Keylogger

What is a keylogger?

A keylogger is a type of malicious software or hardware that records everything you type on your keyboard.

This includes passwords, personal messages, credit card numbers, and other sensitive information.

Keyloggers are often used by hackers to steal your information without you knowing.

Why are keyloggers used?

Keyloggers are used to create a permanent record of everything you type. Having said that, they’re primarily for malicious purposes. Here are some of the common use cases:

• Stealing Personal Information: Cybercriminals use keyloggers to capture sensitive information like passwords, credit card numbers, and personal identification numbers (PINs).
• Spying: Keyloggers can be used to monitor someone’s online activity, including emails, chat messages, and browsing history, without their knowledge.
• Gaining Unauthorized Access: By recording login credentials, keyloggers can help attackers gain unauthorized access to accounts, including email, banking, and social media accounts.
• Corporate Espionage: In a business context, keyloggers can be used to steal confidential information, trade secrets, or intellectual property.
• Tracking Employee Activity: In some cases, employers might use keyloggers (legally and with consent) to monitor employee productivity and ensure company policies are being followed.

Types of keyloggers

Keyloggers come in various forms. They can be categorized into two main types: software keyloggers and hardware keyloggers. Here are the different types within each category:

Software Keyloggers:

• API-Based Keyloggers: These intercept keyboard-related API functions to capture keystrokes. They are relatively to develop and are the most common type of keylogger. The are also the easiest to detect.
• Kernel-Level Keyloggers: These operate at the operating system’s kernel level. This makes then extremely difficult to detect and remove. They have high-level privileges and can capture keystrokes from all applications.
• Form Grabbing Keyloggers: These capture data entered into web forms before it gets encrypted. These can be injected via XSS are often used for stealing login credentials.
• Javascript-Based Keyloggers: These are embedded in web pages using malicious JavaScript code. They run in the user’s browser and capture keystrokes entered on the infected page.
• Memory-Injection Keyloggers: These inject themselves into running processes. They capture keystrokes by reading the process’s memory space. They are also harder to detect since they don’t create new files on the system.

Hardware Keyloggers:

• Keyboard Hardware Keyloggers: These are physical devices that are attached between the keyboard and the computer. They record keystrokes as they are typed on the keyboard.
• USB Keyloggers: These small devices are plugged into a USB port and can capture keystrokes from any keyboard connected to the same computer.
• Bluetooth Keyloggers: These devices capture keystrokes from wireless keyboards by intercepting Bluetooth signals.
• Firmware Keyloggers: These are embedded within the firmware of the keyboard or computer and can capture keystrokes directly from the hardware level.

How do keyloggers work?

Keyloggers work by capturing and recording the keystrokes you make on your keyboard.

For software keyloggers, the process normally starts when the malicious software is installed on your computer. This often happens without your knowledge.

The malware is often installed via a malicious email attachment, downloaded from untrustworthy website, or due to a software vulnerability.

Once installed, the keylogger runs in the background, monitoring and recording every keystroke you type, capturing everything from login credentials to personal messages.

The recorded keystrokes are collected and stored in a log file. The data is then sent to the attacker.

The files are often uploaded via HTTP. Where required, they can be smuggled out of your network via DNS or ICMP.

Hardware keyloggers, on the other hand, involve a physical device attached between the keyboard and the computer.

This device can be plugged into the keyboard’s USB or PS/2 port, or embedded inside the keyboard itself.

As you type, the hardware keylogger intercepts the electrical signals from the keyboard before they reach the computer. They record each keystroke and store the data in its internal memory.

The attacker then needs to physically retrieve the hardware keylogger to access the stored data. Some hardware based keyloggers can transmit the data wirelessly as well.

How to detect a keylogger

Here are the basic steps to detect a keylogger on your device:

1. Antivirus and Anti-Malware Scans: Regularly run scans with a reputable up-to-date antivirus and anti-malware scanner to detect and remove keyloggers.
2. Task Manager/Activity Monitor: Check the Task Manager (Windows) or Activity Monitor (Mac) for unfamiliar processes running in the background. If you notice any suspicious processes, research them to determine if they’re malicious.
3. Software Audits: Regularly review the installed programs on your computer. Uninstall any software that you don’t recognize or didn’t intentionally install.
4. Network Monitoring: Use network monitoring tools to check for unusual outgoing traffic. This may be a sign that a keylogger is sending data to a remote server.
5. Anti-Keylogger Software: Consider installing dedicated anti-keylogger software that can detect and block keyloggers specifically.
6. Check for Hardware Keyloggers: Physically inspect your keyboard connection and USB ports for any unfamiliar devices that could be hardware keyloggers. Ensure that no unauthorized devices are plugged in.

How to Protect Your Business from Keylogger Attacks

Keylogger attacks are a significant threat to businesses because they can capture sensitive data like passwords, financial details, and personal information. The following suggestions can be used to protect your business:

1. Scan For Malware: Ensure you regularly run an up-to-date antivirus and anti-malware scan against your devices. Use a port-filtering firewall to monitor incoming and outgoing network traffic and block suspicious activities.
2. Keep Systems Updated: Regularly update all operating systems, software, and applications to patch vulnerabilities. Enable automatic updates where possible to ensure the latest security patches are applied quickly.
3. Implement Strong Authentication: Use MFA to add an extra layer of security. Consider biometric authentication methods such as fingerprint or facial recognition, which are not susceptible to keylogging.
4. Restrict Administrative Privileges: Ensure that users have the minimum level of access necessary for their roles. Monitor the use of administrative accounts closely and use separate accounts for administrative tasks.
5. Secure Your Network: Segment your network to contain breaches and limit the movement of keyloggers within your system. Use encryption for transmitting sensitive data to protect against interception by keyloggers.
6. Educate Employees: Regularly train employees on cybersecurity best practices, including recognizing phishing attempts and avoiding suspicious downloads. Conduct phishing simulations to test and reinforce employee awareness of email threats.
7. Regular System Audits: Conduct regular audits of your systems to detect unusual activity. Implement an IDS to monitor network traffic for suspicious activities and potential keylogger installations.
8. Backup Data Regularly: Regularly back up important data to ensure that you can recover information in the event of an attack. Store backups in secure, separate locations to prevent them from being compromised alongside your primary data.