Hackers Can Activate Your MacBook iSight Camera Without You Knowing?
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and it very well should since winter is officially here. The final week of the year can be stressful, so if you’re planning on taking your relationship to the next level during the holiday — well, good luck!
As that overwhelming sense of year-end burnout sets in, try to keep your eye on the prize. Need a little pick-me-up? Here’s a shiny new “The Week In WHAT?!“
Peek-A-Boo, We See You!
If your MacBook or iMac is a pre-2008 model with a webcam, it might be time for you to consider an upgrade. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University discovered that someone can remotely activate the built-in iSight cameras on these models without triggering any indicator lights on the device. Even if you have a newer Apple computer, you may still be at risk, but the process might not be as simple for would-be hackers dependent on the model. A former director at the FBI revealed that the agency used similar methods in the past for monitoring potential threats. Of course, at this point, chances are most people already post their own deeply incriminating photos and videos directly to Instagram. So, perhaps the real security threat is yourself? #Latergram
The Not-So-Real Realtors of Minneapolis
Ever wonder whether those realtor ads on local bus stop benches attract the attention of the occasional passersby? Turns out that some do but probably not the versions the realtors ideally want people to notice. Phil Jones, an art director and designer in Minneapolis, provided some free national publicity for a handful of local agents after his latest project went viral. Jones spent a month recreating a few choice advertisements by superimposing his likeness onto the images, and the resemblances are uncanny. Unsuspecting residents likely had an easier time differentiating between the real and faux “Faces of Real Estate” when Jones impersonated females — although, his poses are spot on. Bazinga!
Overworked (and Underpaid) to Death?
For the workaholics out there, please beware that overworking yourself without proper breaks and rest can potentially kill you. A copywriter at Young & Rubicam Indonesia reportedly suffered heart failure after working 30 hours straight. According to her father, Mita Diran slipped into a coma after she collapsed. While it is still unclear as to whether her work schedule is solely to blame for her death, a colleague noted that Diran frequently drank Krating Daeng, a.k.a. Thai Red Bull. It’s another tragic reminder that nothing is a substitute for proper sleep when your body needs to recharge.
With This Ring, I Thee Arrest
While Justin Timberlake stopped in the middle of a recent concert in Kentucky to help an audience member propose, an Oklahoma man found himself getting down on one knee in front of his girlfriend with a different kind of fanfare. As Justin Harrel prepared to ask for his special lady’s hand in marriage, a police officer spotted the couple in a local park and arrested Harrel, who had two outstanding warrants to his name. During the arrest, Harrel asked the cop for five more minutes, explaining his intentions to propose. The officer returned to the scene with Harrel so that he could pop the question. She said yes. Here’s hoping that the engagement ring wasn’t purchased with one of his bogus checks!
And there you have this week in “WHAT?!” Can’t wait to see what’s in store for humanity next!
Image via ArtFire.
