Main image via Astro Awani
Ever get the weird feeling that you’re being watched or recorded, especially in an unfamiliar place like hotel rooms and public spaces during your vacation? The paranoia is warranted given such incidents of spycams and hidden cameras are not exactly few and far between.
To ensure your safety and privacy, Senior Vice President of the Cyber Security Responsive Services Division in CyberSecurity Malaysia, Dr Aswami Fadillah Mohd Ariffin, has offered some tips on how to detect these spycams.
Pay Attention to Anything Out of the Ordinary
Dr Aswami Ariffin cautions the public to pay attention to anything that might seem a little off such as suspicious-looking objects and placements of such objects that might suggest a hidden camera. Some of the common objects used to hide the cameras, he adds, include pens, buttons, sunglasses, car keys and the like.
Image via Astro Awani
Scan Your Surroundings for the Cameras
There are 2 types of spycams: wireless and wired cameras. For wireless cameras, use your flashlight to look for any suspicious reflections – that might point you in the direction of a spycam. In addition, you can also check the Wi-Fi network for any suspicious devices as wireless cameras are usually connected through a wireless network.
As for wired cameras, it might be slightly more challenging to identify them as they might be hidden in clocks, air conditioners, fire extinguishers or other objects that may not raise any suspicion. Furthermore, they are especially dangerous as they work just as well in the dark. However, you can detect these hidden cameras using your smartphone or remote control as these cameras will usually generate LED blinks when in contact with your device.
We hope these tips help you to be more vigilant on your next trip.
Better to be safe than sorry!