It’s more important than ever to cover your webcam when you’re not using it because we’ve all started using our webcams a lot more often with virtual meetings and remote learning.
Unless you’re using a desktop computer and haven’t hooked up an external webcam, there’s a good chance you are using a laptop with a front-facing camera. If you’ve never considered the security implications and why you might want a webcam cover, it’s something you should think about.
The act of hijacking a webcam is called “Camfecting,” and it’s a bigger issue than you realize. Not only can hijackers take over your camera with the single click of a link, but advanced methods allow it to be done without activating the camera’s “on” light. Someone could be watching you right now, and you would have no idea.
These bad actors can take control of your webcam pretty easily. If you click a malicious link in your email or on a website, that’s all it takes. Just like with many computer viruses, a single click can run an executable command on your computer that allows remote access to your camera.
Someone remotely accessing your camera isn’t the only reason to use a webcam cover. Because you’ve been joining more video meetings lately it’s not a bad idea to have your camera covered when you join. This way, even if the camera defaults to “on,” you’re not actually on screen until you’re ready.This gives you an extra chance to double-check what’s behind you, too. You know, just in case. 🙂