8 Tell-Tale Signs Your Webcam Has Been Hacked

What is webcam hacking?

Webcam hacking is when someone gains unauthorized access to your laptop's built-in webcam or a connected external camera without your knowledge or consent.

Once a hacker gains control of your webcam, they can spy on you, record images or videos of the most intimate moments of your life, and capture all sorts of sensitive information. They may even use these details to blackmail you.

Basically, web hacking is a gross violation of your privacy and has the potential to compromise your personal and professional life.

How does webcam hacking happen?

There are a few ways that your webcam could be hacked, let's check them out.

Malware

Hackers can infect your laptop or device with malware which gives them control over your system, including your webcam. You might unwittingly download this malware if you click a malicious link, or open a malware-infected website or email attachment.

These are often sent as part of a phishing attack but the malware can also be “delivered” to a device through software vulnerabilities, see below.

Remote access

RAT can stand for a Remote Administration Tool, usually used by IT departments to sort out any issues when you're working remotely. Or, RAT can stand for Remote Access Trojan, is malware and works in the same way as the administration tool, allowing hackers to take control of your computer.

But unlike your IT team, the hackers won't announce their arrival and they certainly won't be helping you solve your IT problems!

Exploiting vulnerabilities

Hackers can exploit security vulnerabilities in your operating system, webcam software, or other applications to gain unauthorized access to your webcam. If your software isn't up to date or if there are unpatched vulnerabilities, it can make your camera more susceptible to being hacked.

How common is webcam hacking?

Determining how prevalent webcam hacking is can be a bit of a challenge since many cases go unreported. It's also impossible to say how many more cases go by completely undetected.

That said, over the years there have been numerous reported incidents of webcam hacking, indicating that it is a real and ongoing concern.

In 2013 Miss Teen USA, Cassidy Wolf, was the victim of sextortion following a webcam hack. The hacker attempted to blackmail the teen threatening to release images he had secretly taken of her using her own webcam.

Later, in 2018, a 28-year-old man developed a near undetectable malware called “Fruitfly” that allowed him to spy through webcams for more than 13 years.

More recently, in 2022 a software engineer was sentenced for remotely accessing the computers and webcams of 25 female victims over a nine-year period.

In 2023, another hacker was sentenced for hacking almost 800 webcams in 39 countries using the malware known as “Cammy”. The British hacker tricked his victims into downloading the malware, unknowingly giving him control of their webcams and allowing him to view and record their most private and intimate moments.

Signs your webcam has been hacked

Webcam hacking is an invisible attack. As we've seen in the real-world examples above, a hacker could be watching you through your webcam for years without you even knowing it. But there are some tell-tale signs that could give you a clue that your webcam has been hacked.

Here's what to look out for:

Be aware of your webcam indicator light

This is one of the biggest and easiest to spot tell-tale signs your webcam has been hacked. Pretty much every webcam has an indicator light that signals when the webcam is in use.

The indicator light controls are usually coded into a device at the lowest possible hardware level. This makes it difficult (but not impossible) for hackers to turn on a camera without also switching on the indicator light.

If you do happen to notice the red light switched on when you're not using the webcam, then chances are your camera has been hacked.

That said, just because the light isn't on, doesn't mean there is no hacker.

Hackers could, technically, disable the LED light of your camera with malware to override the device's firmware. It's complicated but it can be done. Though most hackers won't be bothered with such fine, time-consuming details. Instead, they'll simply rely on people not noticing the webcam light come on when they are busy doing other things.

Check your network traffic

How many times do you check your network traffic on your router? For the average home internet user, this will likely be a grand total of ZERO. But it could let you know if you've been hacked (or if your device is part of a botnet!)

Logging on to your router will let you see the rate at which your router sends and receives data. Now, close down anything that uses any data, such as apps or browser windows.

If you can see a considerable amount of traffic on your network, then that is cause for concern. It's not necessarily a compromised webcam causing the traffic, but there is certainly something suspicious happening that will need investigating.

But conducting this check along with the others on our list should help you determine whether your webcam has been hacked or not.

Check your file storage system

Think about it... A hacker has control over your webcam— they can switch it on and off, and record or take photos. It's the normal function of a webcam, right? Well, the other normal function is to save the recorded media to a folder.

Hackers rely on the fact that their victims are oblivious to their presence and activities and have limited technical knowledge. Most average users won't go checking their camera folder without having reason to do so. In that way, hackers can hide their activities in plain sight.

Take a look at your storage system.

There will be a folder where your webcam images and videos are automatically saved. If you see anything in there that you didn't record, then bad news, you've been hacked.

But look elsewhere too.

Some malware is more sophisticated than others, and they may save to another media folder or have random names that get lost in busy/messy storage systems. So, be sure to do a thorough check.

But, don't get too relaxed should you not find anything... A hacker could still be live streaming your webcam, leaving no evidence behind on your system.

Check your browser extensions

Browser extensions are useful tools and even a general internet user can accumulate a large number of them. Of course, cybercriminals know this and they busy hacking browser extension vulnerabilities or creating malicious extensions for unsuspecting internet users to install.

