We all pick up our phones and we boast about the quality of the front and back cameras. We take selfies and videos anywhere and everywhere. It really is fun. However, are you aware of the reality of phone camera spying? Did you know that your HD camera and crystal clear audio can be delivering top class pictures and audio to someone somewhere?
This is not meant to scare you, but yes you should begin to look at your phone’s cameras with some suspicion. There are so many ways that our privacy can be infringed upon through our phone’s cameras and microphone. We will list a couple of them here.
Possible Phone Camera Spying Threats
The following are possible privacy threats you are exposed to on your phone. You know those social media apps you love – Facebook, WhatsApp, Snapchat, Instagram and others? Remember that while installing them they ask for certain permissions? Well, here’s what they can do with those permissions you granted them:
- Access your cameras.
- Record videos and take pictures without your knowledge.
- Upload pictures and videos without your knowledge.
- Execute facial recognition processes and also record facial expressions.
- Stream videos live again without your immediate permission.
The above is just a short list of possible threats. There are also other apps that can be installed on your phone to grant access to a spy somewhere. In addition to apps, hackers can also use PDF files, emojis and multimedia files to gain access to your phone’s cameras and speakers.
Now get this! Aside from spying on you, hackers who gain access into your phones can plant incriminating evidence there and then inform the Police. Scary and disturbing right?
Protecting Against the Threat
We know that this phone camera spying threat is real so it is important to be properly protected against them. Yes get webcam covers for your cameras and install antivirus and anti-malware. But much more than these, be careful what you grant access on your devices.
Do no just open any files you get. Be security conscious and constantly run checks on your phone. You need to ensure that nothing suspicious is running in the background without your knowledge. Do you appear to be using more data that you usually use? It may be an indication that something is using the data without your knowledge.
Once you have any suspicions, have your phone properly inspected by professionals or simply backup your files (scan them properly) and reset your device.
