Google Chrome sees and hears everything
Google Chrome sees and hears everything
“Google Chrome sees and hears everything”
“Google Chrome sees and hears everything : microphone and webcam hidden active”
A programmer has discovered that “Google’s Chrome browser hides the microphone and can activate the webcam” . If the worst surveillance nightmares come true ? “Google has already corrected the error though” – of which users have nothing .
Chrome has a vulnerability that could use a foreign computer for espionage by the attacker microphone and camera. Users of the “Google Chrome sees and hears everything” browser can easily protect yourself from but . In order for the attack to work, the users need to give access to camera or microphone of your computer to a website first. “Google Chrome sees and hears everything” – This is indicated programmer Tal Ater , who discovered the error , go to his website. After that the page can theoretically open an unobtrusive browser window in the background and see the user about it on and hear – even if it has the original side closed long ago .
Background: Unobtrusive window still listens
The error is discovered on closer inspection no real surprise , since “Google Chrome always asks the user whether he wants to grant access to a web camera and microphone”. In some cases, “Google Chrome sees and hears everything” noted that decision – especially if the connection is encrypted using the HTTPS protocol.
Such a page can therefore open a second window that does not see or noticed by the user. About this website operators’ can continue to listen then – until the window is closed. If it is a tab , it shows on the browser , whether this is just accessing the webcam or the microphone . Such a marker does not exist in the browser window .
Strange response from “Google Chrome sees and hears everything”
Amazingly there is already the response from “Google Chrome sees and hears everything” : First, Google has quickly responded and fixed the problem within two weeks. That should have been in September 2013. Later Tal Ater was even nominated for the Chromium Reward Panel program . It rewarded Google Foreign developers , discover the vulnerabilities – the premiums can be up to $ 30,000 .
Since then , however, nothing further happened – troubleshoot never found its way into an official release . It is not yet decided how the browser should respond correctly . Most webcams show the way with a small lamp , whether they currently receive .
How to protect yourself
The best way to give users therefore only absolutely trustworthy websites camera and microphone access . Requests a website these for the first time , Chrome will ask for first . After that, the page can sometimes mitfilmen even after a restart of the browser without permission or re – listen – the user , the permission but again escape .
This is either the camera icon in the address bar or in the browser settings . Here , click on ” Advanced Settings ” and then “Privacy” on ” Content Settings ” . In the menu that opens, can ” manage exceptions ” under select which page is allowed to control what . Who wants to play it safe , the camera and microphone access from Chrome can also turn it off completely here .