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Keyloggers

What are keyloggers?

Keyloggers are programs designed to capture the keystrokes you make every day on your keyboard. What they do with the collected data depends on what the goal of the keylogger is. Basically, there are two types of keyloggers. One is used by corporations to monitor what employees do and say during the working hours - such keyloggers are often a vital part of the software monitoring suites. The main purpose of these is to see if an employee is wasting company time sending personal emails and chatting on programs such as MSM or Yahoo when they should be working.

However, there are also other, much more dangerous kinds of keyloggers - spyware programs that record all our logins, passwords and credit card numbers and then transmit them to the spyware owner. The financial and security effects can be disastrous even in the case of an individual. If a keylogger gets into a corporate network, the data leaks could be catastrophic.

Keyloggers' attack

Keylogging programs usually install themselves just the way other spyware programs do. They either use a number of browser or system exploits to install secretly on the target computer or they are downloaded by users that have clicked the wrong button. They are also a common "second wave" spyware - they are commonly downloaded by other spyware applications that have already embedded in the targeted system.

Unlike many other types of spyware/malware, keyloggers can be effectively rendered invisible from most system security tools, making detection and removal very hard. They do not use up a lot of system resources and they certainly don't display any ads.

When they collect enough data (it varies depending on the specific keylogger), they send the data over the Internet to the attacker. The collected data is then used to:

*hijack your email accounts to send spam or pranks to everyone from your mailing lists,

*learn your personal data and then sell that information to a third party mass advertising company,

*gain access to your bank account,

*steal your money using your credit card number that would have been recorded when you logged into your card's account site.

Removing keyloggers

The only real way to stay clean when it comes to keyloggers is by using an antispyware program and performing scans on a regular basis. While most recent keyloggers use rootkit technology to stay hidden, the best anti-spyware tools are still able to detect and disable them.

Also, it is recommended that you use a firewall such as ZoneAlarm Pro to prevent keylogger from sending the collected data away. Firewalls are also one of few security tools that are able to detect keyloggers by catching them while they try to connect to the Internet.

Regular scans with the right software and using a firewall are critical in protecting yourself against keyloggers! Unlike many other security threats, the first signs of having a keylogger hidden in your system usually comes from your bank statement.

Internet Monitoring Programs

Internet monitoring programs are sometimes stealth installed on computers to monitor the internet usage. For instance employees can monitor their workers, parents can keep an eye on their kids or a spouse can spy on their cheating partner.  Internet monitoring programs typically record such things as:

• Keystrokes Typed
• Screen Captures
• Logins and Passwords
• Website Visits
• Searches
• Internet Connections Made
• Applications Used
• Files and Documents Used
• Windows Opened
• Chat Conversations
• Instant Messages
• Internet Traffic Data
• Email Activity

Following is a list of popular internet monitoring programs that employ keylogging. If you are concerned about whether your privacy is being compromised by a keylogger find out for sure by scanning your system with a reputable antispyware program such as ParetoLogic's XoftSpySE .

Internet Monitoring Programs with Keylogging:

• SpyAgent  
• eBlaster 
• Spector Pro
• Golden Eye
• Actual Spy
• Perfect Keylogger
• Ardamax
• Invisible Keylogger
• Elite Keylogger
• 007 Spy Software
• SpyBuddy
• Keylogger Pro
• IAmBigBrother
• WebWatcher 
• Activity Monitor
• WorkExaminer 
• NetVizor 
• Guardian Monitor Professional
• iOpus Starr PRO Edition
• NetObserve
• Refog Keylogger
• WinRecon
• Watch Right
• WinWhatWhere Investigator

Other Internet Monitoring Programs

• CyberPatrol  - non keylogger
• Net Nanny - non keylogger
• Pearl Echo
• Resource Monitor
• Internet Access Monitor

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