Beware of hackers monitoring you through your PC's webcam

[ChiefKiasu]

Source: http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013 ... r-webcams/


A woman unknowingly captured by her own webcam
Imagesource: Arstechnica

This is a really scary. A new breed of "hackers" are able to use sophisticated remote admin tools (RAT) to control a victim's computer to not only steal files, but to monitor the victim through their own computer's webcam.

Moral of the story:

1) Do NOT download anything from suspicious sites or sites marked as malicious or questionable by anti-virus computers

2) Never run any .EXE files downloaded from the Internet, unless you are very sure where they are from and what they do. Usually, hackers will seed P2P bittorrent or emule networks with these files mislabled as popular music or movie files.

3) Look out for the LED light on your webcam, if it lights up suddenly without you turning on your webcam. It could mean someone is controlling it. When buying computers or laptops with webcams, try to get a model with that LED light that warns you when the webcam is activated.

[insider]

I very dinosaur wan coz of dont have and dont make use of many modern gadgets, incl webcams (not even when my daughter is in UK. I only webcam with her ONCE so far via my son's laptop). Basically a follower of 'Simple Life' and so resist 'burdens'.

Maybe some of you can help me with a strange whatever in my system.

There's a 'coughing sound' hidden in my system.

This sound will appear very randomly.

Sometimes a few hours it sounds and sometimes can be a few days.

I tried to scan for this whatever and never successful.

How to erase this huh other than reformatting my whole system?

PS:
Can be sometimes quite startling at night when I work half way then this matured man 'cough! cough' comes along. My friend was joking with me "Are you sure the sound is from your system?"

[dasalo]

Can I just put a sticker over the webcam and does that solve everything?

[ChiefKiasu]

Can I just put a sticker over the webcam and does that solve everything?

Low tech, but very effective

Don't forget to cover the mic too.

[ChiefKiasu]

...
There's a 'coughing sound' hidden in my system.

This sound will appear very randomly.

Sometimes a few hours it sounds and sometimes can be a few days.

I tried to scan for this whatever and never successful.

How to erase this huh other than reformatting my whole system?

PS:
Can be sometimes quite startling at night when I work half way then this matured man 'cough! cough' comes along. My friend was joking with me "Are you sure the sound is from your system?"

I've never heard a "cough! cough!" from my computers. Could it be an audio sound assigned to some MS Windows actions/notifications? You may want to go through the list of sounds assigned to various activities in Windows to see if you find that sound.

[limlim]

insider, could it be some instant messaging apps running on your computer? like QQ, MSN messager, ICQ or the like? whenever there is a system broadcast message or someone send you a msg, it will make some sound.

Mebbe you didn't install it, but someone else does it or you install by accidents on visiting some websites?

[insider]

Chief and limlim

Thanks for the advice but errr....I don't know how to comb for those 'sound' items in my system.

Basically my system is quite 'clean' one coz I am quite 'moron' in IT and so veli scared of virus. So the websites I enter are generally safe kinds.

I got my son to take a look to try to find the 'sound items' but he also can't figure it out.

Who will use a matured man 'cough cough' sound as a 'signal' for incoming notice huh? The only social media that I use is Skype and nothing else. I dont even have Facebook, MSN, and whatnots. My Skype sound is the 'ding ding ding' one veli pleasant. That 'cough cough' sound is quite 'eerie'...

PS:
Tried to comb internet for a solution. Then saw the search results with mainly 'cough syrup' etc and so gave up...

[iRabbit]

Can I just put a sticker over the webcam and does that solve everything?

Low tech, but very effective

Don't forget to cover the mic too.

The other option is to wear a mask every time you use the computer.

[MR06]

I very dinosaur wan coz of dont have and dont make use of many modern gadgets, incl webcams (not even when my daughter is in UK. I only webcam with her ONCE so far via my son's laptop). Basically a follower of 'Simple Life' and so resist 'burdens'.

Maybe some of you can help me with a strange whatever in my system.

There's a 'coughing sound' hidden in my system.

This sound will appear very randomly.

Sometimes a few hours it sounds and sometimes can be a few days.

I tried to scan for this whatever and never successful.

How to erase this huh other than reformatting my whole system?

PS:
Can be sometimes quite startling at night when I work half way then this matured man 'cough! cough' comes along. My friend was joking with me "Are you sure the sound is from your system?"

You very spiritual, generous with analysis and giving advices. Maybe someone from another realm needs your help and trying to connect with you?

[limlim]

Oh ya.. I missed out skype when talking about messaging Apps..

I forgot whether it is Skype or some other App but IIRC there's one using man cough cough sound.. mebbe ask you to top up credit or updates kind of thing.. but I may be wrong thou.. mebbe you can try uninstall skype and check if problem persist?