Hardware-based can mean two things. 1. The CCD IC controls the LED 2. A intermediate IC has firmware that controls the CCD and LED It is safe to assum

Hardware-based can mean two things. 1. The CCD IC controls the LED 2. A intermediate IC has firmware that controls the CCD and LED It is safe to assume that the LED is always controlled either by an OS driver, or by an intermediate firmware. I doubt it would ever be controlled by the 'final' camera IC. This means that, for Macbooks, running the CCD without the LED is _very difficult_, but, if the camera supports firmware upgrades, it is possible. And there could be undocumented commands to enable video without the LED. If you're afraid of script-kiddies watching you read Reddit, you can probably trust the LED. If you're afraid the NSA has identified you as a special target, you probably cannot.