Introduction to Keystroke Loggers

							Introduction to Keystroke
Loggers
   What is a keystroke logger?
        Keystroke Loggers are software
    programs and/or hardware devices
    which record logs for the keys you
    strike on a computer’s keyboard.
       There are two types of keystroke loggers:
            Software
            Hardware
Software – Keystroke Loggers
   Advantages:
       Prices usually run cheaper
       You can get more features
            Screen capture
            Web Cam capture
            Captures both side of conversations on E-mail and chat
             rooms
   Disadvantages:
       Easier to detect by user
       You have to learn to use the software
Hardware – Keystroke Loggers
   Advantages:
       Very simple to use
       Can not be detected by software
       Installation can be done in seconds without having
        to gain internal access to the PC
   Disadvantages:
       Target can detect it by simply conducting a
        physical check of the computer
       Only shows what the user is typing not receiving
       It is limited to capturing Keystrokes only
Purposes for using Keystroke
Loggers
   Home
       Monitor your children internet activity
       Monitor your spouse if you suspect something
       To obtain someone's passwords
   Business
       Before firing an employee to obtain passwords
        and any activity while leaving
       To verify employees are not misusing their
        computers
       To gather evidence against an employee who is
        believed to be using the PC to violate company
        rules or state and federal laws
Legal issues: Keystroke
Loggers
   The most famous case involving Keystroke
    Loggers is United States vs. Scarfo
       Facts of the case:
        In 1999 the F.B.I. obtained a warrant to install a
        keystroke logging device of Nicodemo S. Scarfo Jr.
        (suspected of racketeering, illegal gambling, and
        loan sharking) hoping to record a password for a
        file encrypted with PGP (Pretty Good Privacy)
        software.
Some key issues in the Scarfo
case
   First time the use of a keystroke logger is challenged
    in federal court.
   Prosecutors invoked the Classified Information
    Protection Act in August of 2000, claiming the
    technical details of the computer keystroke logging
    tool must remain secret in the interest of national
    security which was granted by the judge
   The F.B.I. configured the logger so that it would only
    capture keystrokes when the modem was not being
    used – Therefore no special wiretap order was
    needed.
   The Judge allowed the contents obtained from
    keystroke logger to be admissable in court.
How to install and use a
Keystroke Logger (Hardware)
               3 Simple Steps
1.   Detach your current keyboard (if not
     PS/2 then adapter is required)
2.   Connect keylogger device to end of
     cable
3.   Reconnect to the computer
                Your Done!