Green iSight indicator turns on randomly

Hi,

You are posting in a thread that is over four years old.

If you have a question I would start a new thread.

8:29 pm Monday; June 12, 2017

Sounds like something (or someone) is accessing the camera. I would try this:

1. Go to system preferences > sharing and see if any of these options are checked: screen sharing, remote login, remote management, remote apple events; if they are, uncheck them.

2. Go to Applications > utilities > activity monitor when the camera is on and see if you can identify a process or app that is active and may be accessing the camera.

3. if the problem persists I suppose I'd create a new user account and see if that makes a difference. If the problem then disappears it follows that there is something in the old account that is allowing access or turning on the camera, and then it is a process of trial and error to find it.

Message was edited by: arthur

You seem to be an experienced Mac user who has already considered several good ideas.

If arthur's suggestions or the ideas from http://discussions.apple.com/thread/4709690 don't help you find a satisfactory solution, here are a few other thoughts you can consider depending on how badly you want to eliminate the flashing:

(Apple has changed the built-in camera's name on newer Macs from "iSight" to "FaceTime" and then to "FaceTime HD." Regardless of the name of your Mac's built-in camera, the same info and troubleshooting applies.)

(1) Try to figure out what happened "recently" immediately before your symptom started. Also time it precisely for a few hours to see if the flash occurs at exact, (or nearly so,) regular intervals.

If it is regular, it may be a Skype or other third-party software issue. My Macs never exhibit the problem you describe, but I don't use Skype for Mac. Next time the indicator lights, notice whether you were using any third-party apps while, or immediately before, the flashing. Any bug will be repeatable rather than random.

If it is random, and if you have no other problems with your Mac, the problem may be hardware related. If you are certain you have no camera enabled app running when the flashing occurs, merely restarting your Mac may stop the flashing until next time you use Skype or another camera app. If not, you will likely need professional Mac service.

(2) Hacking of webcam control should not be a concern for Mac OS X users.

If you are using Windows®, you are wise to be cautious and take every possible precaution against Windows®'s security weaknesses, whether running on a PC or on a Mac (and whether via OS X Boot Camp or one of the PC emulators that runs inside OS X.)

For OS X Macs, the only way I know to make the webcam controllable by someone else is for you (or someone else who had access access to your Mac) to modify or somehow damage your Mac or its software. Unless an "administrator" of your particular Mac has installed, activated, and authorized Apple Remote Desktop or some other software for remotely operating your Mac, it is highly unlikely that anyone can be using your cam without your explicit permission and action.

However, if you are convinced that your Mac has unwanted software that you cannot identify, securely erase your entire startup disk. Then reinstall a fresh copy (not from your backups) of OS X and all necessary apps and updates. Finally, copy your important user data files to the fresh system from your backup to your fresh system.

(3) If you've not already done so, you should Safe Boot your Mac. Safe Boot forces an automated OS X disk check and repair routine. If your disk needs significant work, Safe Boot may take several minutes to finish. Do NOT try to use your Mac while in Safe Mode. When your desktop appears in Safe Mode, immediately restart your Mac normally and see if the trouble persists. 

(4) You are wise to be concerned about the effects of any camera disabler. While any such disabler will probably not disable your keyboard and trackpad, while in effect, it would almost certainly disable ALL (including any connected external) USB camera functions.

Message was edited by: EZ Jim

Mac OSX 10.8.2

HI,

Much more recently I have been busy in iChat and the OS forums that have iChat or Messages filters and concentrating on this apps.

However today I had an email alerting me to new post in iSight and I checked the list after I had dealt with that.

As "arthur" suggests some looking around your system is going to be needed.

I myself would look in System Preferences > Users and groups > Your account > Login Items list

This may list some app or even an add-on you had forgotten about that is trying to access the camera.

I would also consider creating a New Mac User Account whilst here and seeing if the same thing happens in that Login to the computer.

Quick things to consider.

Browsers can use Flash to access some Video Chats sites like Mebeam (Now using the http://cuseeme.tv/address).

Google have a Web Browser Plug in for Intel Macs to do Video Chats via Google Talk using the Google Mail Login.

It is not (that) compatible with Flash at times (I must admit to not checking trying to run both in Mountain Lion)

(Their update cycles don't match up).

EZ Jim is the most experienced of the regular Posters here and has gained the most points from his answers.

9:50 PM Saturday; March 2, 2013

Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.2)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Same thing with my new MBP Retina 13".....for me it was FaceTime duhhh

Hi,

I am still subscribed to this tread (which does seem a bit odd based on it's age).

However Mebeam when searched in Google with give you a Link which is now http://projectlabs.net/

It still works exactly the same way.

From the initial Page create a Room.

Copy the URL and send to a Buddy/Friend.

They click on that and enter the room with you.

Of course you need Flash to be installed on Both and click the Allow button in the pop up. (it allows access to your Camera and Mic by your Browser).

8:37 pm Friday; January 2, 2015

Thanks. Two years later, this happened to me, so I did step 1, and voila!, it stopped. Thanks so much.

hi,

Same as above (still linked apparently)

MeBeam now listed as http://viduality.com/

7:58 pm Thursday; April 16, 2015

This just happened me today....checked activity monitor and started quitting app that I thought might be the source..... turned out o be FaceTime in my case.

/J

It seems that when I FaceTime on my iPhone it is connecting on my computer as well and not disconnecting. I found the FaceTime active in the activity monitor as your post suggested. When I shut down FaceTime, the green light turned off. Thank you, for that post, I was really getting paranoid.

For possible benefit of other readers who use FaceTime (FT) on more than one Apple device, the image below shows the two alternatives to control Mac's FaceTime use while leaving your Mac powered on for other application uses:

(1) Clicking the Sign Out button in Mac FaceTime > Preferences... will completely prevent FT from working on the individual Mac until you sign in again.

(2) Some users have more than one Apple iD to allow FT use between their Apple devices. These users can disable one or more individual FT Apple iDs while leaving others available by unchecking "Enable this account" for every account they wish to disable.

This method lets users temporarily prevent one or more Apple iDs from being accessed on any individual Mac.

Users who have FT working on more than one Mac will need to uncheck the "Enable this account" box(es) on every Mac they want to ignore specific Apple iDs.

Message was edited by: EZ Jim

Mac OSX 10.11.4

Hello