Several reasons exist why you should cover your computer webcam with the most important being that your system could be hacked, especially if one were a celebrity.
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| Very important to do this nowadays |
This advice is invaluable even as a few high-profile fellows have been seen covering their webcams. Of such people include F.B.I. Director James Comey. Not just Comey but also Mark Zuckerberg who has discovered the little but very potent secret and avenue exploited by hackers.
Comey stated in an interview, "I put a piece of tape over the camera. Because I saw somebody smarter than I am had a piece of tape over their camera. It's of opinion that he probably was referring to a photo Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg posted: In the background, his work laptop shows tape applied over the webcam above the display, and the dual mic on the left side.
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| Facebook CEO seen covering his webcam |
You may ask why you should be concerned about hacking when you're not a celebrity or an influential personality, but hackers don't mind whoever is the target so long there's a benefit either through accessing your credentials and personal details, audio-visuals for blackmail or getting monetary access to your accounts.
Basically, according to stated tactics by hackers, "the only way they could access your webcam and turn it on without your knowledge would be for them to take over your computer first, which basically makes the entire scenario similar to any other type of remote attack. In the most likely scenario, you'd receive an email with an attachment that, once opened, would install RAT software on your machine, which stands for Remote Administration Tools. Also if you think you'd notice your webcam running because of an activity LED, think again." - PC World
PC World listed some of the ways in which you can prevent attack on your computer through your webcam.
1. Close your laptop when you’re not using it.
2. Always keep all of your software up to date, especially your web browsers and all associated plug-ins, and especially Adobe Flash.
3. Be sure your firewall is enabled at at all times.
3. Routinely check for malware, and always run anti-virus.
4. As always, avoid clicking links in emails, even when you know the sender.
5. Cover your webcam and microphone with tape, a peel-off sticker, or something else that can obscure the lens but be removed easily when you actually want to use it.
Source: PC World