Windows 11 is a new operating system that is set to be released in October. It is said that this new OS will have features that will allow it to spy on your apps and use your microphone and camera. This is because the developers of Windows 11 have decided to add these features into the OS in order to make it more user-friendly. One of the ways that Windows 11 will be able to spy on your apps is by using its built-in microphone and camera. These devices are said to be able to track what you are doing, as well as capture audio and video footage. Additionally, Windows 11 will be able to use these devices in order to collect data about your device and its settings. Another way that Windows 11 will be able to spy on your apps is by using its built-in sensors. These sensors are said to be able to track things such as temperature, humidity, and motion. This information can then be used in order to create a report about the conditions on your device.
BleepingComputer spotted a new feature in a recent Windows 11 Preview Build in the Dev Channel, accessible to Windows Insider testers, which records when apps access sensitive information. The current list in the Settings app (under Privacy & security > App permissions) includes apps that access your camera, microphone, and contacts.
Windows also tells you what time the data was accessed, so you can tell if an app is doing something in the background that it shouldn’t. For example, if a messaging app accesses your camera while you’re not on a call, that could be a bad sign (or at least an indication of a worrying bug).
Unfortunately, the privacy access list in Windows 11 doesn’t track everything — at least, not yet. David Weston at Microsoft confirmed that the feature doesn’t monitor activity from drivers, so malicious apps still have a few ways to mask their activity.
Windows 10 and 11 already have an indicator for when the microphone is in use, but a historical record of access is more helpful for figuring out which applications aren’t behaving properly over time. Apple has offered a similar feature on iPhones and iPads for a while, and Android 12 and newer has a ‘Privacy Dashboard’ with the same information.
Source: BleepingComputer, David Weston (Twitter)
