As remote work becomes more common amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, webcams are becoming more necessary that ever. Furthermore, threat actors are looking for new ways to exploit a new workforce who are heading to their PCs to work for the first time. To help ease security concerns related to webcams, Microsoft has a Windows 10 feature in development.
Specifically, the new tool in Windows 10 will allow users to make their webcams more secure through a simple setting that tells them when the cam is in use. Furthermore, the platform will also notify users about which apps are using the camera.
It's such a basic function that I cannot believe Windows 10 does not already have this capability. That's Microsoft for you, but at least the company is now brining this feature to users.
Whenever the webcam is in use, Windows will tell the user with an icon in the taskbar. Hovering over that icon brings up a list showing which applications the camera is running in. You may be familiar with the general concept of the feature because it is similar to how Windows already handles microphone connection.
Windows Latest reports Microsoft is currently testing the tool in Windows 10X. However, it is expected the feature will be available in all Windows 10 SKUs.
Useful Tool
There are numerous reasons why this is a useful addition. During the pandemic, remote work has become a normalcy for millions of workers. Many of those many not be used to working on a camera. Mistakes and mishaps happen, including forgetting the webcam is on while you decide to dance to your favorite song.
Of course, it will also serve a more serious security function too, allowing users to know if an unwanted app is using the webcam without permission.
Tip of the day:
Whether you're planning an upgrade, tuning CPU timings, or just curious, it's handy to know information about your RAM. In our tutorial, we show you how to check RAM speed, type, and size using several built-in Windows 10 tools.