Wave at your TV Screen...Say Hi

Perhaps you're not worried about the National Security Agency tracking your phone calls and e-mails -- but what if they were watching you in your PJs on your couch? 

It may sound like something out of Mission Impossible, but it's the stuff of fact, not fiction. 

Last week, two security researchers from iSEC Partners reminded us that today's Internet-connected smart TVs can be hacked. At the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas, the pair explained how they found loopholes in older Samsung models and were able to turn on a set's video camera without the user's knowledge. Such a proof-of-concept attack has been demonstrated before, and Samsung reportedly has closed the loopholes. (Notice that new Samsung sets have a camera that can be flipped up to point at the ceiling.)

But researchers point out vulnerabilities like this all the time. The practical question is, would anyone do this in the real world? 

In fact, the U.S. government has demonstrated that it has just such a capability as part of its ongoing cyber espionage battle with foreign governments. Security analysts say the sophisticated spyware dubbed Flame was created by government programmers, and among its many features, the program is able to turn on a target's Web cam and record video (all without turning on the telltale flashing recording light). In addition, hackers routinely use programs called remote administration tools (or RATs) to switch on a victim's camera remotely, effectively turning the video camera in an office or living room into a private CCTV monitor. 

Maybe all you're guilty of is playing air guitar in the office when the boss is out, but the idea that organizations like the NSA can literally look into American living rooms should disturb most citizens. Making it all the more unnerving is the fact that such programs are nearly undetectable, say security companies

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What I have done is to take a small piece of the sticky part of a post it and put it over ALL the cameras in my computers, tablet, and TV;s. I've been doing that for quite awhile now. It's easy enough to take on and off as needed.

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