Patent ID: 10395066

Abstract:
The invention relates to digital data processing systems that use a microphone and/or a camera as a means of inputting information. More particularly, the invention relates to the security and protection of computers or computer systems from unauthorized actions by controlling access to a microphone and/or a camera from software applications that request access to the function of a microphone and/or camera.A method for protecting a camera and microphone from unauthorized access comprising determining the list of audio devices and USB devices, connected to a computer system, using the system registry of computer system devices, obtaining a list of computer system camera identifiers, tracking the creation of records of process requests to access the camera and the microphone in the system registry of computer system devices, storing last record information on the process requesting access to the camera or the process requesting access to the microphone from the system registry of computer system devices, screening the process requesting access to the camera or the process recording sound through the microphone against a process whitelist according to the last stored record information, opening access to the camera and to the microphone for the whitelisted process or sending a message of the unavailability of the camera and blocking sound recording through the microphone for an unknown process, informing the user about the process request to access the camera or the sound recording process that are not on the process whitelist, adding the process requesting access to the camera and/or the sound recording process, which is not on the process whitelist, to the process whitelist or blocking the process requesting access to the camera or the process recording sound through the microphone.