Re:Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera
by mannykannot on Friday July 10, 2020 @04:38PM
(#23796176)
...and it only tells you that if you are looking at it at the time.
Re:Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera
by iso947 on Friday July 10, 2020 @06:41PM
(#23797427)
Indeed. Think of the “American Pie” situation. Laptop open playing Spotify to get you in the mood, then bop, on goes the camera thanks to a bug in zoom. Are you going to notice?
Re:Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera
by DanBC on Friday July 10, 2020 @05:21PM
(#23796638)
The problem with a physical cover is that if the bad guys can install software on your computer that can access the camera without setting off the LED they can also install just about anything they want. At that point nothing on the computer can be trusted.
Re:Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera
by jdbernard on Friday July 10, 2020 @06:20PM
(#23797253)
How is thisa problem with the hardware cover? It's a problem with the security model in general.
Re:Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera
by valuearb on Friday July 10, 2020 @06:17PM
(#23797219)
On new Macs the light is a minimum 3 seconds even for a single frame photo. Anyone monitoring you has to turn the light in just to see if you are there, and what you are doing, and will likely have to watch for hours to catch any incriminating footage.
You will have plenty of notice.
Re:Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera
by soonoutoftime on Friday July 10, 2020 @09:49PM
(#23798721)
> will likely have to watch for hours to catch any incriminating footage
It's not just 'incriminating footage' that's the problem. There are perfectly legal sites I visit that I'd prefer didn't have a photo identifying me. Takes only seconds to snap such a picture if using an exploit like the safari one in April.
Re:Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera
by valuearb on Saturday July 11, 2020 @01:52AM
(#23799896)
They can take a photo of you, not the web site.
Re:Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera
by abstrakraft on Friday July 10, 2020 @07:08PM
(#23797661)
And what sort of hardware switch is it that guarantees the 3 second minimum?
Re:Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera
by captn3m0 on Friday July 10, 2020 @07:14PM
(#23797705)
A capacitor?
Re:Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera
by abstrakraft on Friday July 10, 2020 @10:17PM
(#23798894)
A capacitor would also mean that you could quickly switch the camera on and off without triggering the light.
The main problem with that isn't that it is possible to disable the LED. The problem is that the LED is like a smoke detector, when it alerts you it's already too late, you are on fire (or your photo/video has already been taken). An indicator LED doesn't protect your privacy, it only tells you when it has already been breached.