You know what’s the only thing creepier than a stalker? A webcam stalker. If your webcam shows any of the signs we’re about to list off, you may be victim to a hacker attack.
This means that hackers may currently have complete access to your computer. They know exactly who you are, where you live, and they can watch you live. Scary right?
If they know all this, chances are that they have much more of your personal information and they likely have complete control over your computer as we speak.
How Does a Webcam Work?
A webcam is normally located above your computer on the frame of it if it’s built in. If it’s an external webcam, you’ll definitely know where it is. Webcams capture video live and send it back to your computer. They are normally used for video calls but they can be hacked like anything else electronic and transmitted back to another source, or in this case, another person.
Checklist to See If Your Webcam Has Been Hacked
1. Is There a Light on Next to the Webcam?
The light can vary in color but it should be a tiny little small dot of light peeking out from the webcam. If this light is there, your webcam is on. If you didn’t turn on the webcam and the light is there, you probably just want to restart your computer. If it’s still on, we have a problem.
2. Is Your Webcam Running?
Check task manager on your computer to see if your webcam is on there. For windows, you just want to enter in the command “control+alt+delete” and the option for task manager should come up. Click on that and look around there for anything that says webcam.
3. Do You Have Anything Using Your Webcam?
There may be an application running on your computer that you already know about that is using your webcam. Maybe you’re overreacting and it’s just a simple mistake because you accidentally left some program on. If there is no program on, we should move onto the next step.
If You Answered “Yes” to These Questions, You Probably Got Hacked!
Don’t worry. There is no need to panic. We’ll get everything under control. Just breathe normally and everything will be alright. First off, you’re going to need to find an antivirus solution to combat this hacker attack.
We need to run an antivirus scan on your computer so download your antivirus solution as fast as possible. The best antivirus solution when it comes to tracking down viruses is McAfee and Avira antivirus. You should look into getting both.
Do online virus scan and have the software clean up your computer. Don’t worry. It won’t actually delete any important files. It will only delete the viruses.
That’s It! You Stopped the Hacker Attack
Once you downloaded the antivirus solution and cleaned up your computer, there really shouldn’t be anything else wrong with your computer. Assuming that it’s a basic hacker who got into your computer, the powerful antivirus should be able to run him out of your device. If the problem persists, you really should take your computer into a specialist because it can be more serious. Good luck!
