To think covering your work laptop camera is just paranoia?

[TealDreamer]

My friend always puts sellotape over her work laptop camera when she’s not using it or in meetings. I used to think this was a bit much but I’ve just discovered my own work laptop actually has a built-in shutter for the camera - so clearly, even manufacturers acknowledge there might be a reason to cover it.

She insists it’s because “you never know who’s watching,” and while I don’t fully buy into the idea that someone is spying on us all the time, I do wonder if there’s any real risk.

AIBU to think this is just a conspiracy theory or is it actually sensible to cover your webcam when not in use? Do you do it?

I had a family members laptop get hacked/pick up a virus a few years a go. How did we know? The start up changed to a locked screen with a picture of them taken from the webcam for proof they had access and a demand for money to 'fix it'.

Does it matter? Why does it worry you so much that it's covered?

Yep, I'm the same.

Oh yes my green primark cardi has to be removed pre meeting!

I cover mine. My laptop is in my bedroom, and I often work at night sat in bed in varying stars of undress.

I’ve stuck a bit of blu tac over mine, just in case I accidentally leave it on in a meeting, I have one of those faces where I can’t hide what I’m thinking!

That sort of message would be blocked / filtered out by my organisation's security before it would ever reach my inbox.

im wondering if people are conflating security risks using their personal computer versus their work computer. If it's a work computer I'd be very worried about their organisation's lax security policies.

I use my laptop camera multiple times a day whether working from home or onsite and I can't imagine having to think about covering up my camera.

this thread is unfortunately 99% catastrophising with a smattering of truth. If people have to live their lives in such fear, I feel very sorry for you.

So in your scenario, was your family member working on their company's laptop?

if so that's a security breach that they should have escalated to their IT security department.

i bet it was their home computer, not a professional laptop with a company firewall protecting that sort of security breach,

I don't have a laptop. I know Google listens to me through my phone because I can be chatting about something random, and Chrome recommends a website about what I've been talking about, even though I've never searched anything about the subject online.

I agree. Surely if a computer, phone etc were so easy to hack stealthily, you wouldn’t keep anything on it that a hacker could use? Financial information, logins, family details, photos, personal communication etc etc. The camera would be a very low priority for a hacker.

Obviously hacking does happen, but it’s usually data theft or ransom. You’re better off making sure the security is good - for the machine and for accounts - and that you take care with emails, attachments and what you come across online.

I suspect the camera covering is just one of those things that people can easily do and that gives a false sense of control, rather than provide any genuinely needed protection.

I wouldn’t scorn that possibility. Check out the eufy camera hack incident.

Shit companies making connected appliances and devices that are focused more on design and less on security are a problem for everyone. Like in the rest of the world: you get what you pay for.

My laptop remote connects to my work PC. We also hotdesk, so when I’m at home, someone will be at by desk in the office.

If I click on the wrong settings, my teams camera connects to my desk and I’m effectively spying on the person sitting there- always confuses the hell out of me for a couple of seconds

So if I’m someone else’s desk, I always cover the camera now!

I honestly don’t care about this sort of thing. What would they gain by watching me? They’d get bored in seconds

I suspect the camera covering is just one of those things that people can easily do and that gives a false sense of control, rather than provide any genuinely needed protection.

100%. It's like someone thinking their house is really secure because their front door is locked but meanwhile their back door is on the latch.

Cameras only get hacked if the general security wrapper around the machine they're operating is inadequate.

there's unfortunately a lot of conflation and ignorance about IT security as per some of the comments on here. All it does is perpetuate misinformation.

Key message - if anything suspicious happens to your work computer you have a duty to report it to your IT dept. It's probably in your IT policy.

Without the why, your device's camera and microphone are the easiest things for a hacker to take over. Even if you think there is nothing to gain from someone recording you, while you are unaware, it's a simple measure to take to prevent it. You can mute or disable your mic when you're not using it too.

Think about the number of calls you might make that require data protection compliance as to why such camfecting would be valuable.

I watch my iPad in the bath and put blue tack over the camera.

I also use the inbuilt shutter on the laptop at work.

Remote access to a camera should be a concern enough to just do something that takes a second to disable anything being viewed

lol, I cover mine because I WFH and always look a mess, I daren’t risk it coming on accidentally 😂 however I don’t have many meetings and those I do we all have our cameras off.

@daisychain01

Cameras only get hacked if the general security wrapper around the machine they're operating is inadequate.

Humans are inadequate security. BYOD popularity for remote working increases security risks.

Ex partner/nosy gossip/micro manager working in the same organisation... can people really not see why they might want to take a simple, easy to do, privacy measure.

That is before external hacking (more likely if you connect private equipment to a work network, or security on work equipment is lax).

But nowadays people have all sorts of devices at home with cameras that would be easier for random strangers to hack (or more likely people who work(ed) for the equipment manufacturers and installers to use)

Just looking round my living room, there is a gaming system, 3 phones, 2 tablets, a ring doorbell, cctv camera, interactive entertainment system, 2 laptops and desktop computer which all have camera, microphone and at minimum WiFi access. I have my health watch on, the dog has a tracker, my keys have a tracker... room has smart lighting, wifi printer in the corner, even the bloomin washing machine has WiFi.
The boat has sailed on having this stuff in the home. Just need to make sure it is secured.

I have an Amazon Alexa show (I think that’s what it’s called) which has the screen so you a steam tv. That has a camera for video calling, the camera has a shutter which I always have closed when not in use. Not sure why feels weird with it open

Always keep shutter on camera closed and volume on laptop muted! Unless on a call of course. Hackers can access your laptop/wifi enabled devices

That is a bit hard to believe.

How is it easier to hack a camera than install a key logger or some other malware?

Exactly the same happened to me. It was quite a shock to see my photo on the screen. I looked so grim. We took it to a computer clinic and had it fixed/cleaned and better security installed. Ever since then I've had brown parcel tape over the camera. Lesson learnt.

I never used to cover mine but then one day I took a shower when wfh and someone called me on teams. I answered not realising they’d requested a video call and so I was stood there with just a towel wrapped round me, getting into a panic trying to switch the camera off! So yes, now it’s covered!

Mine's covered. It just took a few seconds to do with a post-it. I have a work laptop and hybrid working. I'm not particularly tech-savvy. We have an extremely nosy micro-manager who is (and who I know has also tried to see me on social media). It's just in case. I also wfh in face packs and oil my hair so I would prefer that no-one sees that if I were to accidentally turn on the camera!