4 ms·

> Even if your device is turned off, even if your device is offline, it is possible for hackers to take your images. Really? Fear-mongering at it's finest. I

by hrrsn 12y ago

> Even if your device is turned off, even if your device is offline, it is possible for hackers to take your images. Really? Fear-mongering at it's finest. I don't bother with it personally, although I've seen many people that do put a sticker/bit of tape over it. One more thing, your landing page isn't really the best. I like the animation of the product in action, but the Instagram-esque filter doesn't look professional at all. Your first paragraph is a full anchor link, and your other paragraphs are broken at random lines which really kills the reading experience. The photo, which I presume is a webcam shot with the product blocker on, isn't actually described at all.

dredmorbius 12y ago
Really. Remember that a hibernating system is actually in a low power state, but there's still some draw. This means that specific processes might be running. Baseboard / preboot / bootloader and other execution environments, including even running within the firmware of specific peripherals, is a concern I've been aware of since ~2005, from people who are taken exceptionally seriously in the security community. Context was a presentation following an RSA conference and Intel's plans at the time for extensive baseboard/preboot environments (which have largely failed to take hold on consumer hardware, though many/most server systems now have same). Do I think the risk is high? No. But it's nonzero.
- yepnopemaybe 12y ago
  I have heard various FBI/CIA/NSA whistleblowers talk about this issue, so I don't think that the statement is inflammatory or misleading. Thanks.
- hrrsn 12y ago
  > Remember that a hibernating system is actually in a low power state Not the original quote. The quote was "even if your device is turned off", which I take to mean 'shutdown -h now'. Nowhere is hibernation mentioned. If your EFI/preboot environment is rooted by a three letter agency you have more problems than someone getting your picture.
  - dredmorbius 12y ago
    Assessing whether or not an "off" device is truly "off" isn't trivial. That's a big part of my point. I do suspect that running a camera would generate sufficient power draw that you'd tend to notice, though hibernating and taking periodic snapshots might be much harder to detect. For the casual user, distinguishing a down-disabled device from one that's got a slight charge trickling through it, especially if it happens to be connected to a charger, is going to be easy to get wrong.

by hrrsn 12y ago

dredmorbius 12y ago

Really. Remember that a hibernating system is actually in a low power state, but there's still some draw. This means that specific processes might be running. Baseboard / preboot / bootloader and other execution environments, including even running within the firmware of specific peripherals, is a concern I've been aware of since ~2005, from people who are taken exceptionally seriously in the security community. Context was a presentation following an RSA conference and Intel's plans at the time for extensive baseboard/preboot environments (which have largely failed to take hold on consumer hardware, though many/most server systems now have same). Do I think the risk is high? No. But it's nonzero.

yepnopemaybe 12y ago
I have heard various FBI/CIA/NSA whistleblowers talk about this issue, so I don't think that the statement is inflammatory or misleading. Thanks.
hrrsn 12y ago
> Remember that a hibernating system is actually in a low power state Not the original quote. The quote was "even if your device is turned off", which I take to mean 'shutdown -h now'. Nowhere is hibernation mentioned. If your EFI/preboot environment is rooted by a three letter agency you have more problems than someone getting your picture.
- dredmorbius 12y ago
  Assessing whether or not an "off" device is truly "off" isn't trivial. That's a big part of my point. I do suspect that running a camera would generate sufficient power draw that you'd tend to notice, though hibernating and taking periodic snapshots might be much harder to detect. For the casual user, distinguishing a down-disabled device from one that's got a slight charge trickling through it, especially if it happens to be connected to a charger, is going to be easy to get wrong.