How does a keystroke logger work?
A keystroke logger, or keylogger, is a device that installs a form of malicious software onto a machine via a spyware or malware utility. Once installed, it tracks and records the user’s specific keystrokes, often including what a user types on a keyboard and even mouse click data. Keystroke loggers are most often used for malicious intentions, but are occasionally used by corporations to monitor employee activity. When used maliciously, a keystroke logger can be used to capture sensitive user information, such as user names and passwords, Social Security numbers, account numbers and encryption keys – basically any data imputed by the system user. This information is either saved somewhere on the machine for the hacker to access later, or it is sent to an Internet spyware server or personal email address. When a user visits a malicious website that harbors a keylogger, the malicious program is most often automatically installed on the user’s computer via system exploits, typically unpa
