Do you have a web cam?

[ShawnKK]

If you have a built in web cam or even just a web cam, you might want to unplug it when your not using it or if you have a built in one you should cover it up.

WATCHING YOU: Hacked Webcam Prank Goes Viral - YouTube

[Bob Miller]

Boy, I hope that no one takes the chance to hack into my web cam. Being a fan of Ben Franklin I tend to dress as did he did when practicing his fav relaxation habit "Air Bathing". If that doesn't scare the walls, nothing will......

WARNING TO HACKERS Ya hack my web cam you may want to gouge your eyes out afterwards.....

[David Tilston]

A popular NSA strategy. They can do it to your smart phone too. Taking control of your camera, microphone, and accessing all of your contacts and communications.

Say hello to Big Brother.

[Bob Miller]

Pleeeze... No conspiracy theorys.

I have already received my payment check for signing my brain over to the NSA. We haggled for months, but they gave me the full $1.00 I was holding out for.....

When 1984 came and went Big Brother went home due to a lack of interest.....

And put that in the memory hole....
(If you don't know what a memory hole is, read 1984)

[Carol H]

While the ability of the NSA to hack computers has been well documented for years, I wouldnt loose sleep over them hacking my webcam unless of course I was running a drug cartel or selling weapons of distruction... might loose more sleep if I thought they were not making any effort to try and stop at least some of the bad stuff from happening and making my life just a little bit safer even if it means giving up some privacy. Pretty sure they would have gotten a pretty good laugh watching my webcam this past week while co-ed living in a hotel with 20 other ski race course workers in the Rockies.

[Francesca Knowles]

Guess everyone here's younger than I am.

I'm still walking around with the spy chip that those Black Helicopters were shooting into everyone's derrieres back in the- when was it? the '70's?

The lead underwear I've been wearing ever since continue to provide the necessary layer of Privacy Protection so long as I stay out of nudist camps etc.

[Bob Miller]

I understand that there is a iPhone app for that, after installing, you rub your iPhone over the suspected area for about 10 minutes and it detects and neutralizes those old 70's chips. The instructions require iPhone to skin contact

But the word is also out that it's really a secret NSA app, and it reactivates old chips, takes pictures of the area contacted, and converts your iPhone into a transponding relay station to upload the pics to the even more secret NBICID (That's the National Buttocks Image Collection & Identification Database) for a new identity verification system being developed for airport screeners. (And you thought it was a PITA taking off your shoes... You ain's seen nothin yet) Hmmmm. Maybe that "P" now stands for Picture....

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

I understand that there is a iPhone app for that, after installing, you rub your iPhone over the suspected area for about 10 minutes and it detects and neutralizes those old 70's chips. The instructions require iPhone to skin contact

I heard it only works on the IPhone 5 with retina display though.... another good reason to upgrade my Iphone.

[Mary F]

Y'all are too much!

[LeonardS]

Seriously, I'd be more tolerant of the NSA spying if they did something useful. Like catch the guys that got the credit card/bank info from the Target shoppers.

[floyd]

My Nokia cell phone (no camera) is more than ten years old, my PC doesn't have a camera, and I'm still paranoid!

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

I understand that there is a iPhone app for that, after installing, you rub your iPhone over the suspected area for about 10 minutes and it detects and neutralizes those old 70's chips. The instructions require iPhone to skin contact

.

Well, that's what they want you to believe. I didn't just fall off the turnip truck, ya know. Everybody in-the-know knows that " iphone" is short for "IspyPhone".

I'm stickin' with the shielded underwear, despite the fact that my husband is most intrigued by the instructions you posted above.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Carol H

While the ability of the NSA to hack computers has been well documented for years, I wouldnt loose sleep over them hacking my webcam unless of course I was running a drug cartel or selling weapons of distruction... might loose more sleep if I thought they were not making any effort to try and stop at least some of the bad stuff from happening and making my life just a little bit safer even if it means giving up some privacy. Pretty sure they would have gotten a pretty good laugh watching my webcam this past week while co-ed living in a hotel with 20 other ski race course workers in the Rockies.

Or attending a TEA party meeting?

[Roger C H]

Computer? Watch out for your refrigerator!

Hackers Use A Refrigerator To Attack Businesses - Business Insider

[Bob Miller]

Originally Posted by Carol H

I heard it only works on the IPhone 5 with retina display though.... another good reason to upgrade my Iphone.

You do know that Apple, at first, had another name for the "Retina" display that more closly reflects, and sounds a bit like, the mentiond application area. Someone in marketing didn't think that that body part would sell well as a part of the name.

[RogerDat]

I do keep my web cam turned toward the wall this is mostly because I do not EVER want to forget and answer a Skype call without realizing it is a video call. No need for anyone's idol to topple or for someone to be forced to scrub their brain with a wire brush to get the image of me in "house casual" mode out of their mind.

That said it is worth noting that one has to run software to make a web camera do anything, if someone can run software on your computer you probably have worse issues than frumpy pictures of you showing up on the internet. Can you say online banking, email accounts, amazon passwords.....? If nothing else your computer might be the "source" of a remote hack that leads the law enforcement community to come knocking.

On the hacking a refrigerator, sure why not. These consumer devices typically run a version of Unix/Linux as do many servers and the hackers. If it uses the internet and you don't protect it then it can be scanned and just shows up as another computer.

One hack that is surprisingly simple is called a "candy drop" simply drop an infected usb jump drive outside an office in a parking lot and wait for some lucky soul to find it and plug it into a computer. Largest hack of a secure defense network was traced back to just such an approach.

[Bob Miller]

Originally Posted by RogerDat

I do keep my web cam turned toward the wall this is mostly because I do not EVER want to forget and answer a Skype call without realizing it is a video call. No need for anyone's idol to topple or for someone to be forced to scrub their brain with a wire brush to get the image of me in "house casual" mode out of their mind.

That said it is worth noting that one has to run software to make a web camera do anything, if someone can run software on your computer you probably have worse issues than frumpy pictures of you showing up on the internet. Can you say online banking, email accounts, amazon passwords.....? If nothing else your computer might be the "source" of a remote hack that leads the law enforcement community to come knocking.

On the hacking a refrigerator, sure why not. These consumer devices typically run a version of Unix/Linux as do many servers and the hackers. If it uses the internet and you don't protect it then it can be scanned and just shows up as another computer.

One hack that is surprisingly simple is called a "candy drop" simply drop an infected usb jump drive outside an office in a parking lot and wait for some lucky soul to find it and plug it into a computer. Largest hack of a secure defense network was traced back to just such an approach.

OMG... and I thought all those "pics" of my ex (AKA: Crazy Carmen), on USB's being dropped off in my driveway, were just her sending me a message about what I was missing.

Finding out that it might only be hackers, I am greatly relieved..... whew...

[David Tilston]

Bob, your life sounds as complex as mine.

[Bob Miller]

I found when I reduced my RV fleet from five to two that life got a lot simpler. Perhaps it was because of the lady that was attached to two of the three? Who Knows?

[Carol H]

Now how about On Star- wonder what they do if all that info they collect as to your whereabouts each every time you drive you car