According research of Kaspersky Lab and B2B International, at 21% users cover webcam them, as they fear the possibility of online spies following them through their computer. In some countries, this percentage is even higher. For example, 40% of respondents in China he applies this tactic in order to feel more secure. These concerns are not unfounded, as webcams can be effective tools for digital criminals.
The survey found that almost a quarter of users (24%) in Europe are completely unaware of the risk monitoringvia webcam. Only 42% of respondents are fully aware of this threat and admit that the possibility of being monitored makes them feel uncomfortable. It is important to remember that hackers do not exclusively target public figures – anyone could be of interest to them.
Digital criminals can violate a webcam for a variety of reasons. First, they can use them to get corporate secrets or to gain access to financial services. Sometimes, carefree users make the work of digital criminals even easier. For example, one in ten respondents admitted having written their login details on paper and leaving them right next to the computer. A modern webcam can easily capture such information.
Secondly, crooks can take pictures that expose an unsuspecting victim and use them either for extortion or simply for fun - and of course to trick the victim. For example, in May of 2014, Europol he revealed the operation of a network of developers, distributors, and malware users who were deployed to perform - among other things - spy camera operations. The trigger for the investigation was the capture of a Dutch hacker who "infected" 2.000 women's computers, hoping to capture them at their own moments.
With this data, it's no surprise that 1 in 5 users choose to cover their webcam. However, the problem is not limited to computers. According to the survey, a significant percentage of users (5%) in Europe cover both cameras of mobile devices. The survey, however, does not specify whether respondents cover both cameras or just the one on the front of the device.
However, covering the camera is not the most effective method of protection. It will temporarily block visual surveillance, but it doesn't have the ability to override a webcam's built-in microphone, or prevent photos from being intercepted when users open them themselves. There are many security solutions that provide protection from malware that can "spy" via webcam. However, most do not work unless the program is malicious by default or the hacker uses legitimate software for this purpose.
To ensure that users always know which applications and processes have access to the webcam and can therefore protect their privacy, Kaspersky Lab has developed the special Webcam Protection feature[1], which is available in the solution Kaspersky Internet Security - Multi-Device. This solution continually monitors access to embedded or connected webcams and informs users of any access attempts. In addition, users can choose whether to allow video transmission or not. Lastly, the solution also offers the option of pre-selecting the blocking access to the webcam.
[1]Currently available only for operating systems Windows
