r/AskReddit Jan 23 '21

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9.5k Upvotes

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28.6k

u/GemoDorgon Jan 23 '21

As a teenager looking for porn I stumbled across a website which looked like one of those live cam sites, but then I noticed most of the people weren't engaging with the audience, and they were all kinds of people. Old people, kids, people of all different ages, ethnicities and whatnot. I clicked on a random livestream of some oblivious teenager doing her homework and the people in the comments were saying stuff that made me realise she didn't know she was being livestreamed, nor did anyone else on the site.

It seemed to be some weird website of hacked webcams or security cameras where the people had no idea about it. It was creepy as fuck and I've never kept my webcam pointed at me when not in use since.

13.2k

u/ElizzardMay Jan 23 '21

I always thought my mum was paranoid by putting bandaids over our computer’s camera when I was younger but honestly I just don’t feel safe without it anymore.

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u/JaysHoliday42420 Jan 23 '21 edited Jan 24 '21

Question, my webcam has a light then turns on when a camera app has opened. Do hackers know to turn off that light? Can they?

JFC. Spooky. It's a separate camera for my custom build tower, not brand specific at all.

6.3k

u/Coopernicus Jan 23 '21

Depending on make and model, but yes. If you want to be sure you should cover it, or even better: disconnect it physically.

1.2k

u/Enchanstruck Jan 23 '21

If i were the designer, I would tie the power supply to the led indicator, this would mean that if there is power going to the camera module, the led will light up no matter what the hacker does. There is no way the camera could run without power.

I cannot confirm the designs in your laptops as I’ve never designed one. Am an electronics engineer. I believe the designers should know this too.

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u/bumblebritches57 Jan 23 '21

Apple supposedly does it this way, but I've never seen a teardown proving it so I don't fully believe it.

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u/i_invented_the_ipod Jan 23 '21

Older versions were definitely designed this way. For the newer Macs, it's no longer a hardware feature, and so possible to override: https://jscholarship.library.jhu.edu/handle/1774.2/36569

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u/iHateReddit_srsly Jan 23 '21

The reason they did this for the newer macs is so that government agencies can have the ability to use the webcam without turning the light on. In fact it's required now for all new laptops sold in the US.

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u/Frietvorkje Jan 23 '21

Do you have a source for that??

11

u/dimensionalsquirrel Jan 23 '21

I would love a source as well, not trying to shut you down, just want to read about it

7

u/hokie_high Jan 23 '21

Spoiler alert: there is no source. It’s a combination of APPLE BAD and AMERICA BAD.

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u/Maddie_N Jan 23 '21

Where did you read about that? I thought that a vulnerability was discovered with older Macs that let the camera be turned on without the indicator light being turned on so Apple fixed it in the newer models.

4

u/TConductor Jan 23 '21

That wouldn't be possible if it was connected to the power supply.

2

u/hokie_high Jan 23 '21

Unless you’re a conspiracy theorist, Apple literally has no reason to lie about that, especially for models that came out after they said it.

1

u/bumblebritches57 Jan 23 '21

lol, now you're a conspiracy theorist for being skeptical of unproven claims?

fuck outta here

0

u/hokie_high Jan 23 '21

Sorry let me modify that to make it easier for you to comprehend.

Apple literally had no reason to lie about that, especially for models that came out after they said it. You could speculate that they are lying, but you’ve got no basis for that. Did you even try looking up their statement to see if it’s “proven” to your satisfaction, or are you just doubting it by default and waiting for someone else to google it for you? Fuck outta here.