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FBI exec urges users to cover up laptop webcams with tape
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A person uses a laptop and a smartphone. (Shutterstock/-)
T
hese days cybersecurity is no longer just a must for big companies and high-profile individuals. Because of this, FBI’s director is urging people to take precautions and cover up their laptop webcams to prevent spying.
FBI Director James Comey spoke in a conference at the Center of Strategic and International Studies recently where he mentioned shielding the webcam on his personal laptop with a piece of tape, reports TechRadar.
Not too long ago, a photo of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed that not only has he taped his webcam but the laptop’s microphone as well.
(Read also: Cyberattacks in Indonesia rising at alarming rate: Officials)
Scary as it may sound, it has become increasingly easy for hackers to hijack onboard webcams and microphones in laptops to spy on their users while they are connected to a network.
Director Comey admitted that he knew he was being mocked for revealing his precautions at the time, but he’s not stepping back from his advice. He compares taping webcams as a security measure similar to locking car doors.
A piece of tape might be a little too crude for those who own nice-looking laptops, so perhaps a sticker of one’s favorite anime or cartoon character would be preferable.
