Yes, Hackers Can Access Your Phone Camera
If you aren't already, you need to start covering your phone's camera.
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I have been covering my smartphone’s camera lenses with stickers for over 5 years. Convincing my wife to do the same took always the same amount of time.
Some people think that hackers being able to access your phone’s camera is an urban myth.
Well, I hate to break it to you. But it’s not.
Unwanted third-parties can access your phone’s camera.
This is something you should think of next time you take your phone with you into the bathroom.
Can Hackers Really Access Your Phone’s Camera?
Yes.
There are a number of ways for third parties to gain access to your camera. For example:
Vulnerabilities in your mobile devices can be exploited;
You could unknowingly download malware;
You could provide camera access to a (malicious) app.
Not convinced?
Here are a handful of media reports covering unauthorized phone camera access:
Hackers can access your mobile and laptop cameras and record you – cover them up now [The Conversation]
An Android flaw lets apps secretly access people's cameras and upload the videos to an external server [Business Insider]
New iPhone update shows Instagram app using camera even when not taking photos [Business Insider]
Meet the men who spy on women through their webcams [Ars Technica]
A FaceTime Bug Allows You To Access Someone's iPhone Camera And Microphone Before They Pick Up [Buzzfeed]
Sadly, the list goes on.
The unfortunate reality is that accessing cameras on laptops, mobile phones, or IoT devices is much easier for than it should be.
That’s why you need to be aware of this and, more importantly, know how to protect yourself.
How to Protect Yourself From a Digital Peeping Tom (or Jane): Introducing “the Sticker”
The reality is that vulnerabilities in code will always exist and will always make technology susceptible to hacking. I think there’s never been a time where that was clear than today.
The sheer amount of hacks, data breaches, and uncovered spy ops, make it pretty clear that everything connected to the internet can be accessed by a third party one way or another.
The same goes for your camera’s phone.
You could install anti-virus or anti-malware software on your device, you could run routine security checks, and you could stay extra vigilant when it comes to app selection, settings, and usage.
All of these things will reduce the chances of your camera getting hacked.
However, the 100% fool-proof way to prevent someone from spying on you through your phone’s camera is:
Putting a sticker on your phone camera(s)
Yes, I know.
Not the high-tech solution you were expecting.
But hey, at least it’s easy to use and costs almost nothing.
And what’s good enough for the Head of the FBI is probably also good enough for you.
Here are the stickers that I use:
Exciting stuff, huh? :)
All jokes aside, covering your phone camera(s) and webcam with a small reusable sticker is what cybersecurity experts recommend if you want to prevent someone from spying on you through your cameras.
If you treasure your privacy, I suggest you “sticker up.” I got mine on Amazon, by the way.
Love, peace, and anarchy,
Alex Lielacher
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