In this issue, I want to talk about the darker side of convenience. Voice recognition software, voice commands, and voice-to-text applications make it easy to be hands-free, safe to use your devices and communicate with minimal distractions.
At the same time, incidents of microphones being turned on without the knowledge of the owner of the device – because they were left on by accident, because another app on the phone has permission to access it, or because the device has been infected with spyware – are on the rise. There are no visual indicators when your microphone is turned on. It could be listening in right now…
Microphone usage for all kinds of devices is on the
Countless incidents of microphones on devices being turned on without the owner knowing have been reported. Sometimes it’s you who leaves the microphone on by accident. Sometimes it’s an app on your device that you have given access to you microphone. Sometimes your mic can be turned on remotely from spyware. The question then becomes, “Who is listening?”
Devices and programs listening in on conversations have also grown in number as voice technology has progressed. For example, have you ever said something within proximity of your computer only to have a side bar or pop-up advertisement regarding that very subject come up? Users have reported this occurring on various webpages and social media sites. Although their claims are usually denied, this has become an increasingly common occurrence. Even legitimate applications like Microsoft’s Cortana, designed to gather information based on what you say around it can raise privacy and security concerns. Many applications and devices specifically designed to respond to voice can be left on without the owner’s awareness and continue to work just as it is designed to do.
But what if you’re not the one in control of your microphone?
In recent years, computer security firm Panda found spyware that can turn on the microphone of a victim’s phone, track the user, record conversations, and identify the location of the phone. This spyware goes hand-in-hand with accessing victims’ webcams.
However, hacking one’s microphone can carry greater threats than hacking a webcam. When your webcam is turned on, there is a visual cue. Most cams have a tiny light right next to the lens that illuminates when turned on. Microphones don’t have a visual cue. You can’t SEE when your microphone is on.
So what can you do to protect yourself from spyware and listening ears?
Taping over your microphone just doesn’t cut it. It may muffle the sound a bit, but that’s pretty much as far as you get.
What you CAN do is to first keep your internet security software updated and fully functional to protect from spyware infiltrating your device and turning on your microphone.
Second, learn how to manually dismantle or block your microphone. Look up how to do this for your device, or get software that can do this automatically. You could also buy a cheap wire microphone, plug it into the mic extension socket on your device, and then cut the wire just below the mic. This way, the microphone extension will be activated but there won’t be a microphone on the other end of the wire. If your extension socket is a headphone/microphone socket, you will need to use a combination headset instead of simply a microphone. Just stick in the wire and snip just below the microphone. It has the same jamming effect.
Third, check and adjust the microphone access settings on your apps. Some of your apps may have access to your microphone and could turn it on without your knowledge or action. Do NOT give any apps access to your microphone unless access is essential. When downloading new apps, if an app requests permission to access your microphone, if you can decline do it.