The Threats Continue to Become "More" Intense...
The article I'm referencing is below. I've heard about this "possibility" before, but now it's reality. You can go to a malicious website that can turn on your camera and microphone. In reality, it could have happened anytime, but it is happening now. I'll let you read their information in the article, I'm going to talk more about the implications. If someone can enable your mic or webcam and then access the information they collect, they can learn everything about the environment visible via the camera AND hear every noise in the area of your PC. That's obvious and I agree, here's what might not be so obvious.
If someone has access to your microphone, they can hear your keys being pressed. So? Each key, and your typing habit can be tracked easier than we'd like to think. If someone is able to hear you type, they can record your password. They don't need the camera, but the camera could make it a whole lot easier if the camera can see your keyboard. Without the camera, just the mic, an attacker could easily uncover your username and password, and then of course, exploit it. With the camera enabled... I hope you're fully dressed around your computer.
'Clickjackers' could hijack webcams, microphones, Adobe warns
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9116558&intsrc=hm_list
The article discusses the ways this exploit can be compromised, and my thoughts above describe a few of the risks a compromise like this can create.
Until next time!
Rob