FBI Able For Several Years To Secretly Turn On Laptop CamerasMadison Ruppert While this may be surprising to some, it really shouldnt be. Previous reports revealed that the FBI employs hackers to create software to remotely activate the microphones on laptops and cell phones as well as cameras. The U.S. government has also become the worlds largest buyer of malware. The NSA also recommended physically removing the webcam from Apple laptops for security reasons. In August, the Wall Street Journal reported that the FBI has developed hacking tools like this for over a decade, though they rarely are discussed publicly. Thomas, who now sits on the advisory board of Subsentio, a company that helps telecommunications firms comply with federal wiretap laws, told the Post that the bureau uses the technique mainly in terrorism cases or the most serious criminal investigations. Because of encryption and because targets are increasingly using mobile devices, law enforcement is realizing that more and more theyre going to have to be on the device or in the cloud, Thomas said. Indeed, in January of this year a report indicated that all data stored on cloud services could be accessed by the U.S. government without a warrant. In the past, a federal magistrate rejected the FBIs attempt to get authorization to activate the laptop camera of a suspect. The magistrate ruled that it was extremely intrusive and could be a violation of the Fourth Amendment. Federal magistrate Judge Stephen W. Smith also said the Texas-based court did not have the jurisdiction to approve the search of a computer in an unknown location. Yet, another federal magistrate approved sending surveillance software to a target, though it did not involve remotely activating a computer camera. The surveillance software gave the FBI a detailed account of the computer of the target a federal fugitive including his hard drive space, the chips used on his computer and a list of installed programs. In the case the Post was reporting on, an individual calling himself Mo, probably located in Tehran, made a series of bomb threats. The FBI obtained a warrant to send surveillance software to Mos computer when he sign in to his Yahoo email account but the program never actually executed as designed, according to a handwritten note by a federal agent given to a court. Id love to hear your opinion, take a look at your story tips and even your original writing if you would like to get it published. I am also available for interviews on radio, television or any other format. Please email me at Admin@EndtheLie.com Please support our work and help us start to pay contributors by doing your shopping through our Amazon link or check out some must-have products at our store. This article first appeared at End the Lie. 