Laptop hardware component & upgrades forum: Asus webcam turns on by itself?

Hi Bob,

I already disabled the camera in device manager about a week or so ago. The camera still activated itself.

And tell more. Did the camera stay disabled in the device manager? You didn't tell enough detail for me to think if this is some hardware issue or the usual app like PREY.
Bob

No apparently the camera doesn't stay disabled when I restart the computer (I didn't know that). Either way I just installed a different firewall just to be safe. If you know of any ways I can disable the camera permanently that would be great. Otherwise I'd have to remember to disable my camera every time I restart. As far as I know the only programs on here are the default programs from the manufacturer and a few trusted programs I installed myself that I've been using for years (I just bought this computer in March). The only one was wasn't sure about was the CA Security suite but that has since been replaced with AVG.

It re-enables since the log on manager uses a picture of the current user to log on. For that to work they re-enable the camera on every boot. Nothing busted there. I can imagine some users to try to defeat that.

Get to know your laptop as well as do your research about apps like PREY (you haven't said much about that yet.)

A quick fix is to put a cover on the camera. Maybe a simple black plastic and velcro?
Bob

I'm guessing the only "Prey-like" program on here is the Smartlogon software that came with the computer. It allows me to log on using facial recognition. Is it the culprit? I don't know because I never used it. The program never prompted me to do anything. Whenever the camera turns on its the Asus Lifeframe program that boots up. If it is the this app that causing the problem. then why would it activate the camera randomly rather than just activating with I log on?

Otherwise there are no monitoring programs on this computer. I bought this computer brand new in March and the only programs on it were programs installed by the manufacturer. As I said before, since then the only programs I've installed where trusted programs that I've been using for years.

Thanks

You found the cause. I'd relax a bit now and ask the maker if they have procedure to remove it SAFELY.

I did not write the app so I can't tell you why it does that but you just found it. Ask the maker next.
Bob