SOFTWARE SYSTEM FOR DENYING REMOTE ACCESS TO COMPUTER CAMERAS

• US 20120151606A1
• Filed: 12/09/2010
• Published: 06/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: James Hannon
• Original Assignee: James Hannon
• Inventors: Hannon, James
• Application Number:
  US12/964,585
• Publication Number:
  US 20120151606A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/83 input devices, e.g. keyboards, mice or controllers thereof

Abstract

A program and method for detecting and preventing the unauthorized remote access of a computer camera by determining whether the camera is activated, and scanning applications to determine if the activation is authorized, and if it is not authorized, then the user is alerted.

Claims

1. A method for detecting unauthorized activation of a video capture device connected to a computer, comprising the steps of:

a) selecting said video capture device from a set of capture devices, wherein;

if no video capture device is detected, then said method concludes;

otherwise,

if said video capture device is detected, then said method continues;

b) determining whether said video capture device is activated by previewing video from said video capture device, wherein;

if said preview is successful, then said method concludes;

otherwise,

if said preview is not successful, then said method continues;

c) scanning running applications according to a predetermined list of dynamic-link libraries to determine if the activation of said video capture device is by an authorized application, wherein;

if a selected application is not using said dynamic-link libraries, then said method concludes;

otherwise,

if a selected application is using said dynamic-link libraries, then said method continues;

d) determining a process that is using said video capture device by retrieving process status information;

e) scrambling said video capture device input;

f) displaying a message prompting a user to permit or deny access to said video capture device, wherein;

if said user permits said access, said process can access said video capture device;

otherwise,

if said user denies said access, said process is terminated.

2. A method for detecting unauthorized activation of a video capture device connected to a computer, comprising the steps of:

a) selecting said video capture device from a set of capture devices;

b) determining whether said video capture device is activated by previewing video from said video capture device;

c) scanning running applications according to a predetermined list of dynamic-link libraries to determine if the activation of said video capture device is by an authorized application;

d) determining process that is using said video capture device by retrieving process status information;

e) scrambling said video capture device input;

f) displaying a message to prompt user;

wherein access to said video capture device is terminated if said user declines access.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

concluding said method if no video capture device is detected.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

continuing said method if said video capture device is detected.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

concluding said method if said preview is successful.

6. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

continuing said method if said preview is not successful.

7. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

concluding said method if a selected application is not using said dynamic-link libraries.

8. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

continuing said method if a selected application is using said dynamic-link libraries.

9. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

permitting access to said video capture device if said user accepts said access.

10. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

terminating access to said video capture device if said user declines said access.

11. A method for detecting unauthorized activation of a video capture device connected to a computer, comprising the steps of polling said video capture device, wherein if said video capture device is not usable, then a message is displayed to alert a user and said method concludes.

12. A method for detecting unauthorized activation of a video capture device connected to a computer, comprising the steps of:

a) placing the process name and process ID of any application using said video capture device into an I/O Registry;

b) polling said I/O Registry, wherein;

if the entries for said I/O Registry is determined to be unchanged, then said method concludes;

otherwise,

if the entries for said I/O Registry is determined to be changed, then said method continues;

c) scrambling said video capture device input;

d) displaying a message prompting a user to permit or deny access to said video capture device, wherein;

if said user permits said access, said process can access said video capture device;

otherwise,

if said user denies said access, said process is terminated.