Keep an eye on that webcam LED indicator light when you first open your browser...

If it comes on, it could be that you have a malicious browser extension.

It could also just be a poor-quality extension or one that has access rights to your webcam that you've forgotten about.

But, it's wise to air on the side of caution. Here's how to check which extension is playing with your webcam:

• First of all, delete any extensions you don't remember adding or that you don't use.
• Then, disable all of the remaining browser extensions.
• Reopen your browser.
• One by one, turn on the browser extensions while checking the LED indicator.

If you're lucky, there will be no light and you've managed to get rid of your sneaky browser extension. If the light comes on while you're testing, then at least you know which extension it is.

Remove it and reboot your device.

Check your device for malicious apps

As well as checking your browser extensions, pay attention to the applications you have downloaded to your device. Hackers often create fake apps as a means to deliver malware to your device. These apps will run in the background, silently and secretly monitoring everything the victim does on their device. Some malicious apps can also control the user's webcam.

So, how do you know if you have accidentally downloaded a malicious app?

Well, all malware needs resources to run. Reboot your computer, open Task Manager, and take a look at the active processes. A genuine app shouldn't use a lot of resources after rebooting. If you see an app gobbling up resources, chances are, it's malware. Or if the default setting starts the webcam process running, it could be a sign that your webcam has been hacked.

Scan for malware

With cyber-attacks, zero-day vulnerabilities, and malware rife these days, you really need to have a decent anti-virus installed on all of your internet-connected devices.

If you're a conscientious netizen, you'll already have one. If so, run a manual scan and see if it flags up any suspicious files or activity. If it does, take a look at the specifics to check whether the nastiness in question has affected your webcam.

It goes without saying that, should your anti-virus report anything suspicious, get it to deal with it and remove anything suspicious from your device.

Check your security settings

Malware can go in and screw around with your webcam's security settings making it easier for the hacker to control. If you open up the webcam settings and notice that the security settings have been adjusted or disabled, you could be looking at a hacked webcam.

Hackers may also change the name of the admin account. If they do this, you'll not be able to get back control of your webcam. When replacing it, make sure you change the default password on the new one.

If you still have access, then be sure to also check what apps have access to your webcam. If you can, disable access for all apps to be on the safe side.

If you have antivirus software with webcam features, be sure to check these settings too. Pay attention to the limited-access and webcam notification features. If they are disabled, it could be a sign your webcam has been hacked and your computer is infected with malware.

You receive a message from the hacker...

This is the worst-case scenario— but you'll know for certain that your webcam has been hacked if the hacker gets in contact with you!

That said, scammers often send emails making false claims of having taken control of computers in a bid to extort money out of people.

The typical scam email copy will claim to have evidence of the victim's inappropriate browsing history and photographs of them “enjoying” a particular site. The scammer will then demand payment in some cryptocurrency or they will send the photos to your contacts list.

These phishing emails are very common and are sent to thousands of people at the same time hoping that someone will be scared enough to pay the ransom.

In almost all cases, it's completely false. The best thing is to ignore them, run a virus scan, and change your passwords.

How to prevent a hacked webcam

Being aware of the signs your webcam has been hacked is essential, but prevention is better than a cure. Here are 10 top tips to protect your webcam and maintain your privacy.

Use a reliable antivirus program: Install and regularly update a reputable antivirus program that includes webcam protection features.

Keep your software up to date: Regularly update your operating system, webcam drivers, and other software to ensure you have the latest security patches.

Enable firewall protection: Activate the built-in firewall on your computer or install a reliable third-party firewall to monitor and control incoming and outgoing network traffic.

Be cautious with software downloads: Only download and install software from trusted sources. Avoid downloading applications from unverified websites or clicking on suspicious pop-ups, as they may contain malware that could compromise your webcam.

Have good password hygiene: Create strong and unique passwords for all your accounts, including your operating system, email, and webcam-related applications. Avoid using easily guessable passwords and change them regularly.

Be wary of phishing attempts: Always double-check the legitimacy of any email sender before clicking on any links or providing personal details.

Secure your home network: Protect your home Wi-Fi network with a strong password and encryption. Change the default login credentials for your router to prevent unauthorized access.

Disable remote access: Check your webcam settings to ensure remote access is disabled. Many webcams allow remote access for convenience, but disabling this feature adds an extra layer of security.

Cover your webcam: When your webcam is not in use, physically cover it with a webcam cover or a piece of opaque tape. This simple step prevents potential hackers from viewing or recording through your webcam.

Educate yourself and your family: Especially important for any shared home devices. Educate your family members about the importance of webcam security. Encourage them to follow best practices and be cautious when using webcams on their devices.

Don't let the hackers see you

Webcam hacking is a serious threat that can compromise our privacy and personal lives. By familiarizing ourselves with the signs of webcam hacking and taking preventive measures, we can keep our private moments just that... Private!

By implementing the measures described above, we can stay one step ahead of hackers and maintain control over our own digital lives. Stay safe and keep your webcam secure!

READ MORE: 11 Different Types of Hackers and What They Do