blinding webcam

[Linea Recta]

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.



--
regards,

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

 

[BillW50]

In news:4bf6d115$0$22933$e4fe514c@news.xs4all.nl,
Linea Recta typed on Fri, 21 May 2010 20:29:40 +0200:
> 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.

On four of mine, the built in webcam has a green light. Thus you know
when it is on or off. Nobody can see you when the light is off. Does
yours have a light too?

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - Windows XP SP3

 

[Linea Recta]

"BillW50" <BillW50@aol.kom> schreef in bericht
news:ht6ln6$sdg$1@news.eternal-september.org...
> In news:4bf6d115$0$22933$e4fe514c@news.xs4all.nl,
> Linea Recta typed on Fri, 21 May 2010 20:29:40 +0200:
>> 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.
>
> On four of mine, the built in webcam has a green light. Thus you know when
> it is on or off. Nobody can see you when the light is off. Does yours have
> a light too?
>


Indeed it has. (So has the Logitech webcam). But still, the led light on the
laptop is very tiny and barely visible in broad daylight. Besides, one never
knows what software tricks are going to be played, disabling the green light
etc. So I need a physical solution. You might call it paranoid?



--
regards,

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

 

[Metspitzer]

On Fri, 21 May 2010 21:46:43 +0200, "Linea Recta"
<mccm.vos@abc.invalid> wrote:

>
>"BillW50" <BillW50@aol.kom> schreef in bericht
>news:ht6ln6$sdg$1@news.eternal-september.org...
>> In news:4bf6d115$0$22933$e4fe514c@news.xs4all.nl,
>> Linea Recta typed on Fri, 21 May 2010 20:29:40 +0200:
>>> 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.
>>
>> On four of mine, the built in webcam has a green light. Thus you know when
>> it is on or off. Nobody can see you when the light is off. Does yours have
>> a light too?
>>
>
>
>Indeed it has. (So has the Logitech webcam). But still, the led light on the
>laptop is very tiny and barely visible in broad daylight. Besides, one never
>knows what software tricks are going to be played, disabling the green light
>etc. So I need a physical solution. You might call it paranoid?


http://www.tapebrothers.com/Duct-Ta...crtag=Google&gclid=CN6UjvKL5KECFQifnAod6CW3JA

 

[BillW50]

In news:4bf6e327$0$22937$e4fe514c@news.xs4all.nl,
Linea Recta typed on Fri, 21 May 2010 21:46:43 +0200:
> "BillW50" <BillW50@aol.kom> schreef in bericht
> news:ht6ln6$sdg$1@news.eternal-september.org...
>> In news:4bf6d115$0$22933$e4fe514c@news.xs4all.nl,
>> Linea Recta typed on Fri, 21 May 2010 20:29:40 +0200:
>>> 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.
>>
>> On four of mine, the built in webcam has a green light. Thus you
>> know when it is on or off. Nobody can see you when the light is off.
>> Does yours have a light too?
>
> Indeed it has. (So has the Logitech webcam). But still, the led light
> on the laptop is very tiny and barely visible in broad daylight.
> Besides, one never knows what software tricks are going to be played,
> disabling the green light etc. So I need a physical solution. You
> might call it paranoid?

Yes I understand. My ex-GF wanted me to leave mine on all of the time.
And I would throw a towel over my webcam when I was going to take a
shower. lol

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - Windows XP SP3

 

[TJ]

lol

 

[Rich Greenberg]

In article <4bf6e327$0$22937$e4fe514c@news.xs4all.nl>,
Linea Recta <mccm.vos@abc.invalid> wrote:

>Indeed it has. (So has the Logitech webcam). But still, the led light on the
>laptop is very tiny and barely visible in broad daylight. Besides, one never
>knows what software tricks are going to be played, disabling the green light
>etc. So I need a physical solution. You might call it paranoid?

A bit of duct tape over the lens?

--
Rich Greenberg N Ft Myers, FL, USA richgr atsign panix.com + 1 239 543 1353
Eastern time. N6LRT I speak for myself & my dogs only. VM'er since CP-67
Caninesal, Red, Shasta & Casey (RIP), Red & Zero, Siberians Owner:Chinook-L
Retired at the beach Asst Owner:Sibernet-L

 

[Linea Recta]

"Rich Greenberg" <richgr@panix.com> schreef in bericht
news:ht7e9e$2ul$1@reader1.panix.com...
> In article <4bf6e327$0$22937$e4fe514c@news.xs4all.nl>,
> Linea Recta <mccm.vos@abc.invalid> wrote:
>
>>Indeed it has. (So has the Logitech webcam). But still, the led light on
>>the
>>laptop is very tiny and barely visible in broad daylight. Besides, one
>>never
>>knows what software tricks are going to be played, disabling the green
>>light
>>etc. So I need a physical solution. You might call it paranoid?
>
> A bit of duct tape over the lens?
>


I don't like that solution very much. It may become very hard to clean the
lens later on.



