Full Disclosure mailing list archives

Re: PC/Laptop microphones


From: Simon Smith <simon () snosoft com>
Date: Mon, 29 Jan 2007 22:02:14 -0500

Jim, 
    In all reality you don't have to be an agent  to do this. You could just
write an exploit that when successfully executed would compromise the target
and then fetch an application from a remote site. I'm sure that things like
this have been done in the past. Hell imagine what you could do with a web
cam! ;]

    New telephones are no different I'm sure.

On 1/29/07 9:26 PM, "Jim Popovitch" <jimpop () yahoo com> wrote:

I started this discussion elsewhere, but I feel that there is more
experience and concern here.   When I look at BIOS settings I see config
options to disable sound cards, USB, CDROM, INTs, etc., but what about
the PC or laptop microphone?  Does disabling the sound card remove the
availability of a built-in microphone? What if I want to play mp3s but
never have the need to use a microphone? Given recent info about the US
FBIs capabilities to remotely enable mobile phone microphones
(presumably via corporate cellular service providers), what prevents my
OS provider (or distribution) and ISP from working on a way to listen in
on my office or home conversations via the microphone or the built-in
speakers?  Thoughts?

-Jim P.
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_______________________________________________
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Charter: http://lists.grok.org.uk/full-disclosure-charter.html
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