Instead of a secure, dedicated indicator light, MacBook Neo just shows a green icon when the camera is in use. Yet years of software engineering effort means the camera “exclave” still can’t be hacked.
MacBook Neo secures its camera in software
MacBook Neo secures its camera in software
For the right audience, the MacBook Neo is a superb buy, plus you can repair it, you can even modify it a little. But reportedly, what you can’t do is hijack the camera even though the MacBook Neo lacks the usual hardware indicator light.
John Gruber reports in his Daring Fireball blog that the MacBook Neo’s on-screen green icon indicator turns out to be pretty much as secure. He quotes developer Guilherme Rambo saying that “the software-based camera indicator light… runs in the secure exclave part” of the processor.