--
regards,

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

 

[P.V.]

"Linea Recta" <mccm.vos@abc.invalid> kirjoitti
viestissä:4bf8076c$0$22938$e4fe514c@news.xs4all.nl...
>> A bit of duct tape over the lens?
>>
>
>
> I don't like that solution very much. It may become very hard to clean the
> lens later on.

I was going to suggest tape too, though masking tape, but decided not to
because on a second thought it didn't sound like a very cool idea... Anyway,
a tape-based solution would work for me -- on my laptop the lens is so deep
in a hole that tape would never touch it.

If on your laptop the lens is more vulnerable you could tear or cut a small
(meaning something like fingernail-sized) piece of paper or screen-cleaning
cloth, stick it on the tape, and then place the tape on the camera the piece
of paper or cloth facing the lens.


P.V.

 

[BillW50]

In news:4bf8076c$0$22938$e4fe514c@news.xs4all.nl,
Linea Recta typed on Sat, 22 May 2010 183:44 +0200:
> "Rich Greenberg" <richgr@panix.com> schreef in bericht
> news:ht7e9e$2ul$1@reader1.panix.com...
>> In article <4bf6e327$0$22937$e4fe514c@news.xs4all.nl>,
>> Linea Recta <mccm.vos@abc.invalid> wrote:
>>
>>> Indeed it has. (So has the Logitech webcam). But still, the led
>>> light on the laptop is very tiny and barely visible in broad
>>> daylight. Besides, one never knows what software tricks are going to
>>> be played, disabling the green light etc. So I need a physical
>>> solution. You might call it paranoid?
>>
>> A bit of duct tape over the lens?
>
> I don't like that solution very much. It may become very hard to
> clean the lens later on.

How about one of those small clips they sell in grocery stores and such
to reclose snack bags?

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - Windows XP SP3

 

[ps56k]

"Linea Recta" <mccm.vos@abc.invalid> wrote in message
news:4bf6e327$0$22937$e4fe514c@news.xs4all.nl...
>
> "BillW50" <BillW50@aol.kom> schreef in bericht
> news:ht6ln6$sdg$1@news.eternal-september.org...
>> In news:4bf6d115$0$22933$e4fe514c@news.xs4all.nl,
>> Linea Recta typed on Fri, 21 May 2010 20:29:40 +0200:
>>> 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.
>>
>> On four of mine, the built in webcam has a green light. Thus you know
>> when it is on or off. Nobody can see you when the light is off. Does
>> yours have a light too?
>>
>
>
> Indeed it has. (So has the Logitech webcam). But still, the led light on
> the laptop is very tiny and barely visible in broad daylight. Besides, one
> never knows what software tricks are going to be played, disabling the
> green light etc. So I need a physical solution. You might call it
> paranoid?
>
>
>

duh - a small piece of masking, electrical, painter tape over the lens -

 

[Adrian C]

On 21/05/2010 19:29, Linea Recta wrote:
> 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.

It should be possible to disable the driver in a hardware profile. Just
take care to select the right one when you boot.

Or, yeah duct tape...

--
Adrian C

 

[Linea Recta]

Re: blinding webcam - and more

"Linea Recta" <mccm.vos@abc.invalid> schreef in bericht
news:4bf6d115$0$22933$e4fe514c@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...



--
regards,

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

 

[BillW50]

Re: blinding webcam - and more

In news:4bfd68cc$0$22934$e4fe514c@news.xs4all.nl,
Linea Recta typed on Wed, 26 May 2010 2003 +0200:
> "Linea Recta" <mccm.vos@abc.invalid> schreef in bericht
> news:4bf6d115$0$22933$e4fe514c@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.

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.

