Photo by Simon YEO
The most used function on smartphones may be the camera.In a time when everyone has a smartphone, people take pictures every day.Landscape, meals, pets ...Self -portraits have become quite commonplace.Raising selfies to SNS is no longer a daily sight.
What will happen if the camera is secretly hijacked?Not only the appearance that people don't want to see are reflected.Personal information can be identified by identifying the address based on the data in the photo or searching for the obtained photos.
In October, Google engineers showed that iOS apps with "access authority to cameras" can take photos and videos from iPhone cameras so that they do not notice users.
The problem is that it can be abused even with an app that does not seem to be using the camera function.If you have access privileges, if the app is a foreground (running on the front), you may be able to shoot without noticing users.
If you suddenly become a camera screen while using the app, or if your face appears on the screen, everyone will think it's suspicious and will stop using it.Instead, there is a threat to this problem where you can shoot at the moment when the camera is not running.
Many users will have access to camera access to SNS, messages, image processing apps, etc. as well as camera apps.If you don't think you're using a camera, you may be taking photos and videos if they get into those apps.And the voyeur side cannot notice it at all.
Of course, there is no countermeasure.You don't have to give an unreliable app to give access to the camera.When downloading the app, a notification for access to the camera will be displayed, so disabled at that time.In addition, access authority can be turned off at any time.
Tap "Privacy" from the "Settings" app
Tap "Camera" item
You can turn on / off access to the camera for each application
If you are worried, it would be ant to physically block the camera with sticky notes.The engineer who proved this problem has also reported to Apple and has also offered a solution.
The important thing is not to make a noise that the iPhone is dangerous.To take measures to protect your privacy, take measures to protect your privacy.This time, MCAFEE BLOG introduces "Secret self -portrait: iPhone apps can be taken without noticing."
Secret self -portrait: The iPhone app can be shot while you are not aware of it
In 2017, "selfie" is very popular.I think that there are many people who use the iPhone camera switching settings and sometimes take their own pictures.But what would happen if it was taken without permission?I'm not talking about paparazzi or TV poultry programs.It's your iPhone.It turned out that the iPhone has a secret function to take photos and videos of users when an app that can access the mobile phone camera is running on the front.
So why did this fact come to attention in the first place?It is that Google developers have proven the concept demonstration project on their blog, which proves that the app can always take photos and videos of users, even if the camera viewfinder does not "open" on the iPhone screen.I did.Also noteworthy is that this is not a bug, but a intentional behavior.
So what can you actually do with this feature?If you give the app the right to access the camera, you will be able to do the following.
Obviously, this function has a potential.Many of us think that the camera is running only when looking at the content taken with the camera or when the LED is flashing, and the iPhone has a function that indicates that the camera is on.Because it is not.
The important thing is not to know this function, but to take preventive measures to protect your privacy.Here are some tips for that.
You can also check the latest users and mobile security threat information by following me or @mcafee_home on Twitter or likes Facebook.
* The content of this page is an abstract of Mcafee Blog updated on October 31, 2017 Original: Secret Selfys: iPhone Apps CAN TAKE PICTURES and VIDEOS OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE Author: GARY DAVIS: GARY DAVIS
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