Many laptops these days come equipped with web cams – just look closely at the top of the screen and see if you can see a small hole there – and there has always been concern about malware that might enable your web cam and record your activities.
This could include determining what you are typing if the microphone is turned on and/or the web cam has a large enough field of view!
Normally when a web cam is turned on, there is a warning light next to it that comes on as well. And that warning light has in fact been known to reveal unauthorised spying.
Of course there have been rumours for years that governments can secretly turn the web cam on without the warning light coming on. But now researchers have demonstrated the possibility meaning the warning light may now be a thing of the past.
I guess it is time to resort to the blank masking tape method.