Can the FBI turn on the web cams of linux users?

[halfmanhalfamazing]

Check this story out:

Ex-Official Says FBI Can Secretly Activate an Individual?s Webcam Without the Indicator Light Turning On

?The FBI has been able to covertly activate a computer?s camera - without triggering the light that lets users know it is recording - for several years, and has used that technique mainly in terrorism cases or the most serious criminal investigations.?

[deanjo]

I'll tell you how they do it after you put some pants on. ;D

[dee.]

None of my computers have webcams.

[BSDude]

None of my computers have webcams.

hah, doesn't stop them from activating the mics!

[curaga]

Why couldn't they? All big parties stockpile exploits.

Also, take your left hand off your face.

[d2kx]

Doubt the Linux drivers will have exploits, because many are written by the community. And even then, Linux users more often than not deactivate the Webcam in the BIOS because they don't use it anyway, and it doesn't even get recognised by the OS then.

[dee.]

hah, doesn't stop them from activating the mics!

My computers don't have mics either.

[duby229]

Just tape over the camera. That's what I do on my phones. There is no exploit that can see through tape.

[duby229]

edit limit....

http://www.washington.edu/news/2013/06/04/wi-fi-signals-enable-gesture-recognition-throughout-entire-home/

But there are other ways of monitoring you that you wouldnt even think about... How about using wifi signals to watch you.....

[RealNC]

I assume this is only possible if they actually have installed a backdoor on your system. You can't just "do stuff" on other peoples Linux machines remotely just like that, unless they're going in by exploiting a system vulnerability.