PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Can hackers access your laptop’s camera if your computer’s security is compromised?
Cyber security expert Isaac Potoczny tells KOIN 6 News it happens all the time.
“The attacker can turn on your camera without you knowing at all,” Potoczny said.
Unsecured cameras capture video that’s easily accessible online.
“There is a whole underground collection of people who are either voyeurs or extortionists who exchange video feeds from, unfortunately, typically young women that they’ve targeted.”
So what can you do to protect yourself from hackers?
A simple piece of tape is what many people, including Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, use to make sure hackers can’t see you, even if they get access to your computer’s camera.
There’s also one step you can take to keep hackers away in the first place.
“The most common method of attacking someone is because there is a known security problem with a piece of software you use and you don’t update your system,” Potoczny explained. “That annoying thing that pops up and says there’s a security update and you have to update and reboot… you have to say ‘yes’ to that.”
