Is it possible to secretly watch a person through a webcam?

Recently, programs have appeared on the Internet that allow people to monitor other people through a camera. As a rule, they are created for specific purposes and not everyone has access to them. But there are still people who are able to use these programs. To protect your personal space, you need to find out how these programs work and whether you can protect yourself from them.

Is it possible to spy on a person via a webcam?

Yes, it's possible. Hackers know how to write program codes that can perform this function. Most often, programs are written not for public purposes (they are illegal), but to monitor a specific person whose life others are interested in. There is no point in spying on ordinary people.

Ways to turn on someone else's webcam

There are many options with which you can turn on someone else's camera. But the two most common are:

1. Trojan virus. Its action is aimed not only at transmitting images from the camera, but also transmitting data from the computer. It can also damage information. The virus has a whole range of functions, from disabling the antivirus to transferring information to another user. The Trojan virus works as follows: along with the downloaded data from the Internet, an additional program is downloaded and installed automatically. It is difficult to notice, especially when downloading a large amount of data.
2. Meterpreter. This is a functional program that is injected into explorer processes. The purpose of this program is to collect data. It allows you to access remote information, including the camera. This program is not a virus, so not all antivirus programs can detect it.

Attention! The Trojan virus is considered one of the most dangerous because it is not always caught by the antivirus.

Is this kind of surveillance legal?

No, any surveillance through a camera without the person's consent is illegal. There is an article on invasion of privacy and private property of a person. You can get jail time for this. At the same time, surveillance via a webcam can be used by officials (for example, the police), if they have received the appropriate permission.

How to protect yourself

There are several rules that will help protect yourself from surveillance via camera:

1. First you need to download a good antivirus. It is capable of catching viruses.
2. We also check all files downloaded from the Internet. If there are any that are questionable, they should be removed.
3. Any program will not be able to access the camera if the latter is turned off. Therefore, when you do not need the device, you should turn it off.
4. If the camera is built-in (for example, in a laptop), you can disable it through the BIOS. Or you can simply tape the camera if you are sure that someone is watching, but you can’t turn it off.
5. Check the camera's operation. If you notice glare or flashes in your work, there is a chance that you are being watched.
6. Check your outgoing traffic usage.

If the surveillance program is made by a professional and it is well hidden, it is almost impossible to detect it. Antiviruses are unlikely to help. But remember that they are mainly monitoring those who keep state secrets or something important.Therefore, the risk that you are being followed is extremely low.