{"id":15541,"date":"2023-08-16T12:27:55","date_gmt":"2023-08-16T12:27:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/heylocate.dev.cheitgroup.com\/?p=15541"},"modified":"2023-12-14T15:50:22","modified_gmt":"2023-12-14T15:50:22","slug":"what-is-a-keylogger-and-how-does-it-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/heylocate.dev.cheitgroup.com\/what-is-a-keylogger-and-how-does-it-work\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a Keylogger and How Does It Work"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A keylogger is a sneaky piece of software that can record passwords and other information without a person realizing it. You may have heard the term “keylogger” being thrown around and wondered what it is and whether it\u2019s helpful in PC or phone monitoring. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In fact, keylogging tools can capture every keystroke on a computer or electronic device. They can be used legitimately or maliciously. Employers may use keyloggers to monitor employees computer<\/a>, and parents can monitor their kids’ devices thus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, malicious users can steal credit card numbers, login credentials, and other sensitive data. In 2017, the Equifax data breach<\/a> became the largest ever recorded after exposing 145,500,000 consumer records.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we’ll explore what keylogger is, how to detect keylogger, the steps to take to protect yourself from keylogger software, and how to use Keylogger legally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a Keystroke Logger?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A keystroke logger is a software or hardware device that records all keystrokes on an electronic device. It takes the information to a Command and Control server, where someone analyzes it and detects usernames or passwords to get into an otherwise secure device, computer, application, or program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by Burst<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For a parent or employer, the information gathered on the device is demystified by an app that you can see on the dashboard of the parent website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are KeyLoggers Illegal?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The legalities of keyloggers depend on the circumstances of use. Not all keyloggers are illegal. If you use keylogger software with the consent of the person you intend to monitor, it’s perfectly legal. For example, an IT department can use keyloggers to troubleshoot a system or monitor employees, while parents can use them to monitor children’s devices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, using a keylogger as malicious software without someone’s consent is illegal and may lead to criminal charges. The August 2022 LastPass data breach<\/a> resulted from a keylogger installed on an employee’s device. In 2013, eBay security system was also breached<\/a>, leaking 145M user records.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ultimately, unauthorized access to information on a person’s computer is illegal under state and federal laws. This includes illegal keylogger use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Types of Keylogger Software<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are hardware-based and software-based keyloggers. These two types of keyloggers vary by the way they log keystrokes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hardware Keyloggers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Hardware keyloggers require physical access to the target device. They are embedded within the computer hardware, such as the computer cabling, keyboard, or USB. Hardware keyloggers don’t leave any traces, making them hard to detect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keystrokes logged by a hardware keylogger are stored in the device’s internal memory. Because of this, they are rarely used for cyberattacks and device monitoring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Software Keyloggers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Software keyloggers do not require physical access to the device. They can be easily installed as malicious software that you download intentionally or as part of malware. Software keyloggers do not infect the computer with a virus but run in the background collecting keystrokes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by Photo by Jules Am\u00e9<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There are various types of software keyloggers:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keystroke Keyloggers<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

These keyloggers capture every keystroke on a keyboard. They include:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

API-Based Keyloggers<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

API-based keyloggers are the most common. This is because they use the keyboard API to record keystrokes. API stands for Application Programming Interface. This type of keylogger allows the software to communicate with the keyboard. They intercept all keystrokes that you input into the program you’re typing into.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

API keyloggers are also called user-mode keyloggers. They intercept keyboard and mouse movements. They are the easiest to create and also the easiest to detect since they are known within the Win32 API<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Form-Grabbing Keyloggers<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Form-grabbing keyloggers intercept web form submissions. They record the data you enter into a field, such as login credentials. The keylogger malware is deployed on a website, like a prompt asking you to enter your credentials such as name, email address, phone number, credit card number, etc. The information you input is submitted when you hit \u201cEnter\u201d or \u201cSubmit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by Freepik<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Kernel-Based Keyloggers<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Kernel-based keyloggers work at the core of a computer’s operating system. These keyloggers use filter drivers that intercept keystrokes as they pass through the kernel. Thus, they have admin-level permissions to everything entered into a computer system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A kernel mode keylogger is more advanced and challenging to execute. Because of this, it is also difficult to detect within a system. In addition, it can change the internal dynamics of Windows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kernel mode keyloggers are distributed in various ways, including:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n