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When someone gains control of your computer's Webcam, it's termed as camfecting. The attacker can manipulate your Webcam through a virus you might have downloaded, thinking it was from a reliable source.
Through camfecting, the perpetrator on the other end can capture images and record videos of anything or anyone. So, in the article below, Mytour will guide you on how to determine if your Webcam is being hacked.
How Can You Tell If Your Webcam Is Being Hacked?
How Can You Tell If Your Webcam Is Being Hacked?
Here are some signs to identify if your Webcam is being hacked:
1. Flashing LED light
One of the common signs indicating a hacked webcam is the LED light next to the webcam continuously blinking, indicating that your webcam is running. Your task is to investigate the cause of your webcam turning on by itself. It could likely be due to applications installed on your computer or browser extensions you've installed.
To check this, the solution is to close each application one by one, including the browser and background-running applications. If the LED light turns off after closing an application, that application is likely the culprit causing the issue.
In case the LED light turns off after closing the browser window, the culprit causing the problem could be a browser extension. Try checking and disabling each browser extension one by one to identify the culprit.
If attempting to start the Webcam results in a message on the screen stating that the webcam is active, and you're not running any applications utilizing the webcam, it's highly likely that your webcam is being hacked.
On the desktop screen, open Task Manager (or System Monitor for Linux / macOS) to check which applications are running, then try closing each application one by one to identify the culprit. Force close the application if it doesn't respond. Finally, uninstall any applications you don't use (if any).
If you've uninstalled programs using the webcam but still receive error messages, the next step you need to take is to scan for viruses and malware on the system and check if the issue persists.
3. Check Task Manager to see if Webcam is running
If the indicator light isn't on, and you want to ensure the Webcam isn't running. To be sure, you can check again in Task Manager. Right-click on any blank space on the Taskbar and select Task Manager.
In the Task Manager window, click on the Processes tab, and the screen will display a list of running applications. If Webcam appears in this list, right-click on it and select End task.
If you see 2 processes winlogon.exe, disconnect all network connections and run antivirus software to scan your computer, then try returning to the Processes tab and see if Webcam is running.
4. Check if the Webcam is doing anything unusual?
Some webcams nowadays can move in various directions, perform zoom in and out functions. If you notice your webcam performing these actions that you haven't initiated, it's evident the device is being remotely controlled.
5. Search for files you didn't create
If you discover audio and video files that you didn't create, it's a sign that your webcam has been hacked. Check through the files created by the webcam when you recorded something and see if there are any files you didn't create.
Protecting your device from future attacks
If you rarely use your webcam and are concerned about attacks through it, the best way to protect your computer and valuable data is to cover the webcam. This way, no one can spy on or take pictures of you.
Additionally, if possible, Mytour recommends using antivirus software and regularly updating software to scan the entire system frequently. Before scanning your computer, boot the device into Safe Mode. To do this, type msconfig into the Cortana search box and press Enter.
In the System Configuration window, access Boot options and select Safe Boot, then click OK, your computer will boot into Safe Mode.
After running antivirus programs, if viruses are detected, try searching online to see if these viruses are used to carry out webcam attacks.
Also, it's advisable to avoid clicking on links from unfamiliar email senders, it's best to delete these emails to avoid security risks.
Lastly, refrain from using free Wi-Fi access points, but if you must use one, it's best to use a VPN. Note that it's best to avoid free VPN services as they offer slow connections and lack security.
Hopefully, after reading this article by Mytour, readers have learned how to determine if their webcam is being hacked or not? As well as how to protect themselves from attacks. Additionally, if there are any questions or queries needing answers, readers can leave their comments in the comment section below the article.
Furthermore, you may also be tracked by applications installed on your computer, however, you can detect which applications are using your webcam to track you. For more information on this issue, refer to the troubleshooting article on Mytour.
