A little-known computer security issue is just how much ability hackers have to gain access to any webcam.
Whether it is through computers, cell phones, or any other device that has Internet access, hackers have found various ways of obtaining all sorts of information.
Josh Luft, a Keene State College class of 2010 graduate, learned a thing or two about these security issues as a computer science major at KSC.
Luft said he knows how real these problems are.
The KSC alum has created a product that he calls camJAMR as a solution to the webcam security issue.
Contributed Photo: KSC graduate of 2010, Josh Luft, created a product called camJAMR Webcam Covers to prevent hacking through webcams and cameras.
The camJAMR Webcam Covers, which have been reviewed in the Washington Post, are covers made to stick over webcams and cameras on phones or tablets in order to gain user security.
“There’s an ongoing battle between hackers and security software,” Luft said, “This is a problem because you could find a good security software, but someone with better computer skills may be able to hack into it.”
Luft’s product is intended to end the webcam security problem from the outside, rather than through software that could potentially be infiltrated.
“It kind of all started out when I was using my webcam to Skype. I had been taking a UNIX class at Keene and it really opened up my eyes to basic programming,” Luft said
He continued, “I learned that you can basically do anything with a computer, which makes hackers such a big problem today.”
Luft added, “I knew about this webcam problem, so I started to just stick Post-It notes over my webcam to protect myself. At the time, this was the best solution I had, but after a lot of opening and closing of my laptop, it’d fall right off.”
Luft said he was interested in creating something that would be able to secure all webcams and cameras, but still be practical at the same time.
He went through various ideas, like creating a clamp that would latch onto a laptop, before coming up with the fool-proof design of camJAMR.
“For me, it was just more obvious than I expected to create a removable, reusable sticker that can come on and off whenever,” Luft said, “It also doesn’t leave behind any residue when you take it off and it can be used hundreds of times.” This webcam problem may be unfamiliar to most people. KSC sophomore Remi Chiovaro felt nervous after hearing about her webcam’s safety.
Contributed Photo:
Luft’s product is a “removable, reusable” sticker that is placed over webcams for security purposes.
“I had no idea that people could just hack into your webcam and take pictures of you, even if it’s not on,” Chiovaro said, “I feel like people should be more aware of this.”
One of Luft’s main goals with camJAMR is to educate people on webcam and Internet safety. CamJAMR’s website, camjamr.com, features facts and videos to teach the community about this issue.
“We feel like it’s important for people to start learning not only about our product, but about the issue itself,” Luft said, “people definitely need to become more aware of this,” Luft said. Sophomore Meredith Falso decided it was time she better protect herself while on the Internet.
“I feel like I’m always accidentally clicking on buttons that will give my computer some kind of virus. Now that I know about this webcam thing, I’m even more nervous about hackers,” Falso said, “I’m considering buying some camJAMRs for my laptop or phone.”
The camJAMR is gaining some feedback in recent news, having been featured in both the Washington Post and a small New York-based newspaper called The Journal News.
However, Luft said he still finds himself surprised by his product’s success.
“I’ve always been the type of person who tries to think of ways to make things better,” Luft said, “I knew I wanted to invent something, but I never thought it could actually happen and I’d create my own business.”
As a KSC graduate, Luft said he felt very prepared for his future success. “I feel like Keene really taught me a lot about time management,” Luft said, “Now, with my full-time job and camJAMR on the side, I’m definitely a busy guy, but I feel like Keene really prepared me for it.”
In the next couple of weeks, Luft’s product will be featured at different events. “We’re actually sponsoring a privacy conference in San Francisco called RightsCon on March third through the fifth which we made custom camJAMRs for,” Luft said,
“There is also another company, IEE, that ordered custom camJAMR’s to give out at the South by Southwest music festival this year,” Luft said.
Stephanie McCann can be contacted at smccann@keene-equinox.com
