One more tell-tale sign that your webcam has been hacked is if the security settings for it are a bit screwy. Open the settings on your webcam (you can Google how to do that), and take a look. If you are not able to change these settings yourself, or if the name of the admin account has been changed, you’ve probably been compromised. A Hacker Tells You. We’re starting with the most obvious sign that you’ve been hacked.
Not normally. However, certain Adobe Flash pages can be configured to use the video camera, and if you are visiting an Adobe Flash page that is, and you had setup the camera before on another page, it is possible the software is making a call on the camera again. Photobooth, Quicktime, iChat, Skype all speak to the camera in varying degrees. Additionally there is a built-in microphone next to the camera which may be called by any audio-input software. If you want to be secure, just put a sticky on top of the camera. I would though upgrade to 10.7.3 if you are worried about being hacked. There has been a malware that affects 10.7 through 10.7.2, and 10.6 through 10.6.7, and 10.5.7 and earlier: https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3261
May 22, 2012 5:35 AM
Here's a truly scary thought: a hacker using the webcam on your personal computer to spy on your current activity. In 2016, it's not just the stuff of nightmares, but a potential reality. If the worst were to happen, would you be able to tell if your webcam had been hacked?
How To Know If Your Mac Webcam Is Hacked
If you happen to be in front of your device, it should be pretty easy to identify. Malware may be able to sneakily seize control of the computer's webcam, but it can't prevent it from activating the blinking LED light when in use. If you haven't manually turned on the webcam, that's a good sign that you're currently under attack.
Reboot your computer and wait a few minutes just to ensure it wasn't a fluke on behalf of the computer. If you see the blinking LED again, you almost certainly have been infected. If not, it could have been a chance accident, but if you spot the LED blinking without your command again in the future, that's a pretty good indicator of malware, as well.
How To Know If Your Macbook Webcam Is Hacked
Of course, if the hacker was smart, they would probably wait until you're not paying attention to the computer or away from the device altogether. This is when identifying a hacker's presence gets tricky. The webcam doesn't keep logs of past use so you'll need to check elsewhere to see if you've been infected.
Mac Webcam Help
Your best bet is to identify what programs are using your webcam. Lifehacker has a very good explainer on how exactly to do this. You can also find clues by checking to see if some of your computer's files have been corrupted.
By this point, you're probably wondering how you can stop someone from surveying you or your home through a webcam? Easy. Put a piece of tape over the camera.