3 ms·

Even better is a hardware kill switch, especially for the mic.

dmix 9y ago
I managed to unplug the mic in my Thinkpad and my Dell XPS laptop with about 5min of work for each. It's still possible to do at the moment if you don't mind relying on plugging in headphones w/ a mic to use one. Of course a switch would be nice, similar to the older Thinkpads which had a hardware switch for the network devices on the front, originally for use on airplanes.
- ethagnawl 9y ago
  > I managed to unplug the mic in my Thinkpad Any chance you documented the procedure or have links to relevant documentation?
  - mschuster91 9y ago
    This is easy in almost all laptops: the microphone is attached to the mobo via a 2-wire tiny plug. Disassemble your laptop, look at the other side of the keyboard pane, a bit away from the speakers. Some laptops might also carry mikes in the screen bezel or multiple mikes, so check all cables that go away from the mobo.
  - detaro 9y ago
    For Thinkpads the documentation you're looking for is the "Hardware Maintenance Manual" (HMM). E.g. here is one for the X260, it clearly describes where the camera/microphone assembly is, how to get to it and where its wire connections go: https://ok2.de/ThinkPad/HMM/x260_hmm_en_sp40j72016.pdf https://ok2.de/ThinkPad/HMM/x260_hmm_en_sp40j72016.pdf I haven't taken apart one of the more Ultrabook-style ones, so not sure how accessible those are, but the traditional ones are very serviceable. I wouldn't be surprised if the better Dell models have similar documentation available.
jmnicolas 9y ago
But now you have to trust the switch to really deactivate the mic. I'm a recursive paranoiac !
- detaro 9y ago
  At least you only need to verify a switch once, it won't be compromised by software changes.
  - squarefoot 9y ago
    Assuming the switch does really cut the mic signal and doesn't instead act on a i/o pin which calls a function to disable the mic input. The second solution would be hackable.
- cjbprime 9y ago
  The usual* way to handle this is to have a small LED next to the mic/camera that shows when it's on -- and have it wired up to the device in series, such that it's software-impossible for the device to be powered without the light being on. *: it's what we did on the One Laptop Per Child laptop, and I'm sure others have too.
  - tmzt 9y ago
    Thank you for inventing the netbook and showing the ODMs how to make low cost PC notebooks. Any idea where to get a CLI-from-boot notebook for teaching kids programming and encouraging a hacker ethic?
    - cjbprime 9y ago
      Thanks for the kind words! I haven't used it personally, but a programmer in my Twitter feed recommended this one that they've been using with their kids recently. (I don't think there's a heavy emphasis on CLI.) https://tksstgiftguide.tumblr.com/post/167274832422/our-kids-use-their-2016-kano-computer-kit-all-the https://tksstgiftguide.tumblr.com/post/167274832422/our-kids...
Natsu 9y ago
That's a very good point. We have it for wifi already, so...
em3rgent0rdr 9y ago
Librem Purism labtop has hadware kill switches.

dmix 9y ago

I managed to unplug the mic in my Thinkpad and my Dell XPS laptop with about 5min of work for each. It's still possible to do at the moment if you don't mind relying on plugging in headphones w/ a mic to use one. Of course a switch would be nice, similar to the older Thinkpads which had a hardware switch for the network devices on the front, originally for use on airplanes.

ethagnawl 9y ago
> I managed to unplug the mic in my Thinkpad Any chance you documented the procedure or have links to relevant documentation?
- mschuster91 9y ago
  This is easy in almost all laptops: the microphone is attached to the mobo via a 2-wire tiny plug. Disassemble your laptop, look at the other side of the keyboard pane, a bit away from the speakers. Some laptops might also carry mikes in the screen bezel or multiple mikes, so check all cables that go away from the mobo.
- detaro 9y ago
  For Thinkpads the documentation you're looking for is the "Hardware Maintenance Manual" (HMM). E.g. here is one for the X260, it clearly describes where the camera/microphone assembly is, how to get to it and where its wire connections go: https://ok2.de/ThinkPad/HMM/x260_hmm_en_sp40j72016.pdf https://ok2.de/ThinkPad/HMM/x260_hmm_en_sp40j72016.pdf I haven't taken apart one of the more Ultrabook-style ones, so not sure how accessible those are, but the traditional ones are very serviceable. I wouldn't be surprised if the better Dell models have similar documentation available.

jmnicolas 9y ago

But now you have to trust the switch to really deactivate the mic. I'm a recursive paranoiac !

detaro 9y ago
At least you only need to verify a switch once, it won't be compromised by software changes.
- squarefoot 9y ago
  Assuming the switch does really cut the mic signal and doesn't instead act on a i/o pin which calls a function to disable the mic input. The second solution would be hackable.
cjbprime 9y ago
The usual* way to handle this is to have a small LED next to the mic/camera that shows when it's on -- and have it wired up to the device in series, such that it's software-impossible for the device to be powered without the light being on. *: it's what we did on the One Laptop Per Child laptop, and I'm sure others have too.
- tmzt 9y ago
  Thank you for inventing the netbook and showing the ODMs how to make low cost PC notebooks. Any idea where to get a CLI-from-boot notebook for teaching kids programming and encouraging a hacker ethic?
  - cjbprime 9y ago
    Thanks for the kind words! I haven't used it personally, but a programmer in my Twitter feed recommended this one that they've been using with their kids recently. (I don't think there's a heavy emphasis on CLI.) https://tksstgiftguide.tumblr.com/post/167274832422/our-kids-use-their-2016-kano-computer-kit-all-the https://tksstgiftguide.tumblr.com/post/167274832422/our-kids...

Natsu 9y ago

That's a very good point. We have it for wifi already, so...

em3rgent0rdr 9y ago

Librem Purism labtop has hadware kill switches.