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - Windows XP SP3

 

[John Doue]

Re: blinding webcam - and more

On 5/27/2010 2:24 PM, BillW50 wrote:
> In news:4bfd68cc$0$22934$e4fe514c@news.xs4all.nl,
> Linea Recta typed on Wed, 26 May 2010 2003 +0200:
>> "Linea Recta"<mccm.vos@abc.invalid> schreef in bericht
>> news:4bf6d115$0$22933$e4fe514c@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.
>
> 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.
>

Hi Bill, I guess that with VoIP, it must be even worse ... Personally, I
do not worry too much about this, but in a sensitive business
environment, this should be kept in mind.

Even with the battery out, ... think how custom officer scan passports
in some countries. Denmark for instance ... I was surprised some time
ago to realize lots of people did not stop to show their passport ...
until I realized they were automatically scanned because of an embedded
chip in the passport.

Unbeknownst to the user, a SIM card could be scanned the same way if the
scanner is close enough.
--
John Doue

 

[BillW50]

Re: blinding webcam - and more

In news:htlpiv$nl3$1@speranza.aioe.org,
John Doue typed on Thu, 27 May 2010 15:46:26 +0300:
> On 5/27/2010 2:24 PM, BillW50 wrote:
>> In news:4bfd68cc$0$22934$e4fe514c@news.xs4all.nl,
>> Linea Recta typed on Wed, 26 May 2010 2003 +0200:
>>> "Linea Recta"<mccm.vos@abc.invalid> schreef in bericht
>>> news:4bf6d115$0$22933$e4fe514c@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.
>>
>> 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.
>>
>
> Hi Bill, I guess that with VoIP, it must be even worse ...
> Personally, I do not worry too much about this, but in a sensitive
> business environment, this should be kept in mind.
>
> Even with the battery out, ... think how custom officer scan passports
> in some countries. Denmark for instance ... I was surprised some time
> ago to realize lots of people did not stop to show their passport ...
> until I realized they were automatically scanned because of an
> embedded chip in the passport.
>
> Unbeknownst to the user, a SIM card could be scanned the same way if
> the scanner is close enough.

Yes it is probably true of VoIP. And how those chips work without power
is the reading device puts out a radio signal and the chip converts this
into a power source to operate the chip. So that is how they work. So
far cell phones can't be operated in this way yet without having a
battery too.

The reason Adobe gave for having the ability to control your mic and
webcam was for marketing purposes. For example if they hear a dog
barking in the background, they can use that to popup dog advertisements
on your browser. AFAIK, they haven't used this technology yet. But the
ability is still there anyway.

And I too don't freak out about all of this. I guess it is because I am
probably too boring to be under surveillance anyway. And I really don't
do anything exciting that I don't want others to know about. But it is
somewhat disturbing how fast our privacy seems to be disappearing.

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - Windows XP SP3

 

[Aaron]

> 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.

A piece of aluminum foil bent in a U-shape to cover the lens. No tape
residue and very inexpensive.

I think the best 'clip' idea is a chip bag closer that someone else
suggested.

--

I'm glad my Mom named me Aaron,
That's what everybody calls me.

 

[Linea Recta]

Re: blinding webcam - and more

"BillW50" <BillW50@aol.kom> schreef in bericht
news:htlkpp$j5q$1@news.eternal-september.org...
> In news:4bfd68cc$0$22934$e4fe514c@news.xs4all.nl,
> Linea Recta typed on Wed, 26 May 2010 2003 +0200:
>> "Linea Recta" <mccm.vos@abc.invalid> schreef in bericht
>> news:4bf6d115$0$22933$e4fe514c@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.



>
> 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.


--
regards,

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

 

[Linea Recta]

"Aaron" <kemtek.1@gmail.com> schreef in bericht
news:htn9f4$v2$1@news.eternal-september.org...
>> 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.
>
> A piece of aluminum foil bent in a U-shape to cover the lens. No tape
> residue and very inexpensive.


I think that's a great idea. Foil seems very effective and with no
disadvantages. Wonder why I didn't figure this out myself!



--
regards,

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

 

[BillW50]

Re: blinding webcam - and more

On 5/28/2010 74 AM, Linea Recta wrote:
> "BillW50" <BillW50@aol.kom> schreef in bericht
> news:htlkpp$j5q$1@news.eternal-september.org...
>> In news:4bfd68cc$0$22934$e4fe514c@news.xs4all.nl,
>> Linea Recta typed on Wed, 26 May 2010 2003 +0200:
>>> "Linea Recta" <mccm.vos@abc.invalid> schreef in bericht
>>> news:4bf6d115$0$22933$e4fe514c@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)