What exactly is a keylogger?

I've heard of them, but what is a keylogger? what do they do? (Sorry, I didnt read the entire Wilders.org site, sorry if its there already)

 

A keylogger is a particuarly nasty spyware which you would not welcome in your computer. It records the computer user's keystrokes for the purpose of monitoring computer activity. While you are typing out your password and credit card details online it is possible a hacker can be recording your every keystroke on his computer with the right spy software.

 

yup but this isn't always something you would worry about from outside... There's also plenty of them out there for people like a jealous/paranoid spouse to install and see everything you have typed.. including emails, msgs, etc...

Anyway peaches has it - tells 'em what buttons ya pushed.

 

Hi Comp01. What they said, these are the Holy Grail Mother of all trojan types, so do everything in your power to protect yourself from them. From research I found these are often inserted using compression software and/or mutated to slip by ordinary AV & AT programs (even firewalls). That drew me to TDS-3 for its ability to snag compressed and mutexed forms of this highly dangerous trojan.

Regards, Rickster (Writing you from a laptop supplied by the Happydale Sanitorium thanks to Peaches4U)

 

I would I know if I had a keylogger in my comp? I found this but I dunno if its safe or not, and wont risk downlaoding it, at the moment http://www.fileheaven.com/Keylogger-Hunter/download/4165.htm hmm... SpyWar eis some bad crap, what I always wondered (Being a semi-amature-com person, well, kinda know my way around) why people program this crap? but anyways, any info on how to find out if I have one?

 

Boo-hoo and I thought you guys liked me. I really am a peach of a gal - free spirited!! Cheer up Rick, I'll come and visit ya. Aaaaaah, Detox, I didn't really push buttons, I only got you to flip the cow ... now have your done your chair exercise yet or are you still practising?

Comp - well I did a domain search and this is what I came up with regarding the Url you posted: Opinions?

Server used for this query: [ Default. May use multiple servers to dig down. ]

Unable to find any TLD information for this domain.
Please check the domain and verify that it is part
of a valid top level domain. "http://www.fileheaven.com/keylogger-hunter/download/4165.htm hmm..."

cgi script provided by: GeekTools WHOIS Proxy v.3.1.7
Copyright © CenterGate Research Group
Server results may be copyrighted and are used with permission.
Script tweaks and customizations by: 'Cat' of tom-cat.com

 

err? lol i dunno what to say, still trying to find info on this

 

Comp - the more senior gurus here have more knowledge here & are better in advising you. However, based on what I would do using the info. I dug up, I would be inclined to first read their privacy policy and probably look for tried, recommended software others use & pass up on this one. I may be wrong which is why I asked for opinions of others. Hang in there, someone will come up with something more solid. I do not have an anti-keylogger software installed and am doing just fine. A good AV, Firewall, Ad-Aware, SpywareBlaster & if one wishes Spybot, proper configurations - frequent updates, all security patches up to date & do frequent scans, you should be able to keep your computer from infections. Cheers.

 

A keylogger just logs key presses and/or mouse movements. nothing more nothing less. There are also legitimate uses for a keylogger, like programs for creating macro's
If it is malware, there must be a Trojan installed as well to get those logs out. So you better scan for those.
Dolf

 

Well, I'll have to add to this one. A macro is nothing more or less than what a keylogger does, but keylogger trojans don't merely record (or copy) a set of command line entries the user specifically wants to perform for a given task - it records every keystroke ever typed. In terms of reverse engineering, reveals everthing, and I mean "everything" you ever typed.

Undiscovered, the intruder knows passwords, account information, letters to your sister - everything and the biggest threat you could possibly encounter. I'm with Peaches4U on this. You do like she says and chances are slim you'll catch one and if in doubt, leave it alone.

As I've always said, if you surf with all scripting functions, including Active X and file downloads disabled - no code, no matter what it is or how clever it is, can execute in first place. If it's something you really need and trust, add it to your trusted zone settings or use a few mouse clicks to lower your defense.

