back to article Webcam spyware voyeur sentenced to community service

A UK voyeur who hacked webcams to spy on victims has avoided going to prison for his crimes. Stefan Rigo, 33, of Leeds, used the Blackshades malware to infect systems and spy on victims. He was arrested in November 2014 as part of an international operation targeting low-skilled crooks using Blackshades, which gives hackers …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    'Low skill crook' using bought s/w to spy on peoples lives...

    Sorry, how it this different from GCHQ/NSA again? Perhaps the NCA can visit them in the early hours of the morning then they can justify their smug moral high-ground attitude in press releases.

  2. Fatman

    Time to set an example

    Take this son of a bitch out back, and execute him.

    1. Prst. V.Jeltz Silver badge

      Re: Time to set an example

      and throw him to the floor sir?

    2. Little Mouse

      Re: Time to set an example

      He's been permanently branded with the seedy & creepy title of "voyeur", which will follow him for the rest of his natural life. And indeed death.

      you shag *one* goat...

    3. Old Handle

      Re: Time to set an example

      Psst. This isn't the Daily Mail comments section. Did you take a wrong turn at .co?

  3. Prst. V.Jeltz Silver badge

    details!

    So how did the malware he used actually get onto the victims machines?

    did i skim over it ?

  4. This post has been deleted by its author

  5. Phil O'Sophical Silver badge

    Use physical security

    a lens cap.

    1. Captain Scarlet Silver badge

      Re: Use physical security

      I tend to try and use tape that matches the machines colour.

      I see no reason for conferences where I have to see people picking their nose or worry someone will catch me banging my head on the desk in such meetings.

    2. Graham Marsden

      Re: Use physical security

      My webcam has a plastic shutter which goes over the lens when the cam is not in use.

    3. Joe User

      Re: Use physical security

      Or just point the bleedin' thing at the wall or floor when not in use....

  6. Turtle

    "Popularity"

    "Security experts reckon the privacy problem of devices in the home is only going to get worse with the growing popularity of (often insecure) Internet of Things devices."

    As far as I can tell, the "popularity" of Internet of Things devices might be growing among manufacturers of things but among people (i.e. the buyers of things), not so much...

    1. Steven Roper

      Re: "Popularity"

      Agreed, but when the "smart" things replace the "normal" things so you no longer have a choice, what do you do? Try and buy a TV set that isn't a "smart" TV these days. Eventually, this "smart" shit will encompass everything from your lightbulbs to your washing machine, and you won't be able to avoid it.

      1. Turtle

        Re: "Popularity"

        "...when the 'smart' things replace the 'norma' things so you no longer have a choice, what do you do?"

        Well the first thing you do, is wait 'till that happens. And it won't happen for a long, long time - assuming that it ever happens at all, which it might not.

        What I find more likely is that manufacturers will eventually made legally liable for the security of their devices, and be forced to guarantee a device's initial security and provide for ongoing security maintenance. Expect that to greatly diminish the hare-brained "IoT" enthusiasm now on display - and guarantee the continued availability of "non-IoT" appliances.

      2. Tony W

        Re: "Popularity"

        I have just bought a stupid TV. It was almost incredibly cheap.

  7. Your alien overlord - fear me

    Webcams and bedrooms are a recipe for disaster. Parents should explain that to their kids.

    1. Stoneshop
      Facepalm

      Explain

      And to themselves

  8. Known Hero
    Pint

    Ha !!

    Good luck to the poor bastard that ever tries to spy on me !!! they are going to need serious psych work to get over that image:)

    Beer icon as that has contributed to the content of this post and I didn't consume any today

    1. chivo243 Silver badge
      Pint

      Re: Ha !!

      Amen, if you want to spy on Jeremiah Johnson, Grizzly Adams or Leon Russell have a peep at me. I bet that's are real niche market!

      And I'll drink to that, again!

  9. SoloSK71

    So I agree (actually thought he received a light sentence) with the punishment but where is the liability for the manufacturers who keep shoveling out insecure shitty products?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Ummm, you bought it so it's your problem???

      1. hplasm
        Coat

        "Ummm, you bought it so it's your problem???"

        But...Win10 is free...

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Mitigation?

      > thought he received a light sentence

      I wonder if the NCA found his voyeurism activities had uncovered some more serious offences - why go intercepting when a "low skill crook" has done the work already...

    3. Steven Roper

      "(actually thought he received a light sentence) "

      In today's sociopolitical climate, I wouldn't call 7 years on the SOR a "light sentence." The social media vigilante squads will make sure it isn't.

  10. MasterofDisaster

    Just google "hacked security cameras" and the issue is not just putting tape on your laptop camera, but how secure is your organization's physical security? Too many people don't change default passwords, don't put physical security onto a separate network from corporate, and don't have any warning/alerting mechanism to detect tampering. With all the focus on cyber-security it is well worth remembering physical security can be as (or more) vulnerable to hacking and malicious attacks.

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