Are our laptops designed to be bugged?

[MrPeabody]

I recently bought a Dell computer and I have been trying to secure it so that I can't be spied on. I put a band aid over the webcam port to disable it from taking pictures. One thing I noticed is that a microphone is built into the laptop. In my old laptop, there was no microphone, so I always knew if anyone could hear me or not, because I would only plug in the external microphone when I needed to talk on an application. I tried to get the same behavior on my new laptop by disabling the internal microphone and only using the external microphone. In short, it does not allow you to do this. When I electronically disable the internal microphone, it also disables the ability to use an external microphone. Another thing, I looked up the manual where the speaker is and I tested to see if I could cover it up. I tested a recorder on my computer and got the same volume on playback even when I covered up the hole with my thumb. It makes me wonder if the mike is really where the manual says it is?

This brings us to the recent disclosures of Snowden which document that high tech companies are cooperating with the government to hand over records and make it easier to spy on us. Could it be that the government has instructed laptop manufacturers to put in webcams and microphones and make them hard to disable to make it easier to spy on people?

Here is a fact for you.

It is a documented fact that the United States and Israel created the computer worm Stuxnet to attack Iran's nuclear facilities. According to the experts, this is the most sophisticated computer virus ever created.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuxnet#Flame

We also know that the virus Flame was based on an early version of Stuxnet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flame_(malware)

The virus Flame is able to infect a computer and record webcam, sounds, and screenshots and send them to a remote computer.

Thus, from these facts, I am suspicious that the government is actively involved with high tech companies in programming into our computers and software, vulnerabilities that can be used to spy on us.

[Tsar]

I think many laptops and technologies are designed to be bugged. America and many Western countries are totalitarian police states. They don't want you to disable the webcam and microphone. It would be logical that they would want secret microphones built into the laptops. They also count on people having a Facebook because they can use that as a spying tool (and many people willingly and unknowingly provide all that information to the government). Many websites like Google and Yahoo also require cell phone numbers for those wishing to register on their websites. Providing a cell phone reduces anonymity of the internet and providers the government with a backdoor to discovering your identity (assuming you registered under an alias, fake name, or pseudonym).

Prepaid phones, bit coin, and laser printing of firearms are on the governments "desire to control" or "things to ban" list. Anything that offers people privacy, freedom, or independence are being destroyed because the government is a totalitarian police state. They do not want people to be able to isolate themselves from the fascist and totalitarian system.

[Adama]

Another instance where Alex Jones is right.

[Teal Lantern]

Don't forget laser printers...
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20080 ... 1694.shtml
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/tech/new ... nter_N.htm

[Jester]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuxnet#Flame

We also know that the virus Flame was based on an early version of Stuxnet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flame_(malware)

The virus Flame is able to infect a computer and record webcam, sounds, and screenshots and send them to a remote computer.

Thus, from these facts, I am suspicious that the government is actively involved with high tech companies in programming into our computers and software, vulnerabilities that can be used to spy on us.

Maybe a coincidence, but the name reminds me of these folks:

http://factsandlogic.org/

[Jester]

I recently bought a Dell computer and I have been trying to secure it so that I can't be spied on. I put a band aid over the webcam port to disable it from taking pictures. One thing I noticed is that a microphone is built into the laptop. In my old laptop, there was no microphone, so I always knew if anyone could hear me or not, because I would only plug in the external microphone when I needed to talk on an application. I tried to get the same behavior on my new laptop by disabling the internal microphone and only using the external microphone. In short, it does not allow you to do this. When I electronically disable the internal microphone, it also disables the ability to use an external microphone. Another thing, I looked up the manual where the speaker is and I tested to see if I could cover it up. I tested a recorder on my computer and got the same volume on playback even when I covered up the hole with my thumb. It makes me wonder if the mike is really where the manual says it is?

This brings us to the recent disclosures of Snowden which document that high tech companies are cooperating with the government to hand over records and make it easier to spy on us. Could it be that the government has instructed laptop manufacturers to put in webcams and microphones and make them hard to disable to make it easier to spy on people?................

Thus, from these facts, I am suspicious that the government is actively involved with high tech companies in programming into our comput
ers and software, vulnerabilities that can be used to spy on us.

Great post, +1.

I have my webcams covered too.

PS Re the mikes, I just go outside where there's traffic noise etc and talk quietly. Or stay where I am and just scare the shit out of the maggots listening.

BTW don't talk in your car if it has "OnStar" or the equivalent, those have built-in cellphones that can be remotely activated in "emergencies". Meaning any damn time they want.

All new cars are like this I think. It generally is built into the computer for engine operation and supposedly cannot be disabled.

One could understand if it were a standard feature for Lincoln Town Cars or Crown Victorias or some other old-person car. But ALL cars? How many young guys do you know that would want this emergency-call feature, even if it only added $50 or $100 to the cost of the car?

Right.

Zip. None.

If anyone knows of a new car make that DOESN'T have this, please post it here.

[Jester]

Don't forget laser printers...
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20080 ... 1694.shtml
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/tech/new ... nter_N.htm

Didn't know this, thanks.

Just going to do the ransom note the old-fashioned way, in crayola.










(jk)