Keylogging Programs
Keylogging Programs (Keyloggers) - a special kind of software that logs (i.e. records) every keystroke made by a PC user - and much more.
Software products of this type were initially designed for recording keystroke information, including the system keys, to the special log file to be analyzed by the person who installed this program. Advanced software keyloggers, along with logging keystrokes, have many additional functions - they intercept information from windows, capture mouse clicks, make snapshots of the screen and active windows, record all received and sent emails, monitor file activity, system register, and the printer queue, intercept sound from the microphone and video pictures from the web-camera, etc.
Keylogging programs or modules are often hidden in Trojan horses, viruses, worms, and other malware. Commercial monitoring software, shareware, freeware products of this kind can also contain modules, capable of intercepting information. The reason is that keylogging software which cybercriminals use for stealing information (often called "keylogging spyware") -- has very much in common with legitimate monitoring software. Actually, the technology applied in monitoring software is a dual-purpose one. That is why monitoring software can be used for spying as well - and vice versa. Especially now, when there are some vendors who advertise monitoring products with "remote deployment", i.e. function of remote installation. In fact, nothing distinguishes these programs from malicious keyloggers. Some of them are actually Trojan Horse programs, which can be sent by email disguised as, say, a greeting card.
No wonder that both security experts and vendors now see keyloggers - no matter commercial ones or those cybercriminals write themselves - as a grave threat.
Experts recommend to use a combination of three products: a personal firewall, an anti-virus and an anti-spyware - and regularly update the latter two. However, even in this case a computer won't be 100% secure against keyloggers. Why?
Almost all anti-virus and anti-spy software existing at the present moment works using the same scheme: spy program is detected and then blocked or eliminated. Detecting viruses or spy software is the crucial step of the whole process--all the protection depends on whether the anti-spy software is able to detect as many spies as possible. Signature bases which all these products depend on, is actually the "list" of signatures - small pieces of spy programs' codes. Anti-virus or anti-spy program actually scans the system and compares its codes with those in signature bases. So, in this case only the spies whose signatures already are in the base will be detected and eventually "caught". As long as anti-spy software is regularly updated and the system doesn't come across some unknown spyware product, everything is all right.
The problem is that lots of programs which could be used for stealing data are not included into signature bases right now. Some of them will never be. Besides, there is good deal of people capable of creating some brand-new spy, unknown to anti-spyware developers. The period of time when a new spy already exists, but the updates have not been released yet, is the very time when hackers make their biggest profits.
Spy programs can be created for the specific purpose, such as industrial espionage, so they will appear in the base. As we can see, a signature base is the weak spot of anti-spyware protection; it is, so to speak, a joint in the armor. Information thieves also know about it.
Fortunately, PrivacyKeyboard™ doesn't use signature bases as means of detecting spyware. There is three basic advantages in such an approach. First, the product gets rid of its the least reliable part; second, there is no so urgent need for updates anymore; and last, but certainly not least -the product becomes capable of blocking the destructive activity of even unknown spyware.
This list of various keyloggers and monitoring software products is placed on this page for information purpose ONLY. Please be aware that using these products to monitor somebody else's activity in many cases will be against the law.
Information resources and forums
| Description | Author |
|---|---|
| Most popular and well-known monitoring software (website & forum) | www.keylogger.org |
| Open Directory Categories - Keyloggers and Spyware | dmoz.org |
| Computer And Internet Surveillance in the Workplace: Rough Notes | Andrew Schulman, Fellow, Privacy Foundation |
| The Extent of Systematic Monitoring of Employee E-mail and Internet Use | Andrew Schulman, Fellow, Privacy Foundation |
| More Companies Watching Employees, American Management Association Annual Survey Reports | American Management Association (AMA) |
| 2001 AMA Survey: Workplace Monitoring & Surveillance: Summary of Key Findings | American Management Association (AMA) |