Quick hack to keep them from sending your data including photos

off to the Utah Data Center

The Galaxy S8 Note looks all black when the screen is off, just the ear piece stands out. But the phone really has an all glass front and back so if you shine a bright light at it, you will see the front facing "selfie" cam and its sensor. There are actually six ports plus the ear piece up top part of the phone..

Today I would like to finally get around to the quick fix for making the selfie cam useless for people like me who never use it. Some of the hacks released in Vault7 allow controld of Android devices. I have seen them in action. I really don't need them watching me sleep or type my posts. See this post which prompted me to remember and share this trick: Why I am writing this post.

You'll need a qtip and elmers glue

This hack can be undone and redone many times with no damage to the device.

Put two round beads of glue over the camera and sensor.

Then take a small thin bit of a qtip cotton and make a ball out of it.

The ball should be 1/4 the size of the beaded of glue.

You will then put the cotton ball into the top of the glue and let it dry.

for flatter lumps on your phone, press on them lightly when the glue is not quite dry inside and it will be much flatter.

Here is a shot of what the phone looks like after

Normal in appearance without a bright light (flash). Even looking closely, you can't see what we have done. The selfie camera is on and it can pick up that there is a light in the room but my face is right in front of the camera and it's cloudy. No definition.

That is why we put cotton into the glue. The glue alone, if dabbed over the camera lens, dries so clear, that you can actually use the camera normally. It may appear dirty but actually it has a thick layer of glue on it so.... Tried that - no thanks.

Yeah, so that is it for this post. I did want to show you what you need to do to manage the cheapo phone holders in order to do a two handed bench film on finding the iris scanner and disabling it. Tomorrow's post? Two phone-pods and a laptop (not in use) to hold a camera above the phone as I work. Fell one time, then I used glue on the suction cup. No quality these days.

I stuck it on and started filming. Used a light to find the iris scanner, and disable it. You will see tomorrow. It looks like some sort of hologram projector rather than an iris scanner.

Final product, dry and in macro

to undo this hack, a drop of water on the glue, set aside 30 minutes and clean with a towel.

I used a bit more cotton in the left one which is the camera. I am not sure if the iris scanner will be evenly covered on center. I had all those supports and wires to get a film of me doing it. It's not the best film - I am so not pro at this film and dTube stuff.

Well you judge for yourselves tomorrow. Remember if your phone is on your desk and you have sensitive info on your screen, the camera can pick it up and transmit it to the storage facility.