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 know somebody high up in the Army. All the cameras in the house are covered!!

Mines covered, I'm not paranoid, I did have someone actually record something through the camera, it started when I was making a coffee and I didn't see any lights on it. They told me they could, i didn't believe, it wasn't spurious, it was done to prove it could be done. Not sure anyone would actually bother though although I do work for a company that does take cyber security incredibly seriously.

Not paranoid at all. Good security practice. And make sure your mic is off except when actually needed.

Do you discuss ,say finance, or maybe home security when you're in the room with your laptop? Went to a lecture from a guy who was bug in development in Silicon Valley. The ways they can spy on you are toe curling. Keywords to activate listening etc. They all put these privacy/ security practices into use, plus keep their kids off laptops till double digits etc.

I disable the camera on alexa always

It's different, I had this explained to me by the police (someone had hidden cameras in my home, long story).

On a Apple MacBook the light the green light is 'hardware' connected to the camera, so impossible for the camera to be running without the light being green.

On most cheaper PC laptops the light is controlled by software so normally fine, but can actually be disabled in the software.

So not all computers are the same.

I mean most Samsung tellys have a cheat code that will record audio from the mic and look as if it is turned off. So given that these backdoors are there, someone might exploit them.

Why does this matter? Think of all the company websites which have tens of photos of their board and management, the photos of public and media outlet photos available online- let alone the photos available via social media- what would be the point in hacking a randoms laptop camera to take a photo of their face to deep fake it?!?

Not everyone is on the board and management of a large company! Blackmail is a good motivation

But obviously the point is why go to all that trouble to get a strangers photo when there are billions of photos of people already online?

We have a relative working in on line security. He hands out those wee sticky shutters to go over the camera lens, he says it’s dead easy for the camera to get compromised. They are cheap to buy.

The blackmail is tied to the other content found on the device, either for ransom or to compromise and blackmail the individual. Can't be a random stranger

Yes, just like the scam emails tell you 😆

so basically with nothing blackmailable on my laptop, I don’t need to worry? 🤨