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How a MacBook Camera Can Spy Without Lighting Up

Posted by Soulskill on from the they-can-see-you-right-now dept.

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."

15 of 371 comments (clear)

  1. It's pretty simple by bhcompy · · 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

    1. Re:It's pretty simple by rtb61 · · 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.

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    2. Re:It's pretty simple by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      You're assuming it's not by design.

    3. Re:It's pretty simple by GameMaster · · 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.

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    4. Re:It's pretty simple by wrp103 · · Score: 4, 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. ;^)

    5. Re:It's pretty simple by ChunderDownunder · · Score: 5, Insightful

      On January 24th, Apple Computer will introduce Macintosh. And you'll see why 1984 won't be like "1984".

      30 years on, how times have changed!

    6. Re:It's pretty simple by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Cameras with physical lens covers are thicker than cameras without. That's all it took to convince Apple.

      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.

    7. Re:It's pretty simple by Solandri · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The real point here that this tangent is missing is KISS. Keep It Simple, Stupid. You shouldn't need to look through schematics or take apart your laptop or decompile firmware to figure out if the light cannot be decoupled from the camera, when a simple non-motorized sliding cover would make it indisputably clear to the user that their image is not being surreptitiously captured. That's what people are saying. There are times when complexity needs to be hidden from the user. This is not one of those times because a simple alternative solution that even a 5 year old can understand exists. KISS.

    8. Re:It's pretty simple by Anonymous Coward · · 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.

  2. Dont forget about Sound by bobjr94 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Since built in mics have been around much longer than built in webcams, no doubt they were hacked a long time ago. They have no way of alerting the users if they are active or not. Im sure many laptops, tablets, phones, game systems, cars electronics (like onstar & bluetooth) and even smart tv's have government spyware to record/monitor conversations and looking for keywords. Besides attaching a psychical switch yourself to a mic, not much you can do, a piece of tape wont help much.

  3. Re:Firmware by jader3rd · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Surely firmware can not be updated/modified without user knowledge, am I wrong?

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  4. This is news? by BurfCurse · · Score: 3, Insightful

    There are a lot things you can do with "small tweaks to firmware".

  5. Re:Not by accident by weilawei · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Donating a lot of money and being a sociopath are by no means mutually exclusive. Nor does donating a lot of money to charity indicate altruism. There are still potential gains to be made. Please, however, do not jump to conclusions and take this comment to mean that I agree with either of you. Frankly, it's not worth my time or effort to go verifying that.

  6. Cams can see through black plastic by raymorris · · 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.

  7. $5 solution by 101percent · · Score: 3, Insightful

    https://supporters.eff.org/shop/laptop-camera-cover-set