I know what you did last logon: keystroke logging, spyware and privacy
Jeff Williams Microsoft
The act of capturing keystrokes on a computer can manifest in a range of ways from
completely benign to overtly criminal. In cases where the logged party is unaware of
the activity there is also the possibility of financial impact through various types
of fraud or personal endangerment when the logging is a component of stalking or
domestic violence.
Key logging also has legitimate commercial uses such as consensual
workplace monitoring, family safety and computer troubleshooting. To some, the thought
of keystroke logging brings to mind the Orwellian surveillance society - a view that is
reinforced by today's news as well as the increasing presence of keystroke loggers in
spyware and botnets. We will explore the technical methods employed by both hardware and
software-based key loggers, how keystroke loggers are integrated with specific malware threats,
the user experience associated with various key loggers installed, and drill into the
social and legal appropriateness of various use scenarios.
