Ever wondered if your apps are spying on you? Now you can find out!
June 8, 2022
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4
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Highlights
Could some of the software on your laptop be spying on you? A new feature in Windows 11 will tell you which applications are accessing sensitive data, and when?
It’s no secret that some applications are a little too interested in us and what we’re doing.
We’ve all had this experience. You might be talking to a friend about a new product that you’d like to try. Or perhaps you’ve discussed somewhere you’d like to visit.
Then the next time you go online you see adverts for the exact things you were talking about. It’s more than a coincidence, surely???
Until recently, we haven’t had a lot of control over what information our apps are gathering about us.
Android and iOS first stepped up to give us more power over our online privacy. We were given the ability to control which apps could access our data, and sensitive things like our camera and microphone.
But while it’s easy to think of this only being an issue with phones… laptops have the same problems.
So here’s some great news. Microsoft’s testing a new feature in Windows 11 to put the power back in our hands.
It’s currently testing a new feature – called Privacy Auditing – which allows you to see which applications have been accessing sensitive hardware, like your webcam and microphone.
You’ll also be able to see if your screenshots, messages, and even your contacts and location data have been accessed. And there’s a log of which apps accessed this info, and when.
When launched, the feature will be available in your Privacy & Security menu, under App Permissions.
There you’ll be able to see a full list of what’s been accessed, by which app, and when. It should become your first port of call if you suspect any suspicious activity is taking place on your device.
When the feature is released, it will be a great tool to check periodically to help you avoid malicious activity and to make sure your sensitive data remains in the right hands.
In the meantime, if you’d like someone to look over the data permissions on your business’s devices, get in touch.
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This special edition of our Leading London series brings together the partners behind the rollout of the City of London Corporation’s new unified network, a major upgrade designed to strengthen public services and improve connectivity across the Square Mile and beyond.
The panel included:
- Sam Collins, Assistant Director of Digital and Data, City of London Corporation
- Chelsea Chamberlin, Chief Technology Officer, Roc Technologies
- Scott McKinnon, Chief Security Officer, Palo Alto Networks
- Rhod Morgan, Chief Operations Officer, Vorboss
- Elliot Townsend, Senior Director, Juniper Networks
- Christa Elizabeth Norton, Marketing Director, Roc Technologies
Together, they explored how the new network will improve public services, strengthen cyber resilience and support a more connected, future-ready City.
For many landlords and building managers, the word “wayleave” feels like the responsible route whenever a fibre circuit is being installed on their property. It sounds formal and safe – a neat legal box to tick.
In many cases, however, a wayleave adds unnecessary complexity and delays, frustrates tenants, and can expose landlords to long-term legal risks.
At Vorboss, we’ve connected thousands of office spaces across London without a wayleave, keeping landlords in full control and getting tenants online faster.
What is a wayleave?
A wayleave is a written agreement between a landowner and a telecoms operator. It gives the operator permission to install and keep equipment on private property.
What many people don’t realise is that signing a wayleave also activates “Code rights” under the Electronic Communications Code. These rights go beyond simple permission, they give the operator legal powers to stay on the property indefinitely, access it when needed, and even refuse removal of their equipment in certain situations.
For a typical connection into a commercial building in London, a wayleave can make the fibre installation process slower, more expensive, and limit the landlord’s flexibility long term.
Why a wayleave isn’t required for standard in-building fibre connections
For a standard in-building fibre connection serving a tenant, a wayleave isn’t a legal requirement. Important protections, like building access, fire safety, repairing any damage, and removing equipment, are already covered by the tenant’s lease and usual building rules.
If no wayleave is signed, no Code rights are triggered, meaning the landlord retains full control and the installation exists under a simple, fully revocable licence.
In practice, this gives landlords far more protection and flexibility:
- No legal lock-in – the telecoms operator has no long-term rights to stay or refuse removal.
- Landlords keep full control – equipment can be moved or removed when the building changes.
- Faster fibre installation – no time lost in drafting contracts or solicitor reviews.
- Happier tenants – connections go live quicker; tenants get to move in faster.
By contrast, signing a wayleave and granting Code rights introduces a complex and expensive legal process for any fibre removal or relocation. This can take at least 18 months, plus potential court or tribunal proceedings, making it slower, and far less flexible for the landlord.
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