummy jack might work (haven't tested yet). When using headphones
or speakers, I think they actually do work as mic!
Then, concerning the desktop PC, I have to consider the additional sound
source of USB webcam, (hard accessible) which has to be pulled out I
suppose.



>
> I don't know? That is the best I can come up with so far.
>
>>> Most cell phones the phone companies have the same ability. Whether
>>> you are on a call or not. So they can listen in anytime they want too.
>>> Law enforcement uses this little trick to listen in on the bad guys.
>>> Supposedly they can listen in even if the phone is off. The only way
>>> around this is to pull the battery out.
>>
>> I've never owned a mobile phone but I guess the same solution as above
>> could be applied.
>
> I used too. But I now live in the middle of nowhere and they don't work
> too well here anyway. As I have to climb a tall tree just to get one bar.
> lol


Perhaps you could construct an extended antenna?
If you're in the jungle you could consider shortwave radio, or perhaps
communication by satellite?



--
regards,

|\ /|
| \/ |@rk
\../
\/os

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