A webcam cover has become an indispensable addition to your computer. Unfortunately, these days, you hear almost daily in the media about thousands of people who have been sent blackmail emails from shady people who claim that they have hacked their computers and recorded their browser history as well as taken pictures of them in situations they do not want to be put on public display.
They are often pure scam emails with no substance in them, but it’s a shame that something happens.
What is a webcam cover?
A webcam cover is a small plastic gadget that sticks to your computer over the camera. The front of the cover itself can be moved back and forth, thus opening and closing the camera’s view. So when the camera is not in use, you can keep it completely closed, even if other detours activate the camera.
Some choose alternative solutions such as duct tape, felt pads, or others. But this is not practical if you sometimes have to use your camera and can potentially wear out the front if it is taken off and on again and again. A webcam cover is far more practical.
The danger of not having a webcam cover
Using various methods, such as email attachments, links to malware, and the like, hackers can gain access to one’s computer and thus carry out this form of extortion. Often they require money transfers in the form of cryptocurrency, so it is more difficult for the police to track them down. As a rule, the blackmailers threaten to share intimate photos with the rest of the world, including one’s friends, family, and work colleagues. For many, it is a very anxiety-provoking scenario and potentially something that can ruin one’s life – or at least make it feel that way.
You are more exposed to these situations when you don’t have a webcam cover. Especially if you are not very IT-savvy and know precisely how to avoid it. A webcam cover does not protect you from being hacked but protects you from being filmed and monitored via your webcam – and that is just as important.
Even if you have a webcam cover, you should consider whether to act on it if you receive an email claiming to have hacked your computer. If you do not know what to do in such a situation, you can always check the sender, contact one of your tech buddies, or even contact us!
Buy a webcam cover
At Amazon, you can get a large batch of webcam covers which they sell for only 3 dollars and up.