

FBI can secretly turn on laptop cameras without the indicator light - elleferrer
http://gizmodo.com/fbi-can-secretly-activate-laptop-cameras-without-the-in-1478371370

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jlgaddis
While there have certainly been some major surprises in the last five months,
this isn't really one of them, is it?

We've known for a long time both that malware has had this capability and that
the U.S. government has infected machines with malware. It's not too much of a
jump to assume that the FBI can remotely take control of your computer's
camera.

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xarball
This sounds like a combination of a browser exploit and probably some basic
HID driver interaction.

The yahoo email account was the opportunity -- so they either MITM'd the
session, used some kind of client/server injection, or -- more likely; they're
in bed with yahoo? (We can confirm their involvement from Snowden's leaks...)

The only real fascinating part here is probably the browser exploit. The rest
sounds like standard fluff for what happens when you let an unauthorized
process onto your computer.

Back in the 90's, hackers used these tricks all the time. It was easy once you
got onto someone's computer. See for yourself -- :)

[https://www.google.ca/search?q=subseven&source=lnms&tbm=isch](https://www.google.ca/search?q=subseven&source=lnms&tbm=isch)

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elleferrer
Anyone remember this story:

School Used Student Laptop Webcams To Spy On Them At School And Home. School
District Says It Only Turned Spy Cameras On 42 Times; FBI Now Investigating.

[http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100219/1418438242.shtml](http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100219/1418438242.shtml)

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Houshalter
Why is it possible for the camera/mic to turn on at all without the light
turning on? Shouldn't that be built into the hardware?

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TheLoneWolfling
Even in cases where it is, it's still possible to circumvent. Turn on the
webcam, take a photo, turn off the webcam. If it's done fast enough the person
won't have time for their eyes to notice that the light was on.

