How to check if my Macbook camera was used in past without consent ?

Question

Level 1

13 points

How to check if my Macbook camera was used in past without consent ?

Dear All/ Team

Please can you advice if there is any way to identify if someone HAD access to my MacBook camera and used it? Does it get recorded in any logs etc. and how can I find it.

I have Kaspersky and run full system scan daily but no trojans/malwares/viruses were identified except when I was concerned and ran Malwarebytes that it found a malware - Adware Spigot which is some kind of Chrome extension and may not have anything to do with MacBook camera access.

I hardly use my MacBook camera, only for instances like FaceTime or Messenger and that also is very rare.

Please anyone can help me with this.

MacBook Air 13", macOS 10.15

Posted on Mar 21, 2020 2:12 AM

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Answer 1

John Galt

Level 10

155,588 points

Mar 21, 2020 8:56 PM in response to proabhinav

No, log doesn't record any specific FaceTime camera activity. The Spigot adware is unrelated to its use. If it helps, if the FaceTime Camera LED is not illuminated then the camera is not "on". Conversely, if the FaceTime camera LED is illuminated the camera is active. Safari (for example) is prohibited from using the FaceTime camera without your explicit consent. Google Chrome (for example) may not be so restricted, and has been known to activate MacBook microphones.

Uninstall "Kaspersky" in strict accordance with its instructions. It as well as other non-Apple "anti-virus" products harvest personal information for purposes known only to them. Along with Google Chrome, non-Apple "anti-virus" products are indistinguishable from various and sundry malware products that should never be installed on any Mac.

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Answer 2

John Galt

Level 10

155,588 points

Mar 21, 2020 9:19 PM in response to proabhinav

I don't think so the green light lit up at all but is it possible to access the camera without the green light on, understand may be difficult but I read some articles that it could be.

No. Not possible on Macs. The FaceTime camera LED simply cannot be disabled in software.

Non-Apple "anti-virus" products increase your Mac's threat profile, destabilize its operation, degrade its performance, and harvest your personal information. Do not install them. Read Effective defenses against malware and other threats.

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Answer 3

macjack

Level 10

111,242 points

Mar 22, 2020 7:19 AM in response to proabhinav

There is NO way your camera can be accessed remotely. Your camera is always off unless the green light is on.

AFA, anti-virus software:

No Anti-Virus software or so-called “cleaning” apps are needed or recommended for Mac OS. They can conflict with Mac's own built-in security. At best they will slow your Mac by using unnecessary resources and at worst will bork your entire system. Your Mac has all the built-in protection you need.

https://www.apple.com/macos/security/

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Answer 4

sterling r

Community Specialist

Mar 21, 2020 6:24 PM in response to proabhinav

Hello proabhinav,

Welcome to Apple Support Communities. It sounds like you have a question about the security of the camera on your Mac. I'd be happy to share information that may help.

Take a look at this information about making sure your camera is secure: Control access to your camera on Mac.

You may also want to check out the information in these articles:

Take care.

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Answer 5

proabhinav Author

Level 1

13 points

Mar 21, 2020 9:06 PM in response to John Galt

Thanks John Galt :)

Your inputs are helpful.

I don't think so the green light lit up at all but is it possible to access the camera without the green light on, understand may be difficult but I read some articles that it could be. As much I rely on security that' provided by Apple, I sometimes read some article and start thinking about the security aspect.

Secondly, I understand you are advising me to uninstall Kaspersky. But doesn't it add one more layer to security. I must share that I have got quite a few notifications that malware/add tracking or something has been blocked when am accessing sites. Would Apple had done the same or helped me avoid accessing or blocked malware etc.

Am a newbie and learning, so thanks for your patience :)

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Answer 6

proabhinav Author

Level 1

13 points

Mar 21, 2020 11:45 PM in response to John Galt

Thanks John, your article is indeed helpful.

Frankly, as much as I liked the I information that has been shared in your article and has helped me get an idea of the security of Mac, precautions needed, I am still evaluating if I should uninstall Kaspersky in my MacBook or leave it like it.

Am sure your comments on anti-virus destabilising and a threat to Mac profile etc. comes with experience and knowledge you carry about systems and security and sure helpful to all of us but am also led to recall my very few instances where Kaspersky prompted me of a trojan/malware etc in my Mac when I conducted a scan and I would have been happier if this was Mac telling me. I mean this :)

I must accept that though am new to security aspect of Mac and have recently started exploring an answer if Macs need Anti Virus and have been led to multiple articles on Apple forum or otherwise.

I think for not just newbies like me but community as a whole, it will help if Apple comes out and states with use cases that Macs are "As or MORE Effective and responsiveness as best Anti Virus' in the market that are needed for other OSs'.

This in one way that will help us reach one word answer to " If Mac' need Anti Virus etc or not " and would be a simple - NO and not be lost in looking for answer in this world of internet.

Again, like everyone must thank you for useful insights and information you share with us :)

Sincerely

Abhinav

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Answer 7

John Galt

Level 10

155,588 points

Mar 22, 2020 7:07 AM in response to proabhinav

I am still evaluating if I should uninstall Kaspersky in my MacBook or leave it like it.

GCHQ and NSA broke antivirus software so that they could spy on people

Pull quote:

"Both the NSA and GCHQ have long been said to have deliberately reversed engineer software so that they could find weaknesses in software and exploit them to read communications. But new documents show that the agencies did so to some of the most popular antivirus software, potentially exposing hundreds of millions of people to dangerous viruses, according to a report from The Intercept."

The US department of Homeland Security banned "Kaspersky" from civilian government systems a couple years ago. Although that report specifically implicated that product by name, the same principles apply to all similarly categorized products.

... it will help if Apple comes out and states with use cases that Macs are "As or MORE Effective and responsiveness as best Anti Virus' in the market that are needed for other OSs'.

It's your Mac. Apple is not in the habit of telling their customers what not to install on them. I just did.

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Answer 8

proabhinav Author

Level 1

13 points

Mar 22, 2020 8:10 AM in response to John Galt

Thanks again John, helpful.

" It's your Mac. Apple is not in the habit of telling their customers what not to install on them. I just did. " - Agree.

My point is that we will see lesser queries on Mac & AV topic, if Apple confirms. Else we had multiple threads on this question, we are already discussing on one and we may continue to have more as customers try to explore this choice for their MAC.

But again, thanks for patience and time .. very helpful inputs :)

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Answer 9

John Galt

Level 10

155,588 points

Mar 22, 2020 8:47 AM in response to proabhinav

As I wrote Apple will never tell its users what not to install. With very few notable exceptions, we remain free to install anything we want on Macs.

My point is that we will see lesser queries on Mac & AV topic, if Apple confirms.

Apple routinely affirms their commitment to platform security through their actions and publications. As a representative of Apple, sterling r provided certain Support documents directly addressing your specific question, to which I'd add these more broadly encompassing subjects:

https://support.apple.com/guide/security/welcome/web

Introduction to Apple platform security - Apple Support

There are many thousands of queries similar to yours on this site, all of which have been addressed in similar fashion over the past couple of decades. You can research them on your own. Without those contributions and Apple's, there would certainly be many more.

As Apple ships them, a Mac remains the most secure consumer-grade computing product on Earth. Installing non-Apple products like "Kaspersky" and its ilk can only make it less so. That's the reason I told you not to install it.

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