{"id":62656,"date":"2016-10-25T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-10-25T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/foxtail\/2016\/10\/25\/webcam-cover-privacy\/"},"modified":"2021-09-14T13:27:57","modified_gmt":"2021-09-14T20:27:57","slug":"webcam-cover-privacy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/firefox\/webcam-cover-privacy\/","title":{"rendered":"Should you cover your webcam?"},"content":{"rendered":"

When media reported that people like Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg<\/a> and FBI Director James Comey<\/a> cover their webcams, it got us to wondering if we should all do the same. Putting a sticky note or a band-aid over the camera feels like you\u2019re taking control and shielding yourself from a spying hacker. And true, while the cover is on, your view would be blocked, but is it effective security protection?<\/p>\n

Marshall Erwin, Mozilla\u2019s Head of Trust and Privacy, says not so much.<\/p>\n

\u201cCovering your webcam could actually make things worse,\u201d Erwin said. \u201cHackers could still listen using the microphone, for example. If you\u2019ve covered the camera and don\u2019t see the indicator light next to the lens, you won’t know that the hacker has activated the camera and is listening in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erwin also points to other ways a webcam can be compromised, such as \u201cpiggybacking<\/a>\u201d on video calls. Covering your camera is not a perfect defense.<\/p>\n

Before you unplug your webcam for good, there\u2019s a better answer than a band-aid or the bin. You can be smart and protect yourself from security intrusions before they happen. Here\u2019s how:<\/p>\n