My laptop camera came on by itself recently...was it a hacker or some facial recognition scan?

I dont want to sound paranoid but my pc camera turned on by itself recently while I was online. I have never used a web cam (built-in like this or otherwise). I am wondering if someone was hacking me or even some nsa program to capture facial recognition features for posting on this site. Is that possible? Has this happened to anyone else on this site? Not paranoid - just puzzled.

They are easy to hack, maybe stick a little tape over it if that makes you feel more comfortable.

They can do that these days. Tape it over or turn it around. You should also think about ripping out the microphone if you have on built-in. Also, format your computer.

Run Malware Bytes in safe mode....like, immediately, followed by your own favorite Virus Scanner and Rootkit scanner.

It might be nothing...but that FBI scam garbage got a little personal recently when whoever was sending some of those malware/viruses around to hold people's computer hostage, also kicked on Webcams and made it real personal.

My neighbor had this happen and I'm not saying you have that virus. You would not be confused here if you did...You wouldn't BE here if you did. lol..... However, they did do it using that thing and the Network IT people confirmed they'd seen this too when I walked a classmate over a few weeks ago to get her machine cleaned. (MB in safe mode was their stock solution too). So if one virus can commandeer a webcam, I guess that trick's been figured out and the kitty is out of the bag. (Electrical tape also works to cover without leaving a big mess)

It could have been a fluke and I'd write it off that way..IF the above scanning finds nothing. I'd absolutely have those scans running tonight though....Just my thoughts.

I would disconnect from the internet as soon as possible and change all known passwords from a different computer.

That will cut the connection they have to your computer.

If you downloaded anything recently, it is likely the cause. (.exe)

Also there is a way to spread a virus through java, which is very stealthy. It will install when it asks you if "you want to allow this java to go" yes or no prompt.

Anyways, virus scan the crap out of your computer and if needed reformat your hard drive.

would it be more likely youre just not very good with computers?

Can viruses be installed through Java Script? Don't html5 apps use java script?

reply to post by CosmicCitizen


I hear ya. I got a new computer last year and one of the first things I did was put a post-it over the built-in webcam. I saw it light up from time to time. I have no use for a webcam, and it's not that I do anything much that would embarass me, but I just don't like the possibility of being looked at without my knowledge.

yes, I'm paranoid. Doesn't mean that some rat doesn't want to post me on youtube.

reply to post by CosmicCitizen


Lol. Thanks for the laugh

It's scary how accurate facial recognition has become. I have a cam studio application that can overlay a mask over my face with pin-point precision, even during rapid movements.

reply to post by CosmicCitizen


How do you know it turned on? Is there a light or pop up window that tells you? I have never used mine either.

That's just the price we must pay for convenience.
Harold must be working overtime.

reply to post by CosmicCitizen


Mine also came on by itself shortly after buying this computer, and prompted me to put some duct tape over the camera lens. I can think of no reason whatsoever for a camera to come on by itself EVER unless they had planned to use it to look at whatever is going on in front of that computer. If the camera was on when I got the comp, that is one thing, but days later? It was programmed in, and the reasoning for that eludes me...except for the suspicious side of my brain, where it fits perfectly. Now I wonder if the mic can even be turned off at all. Sucks to have all these reasons to suspect them of spying on us, but what else can it be?

Originally posted by Alxandro
That's just the price we must pay for convenience.
Harold must be working overtime.

Person of interest reference! Love it!

reply to post by Coopdog

I'm guessing on this since I've never had a reason to try and covertly reactivate something ....However, if you know windows config at all, you can go into your sound options and disable that microphone at that level. That shouldn't even show it as a valid option existing to be turned on for any software that comes snooping.

Don't sue me if that turns out wrong and someone records you describing who killed Kennedy or something... It should work though.

You think that's scary.

Get a new Windows 8 Pc for x-mas and Microsoft can track your location within 350 meters of your present location via something called Windows Location Provider. I's meant to be useful for apps like a GPS but this OS is a hybrid mobile/desktop platform - tons of people wont use it as a mobile platform only a desktop pc and dont need this feature turned on.

Years ago Windows has apps built in that phoned home. People were really upset over this when it was discovered. Now, they install a phone home app by default and expect you to welcome it not even hiding it. There are ways to change this feature to only allow it's use only with trusted apps - www.eightforums.com...

I didn't trust it at all. The above info was incomplete so I found a way to disable it and as Dark Rider alerted this forum of how to do it. Odd they didn't mention this before my post. Eightforums is usually pretty good about giving you the complete rundown on these things.

First, do you install software on your laptop or does someone else do it for you?

As in, are you the boss of your machine, or are you confused and bewildered by anything outside of the desktop?

Please do not rip open your machine and pull out microphones or webcams.. that's like pulling apart your engine to stop the indicators blinking. If you are so sure that someone wants more than anything, to spy on you (sure, many reasons for that) then you can simply uninstall drivers for devices like webcams, and disable the microphone input via audio properties.

In general, on a reasonably secure machine, no. no one is watching you on webcam. If you were bill gates, or some big wig boss full of beans, then sure someone may invest their time and effort into catching you smooching with the neighbours cleaning lady.

I don't keep up with all the new stuff, it's too tedious to keep track of, but at least a few years ago it was hard to do unless you tricked the user into allowing access. If that's changed, god help the world.

This is one of the reasons I'm not hip to get an Eyetoy or Kinect. Marketers pay big bucks to know who they're targeting, and IDs can of course be used for more sinister purposes.

As soon as I brought it home and turned it on, the webcam came on. I found me some hockey tape.
It came on a lot during the next 2 days, but stopped since.

I need to see if I can find the story, but I believe a school that had given its students all laptops would use the webcams to spy on their students.

Wait, here it is.

Huffingtonpost: Harrinton High School uses webcams to spy on students at hime

It can be done if the right software is in place. I put a piece of tape over the camera on my tablet.