Private security

Now More Than Ever You Need to Cover Phone And Laptop Cameras, Says Security Expert

Whether you use Zoom, Skype or Microsoft Teams, the webcam on your home PC or laptop device has probably never been as active as it is during this pandemic.

Most of us have a camera built into our phone, tablet, laptop, or a desktop webcam we use for work, study or virtual socialising.

Unfortunately, this privilege can leave us vulnerable to an online attack known as camfecting. This is when hackers take control of your webcam remotely. They do this by disabling the "on" light which usually indicates the camera is active – so victims are none the wiser.

Many of our device cameras remain unsecured. In fact, research has suggested globally there are more than 15,000 web camera devices (including in homes and businesses) readily accessible to hackers, without even needing to be hacked.