Low Tech Ways to Secure Your Laptop

By | February 20, 2021
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Low Tech Ways to Secure Your Laptop

Secure your webcam

Two easy and quick tips for all laptop users.

Here are two low-tech tricks you can use to secure your laptop and prevent access to the most private parts of your life. These low-tech tips may seem a little paranoid, but as experience has so often shown us, you can never be too careful when it comes to your private life and your personal information.

Tape over your Webcam when you’re not using it.

If you have a laptop with a built-in Webcam and you leave the lid open most of the time, there is a little non-technical tip you should know. Cover your Webcam lens with a piece of black or another opaque tab when your webcam not in use. If you’re concerned with the sticky residue from the tape getting on your webcam lens, put a small lens-sized piece of paper between the lens and the tape.

While this tip may seem more for the paranoid, it’s for everyone. Millions of laptop users have had their webcams exploited by miscreants. If someone should gain remote access to your computer surreptitiously, they can wake your computer, turn on your Webcam and see anything because of the cam. And if you think you’ll know when your webcam is turned on because the webcam light comes on – think again. Criminals can activate your webcam without activating the webcam’s “on” light.

Turn off your microphone when you’re not using it.

It’s also a good idea to turn off your computer’s microphone when not in use. Again, if someone were to gain access to your computer, they could hear everything being said within range of the microphone.

And while we are aware these tips may seem to be a bit over-the-top, there are thousands of stories of people’s private lives being recorded via their laptops’ webcams and microphones. If you’re still skeptical read the following:

Has someone hacked your webcam? Here’s how to stop cyber-snoopers

50,000 home cameras reportedly hacked, footage posted online

 

2 thoughts on “Low Tech Ways to Secure Your Laptop

  1. Gina

    Can you tell me what are the quickest and easiest ways to turn on and off the microphone?

    Reply
    1. infoave Post author

      Open Settings > System> Sound

      Under Master volume click on “Manage sound devices”

      In Manage sound devices, click on Microphone then click Disable.

      Or

      Right-click on the start button
      Click on Device Manager
      Expand “Audio inputs and outputs”
      Right click on Microphone and choose “Disable device”

      Reply

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