Keylogging

Synonyms

Keystroke logging

Related Concepts

Hash Functions; Malware; Trojan

Definition

Keylogging is the malicious action whereby a third-party attacker covertly records a user’s keystrokes as they type at a computer keyboard. Keylogging has been implemented in many different ways from software programs to hardware devices to electromagnetic emissions monitoring.

Applications

Keyloggers can be deployed through a variety of methods depending on their implementation. Software keyloggers are usually deployed as a payload to some network or client-side exploit, that is, the keylogger is installed when an attacker exploits a network service with a remote exploit or is installed when a victim falls prey to an email-based social engineering attack (similar to a phishing attack). Software keyloggers have been implemented to hide themselves in a variety of different fashions. Some keyloggers hide themselves using hypervisor or virtualization techniques, some hide themselves using rootkit-style...