Protecting access to audio and video

Cybercriminals can use special programs to try to gain access to devices that record audio and video (such as microphones or webcams). Kaspersky Endpoint Security controls when applications receive an audio stream or video stream and protects data against unauthorized interception.

By default, Kaspersky Endpoint Security controls the access of applications to the audio stream and video stream as follows:

• Trusted and Low Restricted applications are allowed to receive the audio stream and video stream from devices by default.
• High Restricted and Untrusted applications are not allowed to receive the audio stream and video stream from devices by default.

You can manually allow applications to receive the audio stream and video stream.

Special features of audio stream protection

Audio stream protection has the following special characteristics:

• The Host Intrusion Prevention component must be enabled for this functionality to work.
• If the application started receiving the audio stream before the Host Intrusion Prevention component was started, Kaspersky Endpoint Security allows the application to receive the audio stream and does not show any notifications.
• If you moved the application to the Untrusted group or High Restricted group after the application began receiving the audio stream, Kaspersky Endpoint Security allows the application to receive the audio stream and does not show any notifications.
• After the settings for the application's access to sound recording devices have been changed (for example, if the application has been blocked from receiving the audio stream), this application must be restarted to stop it from receiving the audio stream.
• Control of access to the audio stream from sound recording devices does not depend on an application's webcam access settings.
• Kaspersky Endpoint Security protects access to only built-in microphones and external microphones. Other audio streaming devices are not supported.
• Kaspersky Endpoint Security cannot guarantee the protection of an audio stream from such devices as DSLR cameras, portable video cameras, and action cameras.
• When you run audio and video recording or playback applications for the first time since installation of Kaspersky Endpoint Security, audio and video playback or recording may be interrupted. This is necessary in order to enable the functionality that controls access to sound recording devices by applications. The system service that controls audio hardware will be restarted when Kaspersky Endpoint Security is run for the first time.

Special features of application webcam access protection

Webcam access protection functionality has the following special considerations and limitations:

• The application controls video and still images derived from the processing of webcam data.
• The application controls the audio stream if it is part of the video stream received from the webcam.
• The application controls only webcams connected via USB or IEEE1394 that are displayed as Imaging Devices in the Windows Device Manager.
• Kaspersky Endpoint Security supports the following webcams:
  • Logitech HD Webcam C270
  • Logitech HD Webcam C310
  • Logitech Webcam C210
  • Logitech Webcam Pro 9000
  • Logitech HD Webcam C525
  • Microsoft LifeCam VX-1000
  • Microsoft LifeCam VX-2000
  • Microsoft LifeCam VX-3000
  • Microsoft LifeCam VX-800
  • Microsoft LifeCam Cinema

  Kaspersky cannot guarantee support for webcams that are not specified in this list.