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An internet hacker posted photos of his victim to her social media account

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Do our webcams provide hackers an unsettling gateway into our lives?

For millions, our computer webcams offer an easy and convenient way of contacting family and friends, over apps such as Skype, whenever we fancy. However, is the built-in camera as trustworthy as we think? It seems evident that, as reported by Antimedia, hackers are making recordings of individuals even when they are not using the device. Chelsea Clark, a women from Toronto, Canada, had pictures (of her boyfriend and herself watching Netflix) sent to her Facebook account by the very hacker who had illegitimately acquired them. The experience gave Clark “deeply creepy” vibe and further having “unnerving” feelings resultant from the episode, with the knowledge that someone was observing her in what she assumed was a secure and private environment.

‘Hackread’ worryingly report that internet hackers are actively sharing information (regarding learning how to hack, etc.) on the internet, making it easy pickings for the rookie hacker to access. In addition to this, established hackers have also been selling the “Remote Access Trojan” (RAT) function for hacking to interested parties, and with that harmful malware comes a threat that has a detrimental impact on the safety of the computer user at any given time. A simple and obvious solution to the issue would be to use material (i.e. tape) to physically cover the webcam when not in use. And with the minimising of the risk comes a chance of maintaining a safe web experience for all internet users.

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Callum Lawrence

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