Advanced Anti-Trojan software is useful, but programs like Active Ports, or netstating frequently to see what ports are listening or "connecting" and why will help peg one if it slip by. Just knowing government spooks like I do, this is one category you should never take lightly. And for those skeptics out there, mark my words very carefully.

Best Regards, Rickster

 

Sometimes a macro can be a bit more than this.
http://www.macros.com/whatmac.htm
I agree with the rest you say, but you still need a Trojan to make use of a keylogger and scanning for Trojans is a lot easier than scanning for keyloggers.
Dolf

 

Hi Dollefie, you're right about macro's but didn't intend to imply limitations on them. You are exactly right though, programmed insertions to monitor employees and such are a different animal. I simply wanted to emphasize the danger of RATS utilizing this function. There are methods as well as advanced software that can limit, if not outright discover, this risk - but rarely on the cheap and never as a replacement to proactive security measuers. I appreciate your imput on this very much.

Regards, Rickster

 

I see your point. But this is a difficult issue. When a boss is spying on you, he maybe has the right to do so, ethical or not.
Dolf

 

Didn't forget you Comp01...back in a second....yeah Dollefie, ethics is another matter. Being a right wing Republican (booo...hisss) I think if they own the equipment and you're on thier time, they have a right to intrude - but if not, it's an entirely different matter.

Hey Comp01, the server on that link is:

Looking up IP address for domain: www.fileheaven.com
The IP address for the domain is: 69.41.229.72
Connecting to the server on standard HTTP port: 80
[Connected] Requesting the server's default page.
The server returned the following response headers:
HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Server: Microsoft-IIS/5.0
Date: Fri, 05 Sep 2003 20:52:50 GMT
Connection: close
Content-Length: 14581
Content-Type: text/html
Set-Cookie: ASPSESSIONIDSADDQDQR=NBCKDMJBLDAJCBCOFPEGLOOC; path=/
Cache-control: private
Query complete.

That IP Belongs To:

OrgName: ThePlanet.com Internet Services, Inc.
OrgID: TPCM
Address: 1333 North Stemmons Freeway
Address: Suite 110
City: Dallas
StateProv: TX
PostalCode: 75207
Country: US

NetRange: 69.41.224.0 - 69.41.239.255
CIDR: 69.41.224.0/20
NetName: NETBLK-THEPLANET-BLK-6
NetHandle: NET-69-41-224-0-1
Parent: NET-69-0-0-0-0
NetType: Direct Allocation
NameServer: NS1.THEPLANET.COM
NameServer: NS2.THEPLANET.COM
Comment:
RegDate: 2003-04-24
Updated: 2003-04-24

At least the vendor's agent server is apparently located in the U.S. but that's only the download site. At least not in China or Russia, so that should help you relax some. Only the knowledgeable people here can tell you if the download site is credible and the product is worthy. It will take a little more time to gather intel on the author(s) of the program, Your caution is admirable. What better way to plant a keylogger RAT than offer a bogus program to the uninformed?

Best of Luck, Rick

 

Keyloggers can do considerably more than just record keystrokes.

Check out the specifications on Spector Pro:

http://spector.com/ or

WinWhatWhere: http://www.winwhatwhere.com/ . Pete

 

Geez Pete those sites are enough to make a grown man barf on his keyboard.. again ffs

 

No, I don't conceder this as just a keystroke logging program.
I won't call it just a keylogger too.
If I have to give it a name, it's just a legal Trojan making use of a keylogger
Dolf

 

Comp - I checked the website of the program you are wanting to download ... I cannot find any privacy policies, nor licensing or anything to form a credible opinion - based on this alone, I would not touch that software with a ten foot pole. Are you simply curious about keyloggers or do you in fact suspect you have one resident on your computer?

 

Lol, Simply curiouss, and a little paranoid

 

Brat!! you oughta get spanked. Kidding aside, hope you learned something but you realize your curiosity cut into my "mood ajustment" hour.