Your Webcam Could Be Spying On You

By Mark Huffman

Hackers have developed malware and worms that can infect your computer and take control of your webcam. When you least expect it, your webcam could be watching you.

In 2004 hackers unleashed the W32/Rbot-GR worm, better known as the "Peeping Tom" virus, which exploited a number of Microsoft security vulnerabilities -- installing a backdoor Trojan horse. The security flaws have long been patched, but other versions of the bug are being turned out all the time.

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2011/01/your-webcam-could-be-spying-on-you.html

A few weeks ago I read on the news about some of the new HD TV's ...............maybe from Samsung? Don't remember. Supposedly the TV is Internet ready and has a built-in cam, and some hacker somewhere figured how to turn the camera on while people were watching their new TV at home.

Is your Internet TV vulnerable to hackers?

According to the New York Times, security firm Mocana was able to hack an Internet-connected set "with unsettling ease." The hack allowed them to obtain the owner's credit card numbers and to monitor the data being sent from the TV to various Web sites.

Mocana refused to divulge the brand of HDTV into which it easily hacked, though it did say that it was one of the five most popular Web-connected sets. Especially concerning was Mocana's conclusion about how the Internet features were implemented for this particular TV:
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/home-theater/is-your-internet-tv-vulnerable-to-hackers/4550

I don't have an internet ready TV but I do have the webcam on my laptop disabled.
From the start menu...click on Control Panel...click on Device Manager...click on Imaging Devices...click on webcam...and click "disable". Using Windows 7.
Surely there must be an equivalent work around for webcams on TV's?
And, if you use Skype, you'd have to do the whole thing in reverse for the recipient to see you. Personally, I think it's worth the inconvenience to protect yourself.

Put a piece of black tape over it!

David, you're a Genius! A low tech solution to a high tech problem. I love it!
I just hope that adhesive residue doesn't align with my nose when I'm skyping (grin)