Hackers have learned to quietly include Mac webcam

Paranoid's worst fears are justified: found a way to activate webcam FaceTime without turning on the green LED. The Washington Post describes the recent criminal case in the US, where high school student received unauthorized access to the notebook classmates to get her candid photos for the purpose of subsequent blackmail.

Despite the fact that FaceTime is designed to always turn on with the camera a green light LED, unknown hackers created a program that bypasses this condition. It is reported that similar software is used, in particular, the FBI for investigation of criminal offenses.

Not so long ago a group of Johns Hopkins University students investigated Apple webcam light and opened the software methods, enable disable the LED, as well as the way to change the OS X kernel, in order to prevent such actions intruders. Described their vulnerability only works on older Mac 2008, but it is possible that these hacks are possible on newer computers.

We can add that the best way to protect against these threats is a piece of blue electrical tape affixed to the camera lens. Seriously.