Worrying About RATS
Yes, webcams are susceptible to invasion by Remote Access Tools. RATs, as troublesome as their furry namesakes, can be used to remotely access a computer and perform any number of functions, including turning on a device’s webcam.
RATs are capable of spying on people, but RATs are also frequently used for good, so we don’t want to eliminate it entirely. IT professionals will frequently use remote access technology to resolve potential problems within a system that they manage. But we’ve all heard of school districts using RATs to gather photos of students in their homes through their laptops. RATs have even been used to blackmail.
The Law isn’t Much Help
Anyone who owns a device is at risk, and legal protections and repercussions are presently somewhat limited. Existing laws are either outdated or their requirements for litigation are too specific. Victims and police have little recourse.
Since hackers can safely exploit the situation, they will often use information obtained to further torment the victims. Hackers also steal personal information to steal identities, ruin credit scores, and far worse.
How to Stop Invasions of Privacy
FBI director James Comey actually suggested taping over your webcam. We’re not joking. Here are some other practices that you can use to protect against hackers:
• Keeping your security software fully updated against the latest malware.
• Making sure you have the latest firewalls and antivirus software updates.
• Using a secure Wi-Fi connection to do your browsing.
Another major way that you can prevent issues like this is to keep an eye out for things like suspicious emails, and the webcam light turning on without your permission. You can prevent infections in the first place by using strong, frequently-changed passwords, and doing routine malware searches.
Clean House>
You could keep slapping a piece of tape over the webcam, but actually, we recommend that you reach out to Quikteks. Our trusted technicians can help you keep your PC safe from threats, including RATs. You can think of us as your very own security threat exterminators. To learn more, reach out to us at (973) 882-4644.