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Idk131
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#1
So my laptop camera light has been on for a while, it is green and when I turn on camera it says looks like another app is already using the camera. I literally don't have any other app open which uses a camera and I am scared. What if someone has been spying on me/ some dodgy website using my camera? It could just be a fault but the idea of it is scaring me quite a lot
Last edited by Idk131; 1 month ago
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Idk131
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#2
Any advice? Is it likely to be a fault or is it actually an app? I am actually scared now... It is like the talking angela thing again wth
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Dunnig Kruger
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#3
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#3
Back up all your data. Get all your paid for software license keys written down or printed off. With this including the Windows key.
Prepare a USB stick for reinstalling windows. Reformat your hard drive. Reinstall windows and all your apps. Restore all your data. Debloat windows. Install any printers.
All of this sounds like a lot and you may need to google for a guide on how to do it all. But rebuilding your PC (software rebuild) is a basic skill that's the equivalent to being able to change a wheel on your car.
Prepare a USB stick for reinstalling windows. Reformat your hard drive. Reinstall windows and all your apps. Restore all your data. Debloat windows. Install any printers.
All of this sounds like a lot and you may need to google for a guide on how to do it all. But rebuilding your PC (software rebuild) is a basic skill that's the equivalent to being able to change a wheel on your car.
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Idk131
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#4
(Original post by Dunnig Kruger)
Back up all your data. Get all your paid for software license keys written down or printed off. With this including the Windows key.
Prepare a USB stick for reinstalling windows. Reformat your hard drive. Reinstall windows and all your apps. Restore all your data. Debloat windows. Install any printers.
All of this sounds like a lot and you may need to google for a guide on how to do it all. But rebuilding your PC (software rebuild) is a basic skill that's the equivalent to being able to change a wheel on your car.
Back up all your data. Get all your paid for software license keys written down or printed off. With this including the Windows key.
Prepare a USB stick for reinstalling windows. Reformat your hard drive. Reinstall windows and all your apps. Restore all your data. Debloat windows. Install any printers.
All of this sounds like a lot and you may need to google for a guide on how to do it all. But rebuilding your PC (software rebuild) is a basic skill that's the equivalent to being able to change a wheel on your car.
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Muttley79
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#5
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#5
(Original post by Idk131)
Any advice? Is it likely to be a fault or is it actually an app? I am actually scared now... It is like the talking angela thing again wth
Any advice? Is it likely to be a fault or is it actually an app? I am actually scared now... It is like the talking angela thing again wth
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Idk131
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#6
Yes I have covered my camera with paper but am still slightly paranoid- will try that out thank you so so much 
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Dunnig Kruger
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#7
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#7
(Original post by Idk131)
Is that the only way to fix it?
Is that the only way to fix it?
Because there's too much of a risk that there's some hidden remote access software that's allowing someone to access your PC.
A rebuild (software rebuild) will 100% guarantee that no one can secretly remotely access your PC.
For good measure, put a different password on your PC when you reinstall windows.
For the future, watch out for the sort of scams shown on Jim Browning and Kitboga's youtube channels.
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_gcx
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#8
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#8
Before reformatting (???) at least do a malware scan with malwarebytes. You can also disable the camera in the BIOS or in device manager. There's "webcamlock" which will show you if anything is using it. FWIW I think it is unlikely it is malware in the first place, I think camfecting is far more known than it is prevalent.
If I was to concern troll I'd say that backing up and reformatted is not bulletproof, but I won't do that.
If I was to concern troll I'd say that backing up and reformatted is not bulletproof, but I won't do that.
Last edited by _gcx; 1 month ago
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Idk131
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#9
(Original post by Dunnig Kruger)
It's what an IT professional would do. Without hesitation.
Because there's too much of a risk that there's some hidden remote access software that's allowing someone to access your PC.
A rebuild (software rebuild) will 100% guarantee that no one can secretly remotely access your PC.
For good measure, put a different password on your PC when you reinstall windows.
For the future, watch out for the sort of scams shown on Jim Browning and Kitboga's youtube channels.
It's what an IT professional would do. Without hesitation.
Because there's too much of a risk that there's some hidden remote access software that's allowing someone to access your PC.
A rebuild (software rebuild) will 100% guarantee that no one can secretly remotely access your PC.
For good measure, put a different password on your PC when you reinstall windows.
For the future, watch out for the sort of scams shown on Jim Browning and Kitboga's youtube channels.
)?
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_gcx
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#10
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#10
(Original post by Dunnig Kruger)
It's what an IT professional would do. Without hesitation.
Because there's too much of a risk that there's some hidden remote access software that's allowing someone to access your PC.
A rebuild (software rebuild) will 100% guarantee that no one can secretly remotely access your PC.
For good measure, put a different password on your PC when you reinstall windows.
For the future, watch out for the sort of scams shown on Jim Browning and Kitboga's youtube channels.
It's what an IT professional would do. Without hesitation.
Because there's too much of a risk that there's some hidden remote access software that's allowing someone to access your PC.
A rebuild (software rebuild) will 100% guarantee that no one can secretly remotely access your PC.
For good measure, put a different password on your PC when you reinstall windows.
For the future, watch out for the sort of scams shown on Jim Browning and Kitboga's youtube channels.
Realistically OP should determine if they even have malware in the first place or whether there is a more simple explanation for it. (by using some readily-found tool)
Last edited by _gcx; 1 month ago
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EVRoosevelt
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#11
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#11
I don't have a camera on my PC - but surely there's a way to force-stop the camera using Task Manager; does anyone know if this is possible to solve OP's problem?
