16 yr old daughter webcam turning on randomly

patchwork_cat

As you can tell from the title my 16 yr old daughter's webcam is turning itself on randomly. I am a bit freaked that some peeping tom is doing this, but also cross with her for not being more careful. What do I need to do to remove it and what good free malware and firewall do I upload for future prevention? TIA folks from a rather alarmed mum x

pmartin86

Assuming your using a stnadrd windows machine

First go for AVG Free

http://download.cnet.com/AVG-AntiVirus-Free-2014/3000-2239_4-10320142.html?part=dl-avg_free_gb&subj=dl&!!!!!button

Then go for malware bytes

https://www.malwarebytes.org/mwb-download/

then finaly I'd go with CCleaner

http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download/standard

Run full scans on all three of those and remove anything they detect, that SHOULD solve most problems. Failing that, a bit of electrical tape over the camera lens is usful as "insurance"

Regards
Paul

HappyMJ

How do you know someone else is turning it on?

Probably just a bit of software turning it on and not really doing anything. No need to be worried about it. Put a sticker over the lens if you are really worried.

Anti-malware will stop some things but not everything the same with anti-virus. If a program isn't malware then it won't be stopped or found. Remote access to the computer by someone else will not be detected.

Change all the passwords...for all of the accounts on the computer.

Set up a new admin account and a user account or change the existing account to a user account and only log on to the computer using the user account and use the admin account when you need to install things.

rmg1

pmartin86 wrote: »

Assuming your using a stnadrd windows machine

First go for AVG Free

http://download.cnet.com/AVG-AntiVirus-Free-2014/3000-2239_4-10320142.html?part=dl-avg_free_gb&subj=dl&!!!!!button

Then go for malware bytes

https://www.malwarebytes.org/mwb-download/

then finaly I'd go with CCleaner

http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download/standard

Run full scans on all three of those and remove anything they detect, that SHOULD solve most problems. Failing that, a bit of electrical tape over the camera lens is usful as "insurance"

Regards
Paul

I'd agree with this apart from using AVG. I've found Avast to be lighter but that's just my personal preference.
It might also be worth checking the installed programs and checking any you're not sure of.

::edit::
And please don't download AV programs from CNET. There have been recent articles (can't lay my hands on any unfortunately) that CNET were bundling "extras" with the software that the vendors weren't aware of. Google will take you directly to the vendors site.

::2nd edit::
Filehippo is a good place to go if you can't find the software easily on the vendors site.

pmartin86

rmg1 wrote: »

::edit::
And please don't download AV programs from CNET. There have been recent articles (can't lay my hands on any unfortunately) that CNET were bundling "extras" with the software that the vendors weren't aware of. Google will take you directly to the vendors site.

Well !!!!!! me, I found the link direct from AVGs site, I didn't check/relaise they had gone dark side! Avast it is! :P

rmg1

Just wish I could find the link to the CNET article.
I'll keep looking.

rmg1

Found it!!!
Maybe not the most reliable of sources, but a word to the wise anyway:-
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2130382/cnet-accused-bundling-malware-downloads

DigForVictory

pmartin86 wrote: »

Failing that, a bit of electrical tape over the camera lens is usful as "insurance"

Have to say my *first* move would be to deploy gaffa tape, then start the IT interrogations. Whole hearted sympathy, anxious mum!

I'd also suggest daughter looses computer access (briefly - 72 hours is usually Quite Enough) as a quick lesson in if you don't bother checking it, you don't get to use it.

The probable hystrionics should reinforce the lesson.

Just how did you find out the webcam was on anyway? <winces at That discovery>

rmg1

DigForVictory wrote: »

snip.....
Just how did you find out the webcam was on anyway? <winces at That discovery>

Hopefully because a little LED was lit up on it rather than something more ...... nefarious. :eek:

tronator

DigForVictory wrote: »

I'd also suggest daughter looses computer access (briefly - 72 hours is usually Quite Enough) as a quick lesson in if you don't bother checking it, you don't get to use it.

And I'd suggest to setup a user account for yourself, give it administrative rights and change your daughter's account to standard/limited/restricted or whatever it is called nowadays. Then she wouldn't be able to install software/viruses/malware. This should solve 99% of all problems in the future.

Stoke

Firstly, doesn't necessarily have to be someone else. There's a face recognition software on my laptop as standard that switches it on at weird times and it isn't very refined.

First thing to do is stick a piece of black tape over it. Problem solved till you fix the main issue.