Webcam activated despite no program telling it to.

[snot2]

do what the phone people say

[Ad Bot]

[Shift Kitty]

It isn't always something you've installed/downloaded recently. Most things sit idle or dormant until either it's done enough background spreading, a certain date comes up, or in the case of certain things, they just wait till someone else wants to do something to you.

[QuadStorm]

It's the NSA

I thought they could watch your webcam without it being obvious aka no light to indicate it's on.

[Steve5451²]

Run a Malwarebytes and if you're on Windows 10 do a Windows Defender scan. If someone has access to your webcam they have access to everything including your screen, your login cookies, anything you type, and your files.

It could also just be a program or browser that failed to unhook your webcam and is running in the background.

[Ipquarx]

Here's the thing: It's quite, quite unlikely that someone is hacking your webcam. The most likely scenario is that some program in the background that you didn't realize you had opened before, was using it. Or maybe a game was using it, some games for some reason use the webcam.

But if they have access to your webcam they have access to your entire system. So if they do have access to your webcam, your webcam is the least of your worries. Do a malwarebytes scan as others have said. If the problem persists and you're *1000% absolutely no-doubts-at-all certain* that it's not a program doing it, then you can reinstall windows or something along those lines.

[ShadowsfeaR]

Here's the thing: It's quite, quite unlikely that someone is hacking your webcam. The most likely scenario is that some program in the background that you didn't realize you had opened before, was using it. Or maybe a game was using it, some games for some reason use the webcam.

But if they have access to your webcam they have access to your entire system. So if they do have access to your webcam, your webcam is the least of your worries. Do a malwarebytes scan as others have said. If the problem persists and you're *1000% absolutely no-doubts-at-all certain* that it's not a program doing it, then you can reinstall windows or something along those lines.

Yep, there's plenty of times my computer accesses my webcam application (I use my iPhone to web sometimes, so I have a program on my PC that mimics cam functions), and I mostly notice it when I turn on Discord sometimes.

[Doctor Disco]

Oh, discord uses the webcam function? That might have turned it on, actually..
Or Audacity, in the case that audio activates the light.

[Steve5451²]

Oh, discord uses the webcam function? That might have turned it on, actually..
Or Audacity, in the case that audio activates the light.

Is it your default mic? If so it's activating because it's accessing your mic.

[Doctor Disco]

No, but anything is possible. Ill do a scan for safe messure but id like to think the better (less stressful) idea.

Sorry for lack of grammar n all, using my phone and im too lazy too edit it

[maplelink64]

be safe op i hope you get this problem solved

[Nix the Glaceon]

sorry i just wanted to see if you weren't hurt

[Doctor Disco]

Three scans with Malwarebytes and two with Windows Defender, no results aside from some adware. I think it's safe to say a program was the cause. Thank gosh.