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Gogo01
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#12
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#12
Maybe check recent programs installed or run some AV on your machine ?
(Original post by Idk131)
Any advice? Is it likely to be a fault or is it actually an app? I am actually scared now... It is like the talking angela thing again wth
Any advice? Is it likely to be a fault or is it actually an app? I am actually scared now... It is like the talking angela thing again wth
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_gcx
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#13
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#13
(Original post by EVRoosevelt)
I don't have a camera on my PC - but surely there's a way to force-stop the camera using Task Manager; does anyone know if this is possible to solve OP's problem?
I don't have a camera on my PC - but surely there's a way to force-stop the camera using Task Manager; does anyone know if this is possible to solve OP's problem?
[though note with extraordinarily robust malware this may very well not be sufficient]
Last edited by _gcx; 1 month ago
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brasamical
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#14
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#14
(Original post by Idk131)
So my laptop camera light has been on for a while, it is green and when I turn on camera it says looks like another app is already using the camera. I literally don't have any other app open which uses a camera and I am scared. What if someone has been spying on me/ some dodgy website using my camera? It could just be a fault but the idea of it is scaring me quite a lot
So my laptop camera light has been on for a while, it is green and when I turn on camera it says looks like another app is already using the camera. I literally don't have any other app open which uses a camera and I am scared. What if someone has been spying on me/ some dodgy website using my camera? It could just be a fault but the idea of it is scaring me quite a lot
A serious concern is that if your camera is somehow active, whoever activated it might also have activated a keylogger, so rule number 0, before even rule nu,ber 1, is to immediately stop using that machine for any financial transaction, and not type any password, because if a keylogger is active, it might just write down every key you type and send it somewhere
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Dunnig Kruger
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#15
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#15
Malware scan is a waste of time. No IT professional would do that in these circumstances. Go straight into the PC rebuild.
It's quite simple. You don't take chances with this sort of security issue. You don't muck about. You get straight on with rebuilding the PC.
I have done thousands of rebuilds. I have never come acros a single example where the rebuild hasn't completely fixed the security issue.
It's possible it could happen that the data backup and restore would reinstall some malware, but I've never seen it.
What the user needs to do is to closely monitor the PC after the rebuild, and if anything suspicious crops up you rebuild again and don't restore the data. Or do a partial restore of the data and monitor closeley again.
For reference, for a home PC, a rebuild would take about an hour of my time and about 2 or 3 hours of the PC's time.
For someone doing it for the first time, allow 2 to 3 hours of your time to do it. Make doubly sure you have ALL your data, including web favourites and website passwords backed up. As well as all the software license keys BEFORE you reformat it.
The idea with these scammers or hackers is that they run key loggers so they can access your bank accounts.
It's quite simple. You don't take chances with this sort of security issue. You don't muck about. You get straight on with rebuilding the PC.
I have done thousands of rebuilds. I have never come acros a single example where the rebuild hasn't completely fixed the security issue.
It's possible it could happen that the data backup and restore would reinstall some malware, but I've never seen it.
What the user needs to do is to closely monitor the PC after the rebuild, and if anything suspicious crops up you rebuild again and don't restore the data. Or do a partial restore of the data and monitor closeley again.
For reference, for a home PC, a rebuild would take about an hour of my time and about 2 or 3 hours of the PC's time.
For someone doing it for the first time, allow 2 to 3 hours of your time to do it. Make doubly sure you have ALL your data, including web favourites and website passwords backed up. As well as all the software license keys BEFORE you reformat it.
The idea with these scammers or hackers is that they run key loggers so they can access your bank accounts.
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Idk131
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#16
Wait guys, it says that microsoft teams is currently using it but I don't have teams open? I don't think it is that serious
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Idk131
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#17
It won't let me disable camera for teams on settings, along with google and other apps?
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Dunnig Kruger
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#18
(Original post by Idk131)
Wait guys, it says that microsoft teams is currently using it but I don't have teams open? I don't think it is that serious
Wait guys, it says that microsoft teams is currently using it but I don't have teams open? I don't think it is that serious
There's also a high chance that if your PC came with windows pre-installed, it's a crappy build anyway.
So even if it's uninfected it's worth rebuilding and debloating anyway.
And above all, don't take risks with this sort of stuff.
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Doomotron
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#19
(Original post by Idk131)
Wait guys, it says that microsoft teams is currently using it but I don't have teams open? I don't think it is that serious
Wait guys, it says that microsoft teams is currently using it but I don't have teams open? I don't think it is that serious
(Original post by Idk131)
It won't let me disable camera for teams on settings, along with google and other apps?
It won't let me disable camera for teams on settings, along with google and other apps?
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_gcx
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#20
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#20
(Original post by Dunnig Kruger)
Don't take chances.
There's also a high chance that if your PC came with windows pre-installed, it's a crappy build anyway.
So even if it's uninfected it's worth rebuilding and debloating anyway.
And above all, don't take risks with this sort of stuff.
Don't take chances.
There's also a high chance that if your PC came with windows pre-installed, it's a crappy build anyway.
So even if it's uninfected it's worth rebuilding and debloating anyway.
And above all, don't take risks with this sort of stuff.
It amounts to pointless fearmongering of someone who is already seemingly not very confident. Hard for me to say much more because factory resetting isn't really going to do anything bad, it just feels like it'd cause the OP/onlookers to this thread undue panic. If you want to present the option of reformatting, I think you should do it in a less sensational way.
Last edited by _gcx; 1 month ago
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