A couple of years ago, the notion that people be it hackers, law breakers or the government were spying on you through your Personal Computer’s webcam was only viewed at as a theory. However, recent developments reveal webcam spying is no longer a suspicion but an uncomfortable reality. Many people have reported spying on their webcam be it in school or at the workplace. But is webcam spying really a threat we ought to be worried about?
To cut the long story short, webcam spying is a menace in the life of many people. Worse, the majority of individuals who are into webcam spying are not working for the government. In fact, they are low-tier hackers who are simply looking for ways to make money without having to work hard. They simply make use of simple tools in cataloging and monitoring all the devices a desktop or Personal Computer might have access to. So before you start using your webcam for business purposes, video chatting or webcamming, you need to keep yourself safe from the threat of webcam spying. After all, you want to enjoy your privacy every time you start streaming videos.
Why Webcam Spying is a Threat?
Despite the threat of webcam spying being clearly evident, you will still find some people who do not want take the necessary safety measures. However, you cannot put the entire blame on them since they may not know the effects of webcam spying. To give you a tip of the iceberg, hackers make use of phishing techniques in hijacking webcams before watching them through their camera. They can even go to the extent of keeping the videos of people who are in a compromising situation in their homes. Before you know it, the video is uploaded in a shady website. This is a position you never want to find yourself in as it is definitely going to ruin your reputation.
How Can You Prevent Webcam Spying?
One of the biggest concerns webcam owners have to deal with is preventing spying. Well, you should always obscure or disable your computer’s webcam when it is not in use. There is no essence in leaving your webcam accessible especially in the wake of numerous cases of webcam spying. In fact, it is so easy to secure your webcam that there is no reason as to why you should avoid it. Here are some of the ways in which you can keep your webcam secure thus doing away with the threat of spying once and for all.
- Always Use an Antivirus
Who said your favorite camming site is going to guarantee you safety as a cam model? Actually before you sign up on www.webcamsites.com/dxlive or any other camming site, you need to read the terms and conditions. In addition, make sure you are using an antivirus before creating an account as it will go a long way in keeping you secure. Even though it does not guarantee full protection, it can still detect any malware thus keeping you secure from webcam spying. To benefit fully from the antivirus, you need to update it on a regular basis in order to get the latest features.
- Disable it at the BIOS Level
If you are a proud owner of a Personal Computer with an integrated webcam, you can simply disable it at the BIOS level. Keep in mind the BIOS must support it before you can proceed with this option. To pull this off successfully, you will first have to reboot your computer after which you can enter into BIOS. Look through the options until you locate “CMOS camera” or “Webcam” depending on your computer. Simply disable the webcam or lock the hardware and it will turn off automatically. Remember, disabling the webcam is also going to halt the microphone since both their modules are on the same expansion board.
- Unplug Your Webcam
When having an external webcam, you can simply unplug it from your desktop computer. No amount of effort by the hackers is going to plug the webcam back onto your device unless it is a miracle. You should however remember to plug the webcam back into position every time you want to start a video chat. People having in-built webcams should not feel as if they are left behind since they can still cover the webcam lens. This method works perfectly considering you are sure the lens is disabled every time you look at the cover. If your computer does not come with a webcam cover, you will have to purchase one online. Make sure you choose a cover that does not stick or destroy the lens.
- Disable it in the Operating System (OS)
Disabling your webcam from the OS does not guarantee security fully but it is still better than doing nothing. When using this solution, you only have to disable and remove the driver support for your webcam. How you do this depends on the type of operating system you are using. In Windows, simply open the Device Manager, locate the “webcam” and disable or uninstall it. Unfortunately, any person having remote administrative access to your desktop or PC can still install missing drivers before enabling the webcam. You will thus be susceptible to webcam spying once again. It is for this reason that you should always check whether the webcam light is on as it might be a clear indication that someone is trying to spy on you.
The Bottom Line
Webcam spying is something that should never be ignored as it might end up making your life a living hell. Simply make use of the above-mentioned tips and cover or disable your webcam to avoid the threat of webcam spying. To benefit fully from these tips, you need to make use of as many as possible. It is then that you will not have to worry about hackers who are snooping right under your nose.