4 ms·

Opsec in depth routine for a new laptop: - Start sound recording and physically identify the location of the mic. - Jam a needle into the condenser mic to sho

Opsec in depth routine for a new laptop: - Start sound recording and physically identify the location of the mic. - Jam a needle into the condenser mic to short circuit the membrane - Confirm voice cannot be recorded anymore by making a test recording, and repeat previous step to satisfactory results. - Locate all cameras and cover them with stylish stickers scavenged from other locations on the laptop. Use superglue if they are no longer sticky enough. - Confirm image cannot be recorded anymore. - Disable drivers the video device and/or force install incompatible drivers. - Mute and/or minimize volume for the microphone device in the recording mixer.

djbelieny 8y ago
Holy crap. Physically destroying the mic on a new laptop? That is hardcore man...
- bumholio 8y ago
  What is its use? Really, why would I ever need to have a crappy condenser mic on a development machine? Voip apps on the desktop belong to the 2000s, and if I ever actually need to use such things, I can plug a pair of mic/headphones.
  - djbelieny 8y ago
    Nothing wrong if this is how you roll. Killing the hardware is always a "last resort" thing for me. #savage hehehehe.
type0 8y ago
> Jam a needle into the condenser mic to short circuit the membrane Just open the damn thing and disconnect the wire, it's usually not soldered so you could easily connect it back if you decide to sell it.
- bumholio 8y ago
  That will cost you your warranty. A needle in a mic is undetectable, quick and guaranteed safe - there is absolutely nothing that can break or short-circuit in a condenser mic, it's a two wire device read through the voltage drop on a multi k-ohm pull up resistor.
jsoc815 8y ago
> Opsec in depth routine for a new laptop... I really like your style, and can't quite comprehend why your post merited down votes. As for the rest of you,stating that covering/disabling mics and cams is silly: Just because you think yourself unimportant or uninteresting to others doesn't mean that you actually are. Furthermore, that you're insignificant today, doesn't mean that you will be tomorrow. It does, however, say much about your sense of agency and self. So, thanks for the insight I guess.
- bumholio 8y ago
  The downvotes on HN are really out of control, it's acceptable to "downvote if you disagree"; I guess I can accept that as a social convention - but not if the platform is configured to physically hide, flag and censor downvoted comments. The two features make for a toxic combo: instead of simply enforcing "civil" conversation, downvotes are used as a political tool to strongly dissuade contrarian views, even when such views are expressed in high effort, well argued posts. Some sacred cows of the community are criticizing US international position or criticizing YC companies. Other-times, the political slant depends on the type of crowd the headline will attract: in a topic against GDPR, self driving cars or global warming you are guaranteed to attract downvotes when supporting these issues, with the opposite true in the converse threads.
  - jsoc815 8y ago
    Agreed. I really have a problem w/ the censuring of someone for asking a question or for answering one w/factual information. For a group of people on pride themselves on being logic-driven and smarter-than-the rest, the behaviors I see here show the crowd to be pretty well positioned w/i the 'bell' of the curve, if not to the left. Actually speaks volumes about why some of the products coming out of the field are what they are and/or end up w/the 'unintended' problems that are revealed. For all of the probable smarts in this community, there is (in addition to a general sense of entitlement) a clear lack of breath and depth of knowledge of the rest of the world. And I find it unfortunate that rather than acknowledging that and moving to address those faults, people revert to the see no evil model, which, again, makes much of the HN crew very average, not exceptional. Oh well...

djbelieny 8y ago

Holy crap. Physically destroying the mic on a new laptop? That is hardcore man...

bumholio 8y ago
What is its use? Really, why would I ever need to have a crappy condenser mic on a development machine? Voip apps on the desktop belong to the 2000s, and if I ever actually need to use such things, I can plug a pair of mic/headphones.
- djbelieny 8y ago
  Nothing wrong if this is how you roll. Killing the hardware is always a "last resort" thing for me. #savage hehehehe.

type0 8y ago

> Jam a needle into the condenser mic to short circuit the membrane Just open the damn thing and disconnect the wire, it's usually not soldered so you could easily connect it back if you decide to sell it.

bumholio 8y ago
That will cost you your warranty. A needle in a mic is undetectable, quick and guaranteed safe - there is absolutely nothing that can break or short-circuit in a condenser mic, it's a two wire device read through the voltage drop on a multi k-ohm pull up resistor.

jsoc815 8y ago

> Opsec in depth routine for a new laptop... I really like your style, and can't quite comprehend why your post merited down votes. As for the rest of you,stating that covering/disabling mics and cams is silly: Just because you think yourself unimportant or uninteresting to others doesn't mean that you actually are. Furthermore, that you're insignificant today, doesn't mean that you will be tomorrow. It does, however, say much about your sense of agency and self. So, thanks for the insight I guess.

bumholio 8y ago
The downvotes on HN are really out of control, it's acceptable to "downvote if you disagree"; I guess I can accept that as a social convention - but not if the platform is configured to physically hide, flag and censor downvoted comments. The two features make for a toxic combo: instead of simply enforcing "civil" conversation, downvotes are used as a political tool to strongly dissuade contrarian views, even when such views are expressed in high effort, well argued posts. Some sacred cows of the community are criticizing US international position or criticizing YC companies. Other-times, the political slant depends on the type of crowd the headline will attract: in a topic against GDPR, self driving cars or global warming you are guaranteed to attract downvotes when supporting these issues, with the opposite true in the converse threads.
- jsoc815 8y ago
  Agreed. I really have a problem w/ the censuring of someone for asking a question or for answering one w/factual information. For a group of people on pride themselves on being logic-driven and smarter-than-the rest, the behaviors I see here show the crowd to be pretty well positioned w/i the 'bell' of the curve, if not to the left. Actually speaks volumes about why some of the products coming out of the field are what they are and/or end up w/the 'unintended' problems that are revealed. For all of the probable smarts in this community, there is (in addition to a general sense of entitlement) a clear lack of breath and depth of knowledge of the rest of the world. And I find it unfortunate that rather than acknowledging that and moving to address those faults, people revert to the see no evil model, which, again, makes much of the HN crew very average, not exceptional. Oh well...