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Dell technician activates webcam and peeps at customer.

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techs

techs

Lifer
http://www.tomsguide.com/us/Dell-Tech-Webcam-Woman-Texas,news-5649.html

Dell Tech Peeps Through Woman's PC via Webcam

Here's a good reason why you shouldn't be sitting naked behind the LCD display.

Last week, a Texas NBC affiliate reported that a Dell technician remotely turned on a woman's webcam via the Internet without her permission. The woman, Dianna Annunziato of North Richland Hills, originally called Dell Computer's customer support line after 9:30 pm because her new PC was having issues and was still under warranty. However, the online service call came to an abrupt halt.

"First, the technician started asking me what time of day it was," she told the Dallas-Forth Worth NBC affiliate. She then said that the technician activated the webcam a moment later—she could see herself peering back from a little box on the LCD monitor. She added that the technician did not ask for permission before activating the device.

Infuriated, Annunziato asked for a supervisor. Rather than receiving a sympathetic apology, she instead received laughter after explaining that she could have been sitting in her seat undressed when the device was activated. Shocked by the reaction, she decided to take matters to a higher level.

"We apologize for the issue and appreciate the customer bringing this matter to our attention," the company said in a statement. "An investigation is currently under way, and the company will administer appropriate action when complete."

As of currently, the NBC report is a bit sketchy on details. Did Annuziato accidentally hit a webcam/media button on her laptop? How was Dell able to access her computer through when she called by phone? Did her Dell come with remote access software designed for Dell technicians already in place? Why didn't Annunziato ask the tech what was going on? She didn't seem to mention if she even asked "did you just turn on my webcam?"

While Dell does offer remote access tech support, this could be a case of someone with an aim to extort some form of payment out of Dell.




The intertubes are a wonderful thing!
 
techs said:
Here's a good reason why you shouldn't be sitting naked behind the LCD display.
Click to expand...

Most notebooks have an LED next to the webcam window to let you know it's active. If you want the best security just place a small piece of electrical tape over the window. Majority of users don't use them (or know how!).

I can see it now in the future they will have a shutter - a piece of thin plastic that you can slide to cover the hole up. It would have a bright orange fluorescent dot when the cover is in the open position so you can tell at a glance when the camera is ready.

Without any activity light it could be scary if malware could turn it on an surreptitiously upload movies to a remote location!
 
i don't worry about it. they can turn it on for all i care. in fact i dare them..i double dog dare them! turn it on while im naked! mwhahahah bleach in the eyes hurt! DIE BITCH DIE!..ahem.

sorry to much coffee this morning.
 
This is why anyone that knows anything removes all vendors unnecessary crap immediately upon getting a machine.
 
Imagine a government agency being able to access everyone's webcams remotely...

Big Brother is watching you!!

[/Orwell]
 
Rubycon said:
Most notebooks have an LED next to the webcam window to let you know it's active. If you want the best security just place a small piece of electrical tape over the window. Majority of users don't use them (or know how!).

I can see it now in the future they will have a shutter - a piece of thin plastic that you can slide to cover the hole up. It would have a bright orange fluorescent dot when the cover is in the open position so you can tell at a glance when the camera is ready.

Without any activity light it could be scary if malware could turn it on an surreptitiously upload movies to a remote location!
Click to expand...
Its your fault for being such a babe.
 
BoomerD said:
Imagine a government agency being able to access everyone's webcams remotely...

Big Brother is watching you!!

[/Orwell]
Click to expand...

There's rumors of Motorola digital cable boxes with electret mics onboard so they can be used as listening devices in the home. 😱 It also would not be difficult to have a small CMOS sensor behind the display window with a wide angle lens to capture anything in the room in front of the box. All this data can be encapsulated and sent upstream on a spare channel.
 
How was Dell able to access her computer through when she called by phone?
Click to expand...

When I've gotten support from Dell with installing an iSCSI server, they used Webex sessions with modules that allowed them to take control of the system (with permission). I doubt their consumer division is all that different. It's entirely possible she accidentally hit the button, or hotkey though. I suspect the sessions are saved, however, and it shouldn't be too difficult for them to figure out.
 
Maybe she should sue adobe. Their flash player automatically redirects your webcam feeds to whoever the programmer wants.
 
After reading the story, the guy was remoted in trying to help her and he turned on the webcam- probably as standard diagnostics. Big deal. Sounds like a whiney wench to me.
 
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The technology to snoop is balanced by the public's right to privacy. They might think that they are being clever, but when they are exposed they are opening themselves up to lawsuits.

I can see how they would market these intrusions as a safety feature:

Just think...we can monitor your grandmother if she falls down and can't get up, or, there's a fire in your living room, we'll call the fire department for you!
 
Zedtom said:
The technology to snoop is balanced by the public's right to privacy. They might think that they are being clever, but when they are exposed they are opening themselves up to lawsuits.

I can see how they would market these intrusions as a safety feature:

Just think...we can monitor your grandmother if she falls down and can't get up, or, there's a fire in your living room, we'll call the fire department for you!
Click to expand...
yeah, that was supposed to be the big issue in the new millenium. Unfortunately 9-11 changed all that. Now we have NO right to privacy in the Constitution, as per Bush, Cheney and the right wingers on the Supreme Court.
Or, rather, that there is no implied right to privacy in the Constitution. And that the government can basically spy on you as long as the President says so.
 
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