Spy software can be installed remotely without your knowledge. Then it can periodically send your private information by e-mail to the owner of the keylogger.

If you think that keylogger will be never installed on your PC, you are not right. Nowadays many usual users install keyloggers to spy on their spouses, friends, co-workers and children.

New keylogger appears every week. Every day about 10 000 users make search query on Google containing "keylogger" or  "spy software" keywords.

Even though the name may indicate so, Spyware is not an illegal type of software in any way. That's why Antivirus software won't stop spyware.

 

September 6, 2002
"Bosses Should Stop Snooping On Staff Email - MP."
by Tim Richardson, found at The Register.

September 2, 2002
"Who's Watching You? A Surveillance Society."
by the AP, found at CNN.com.

August 28, 2002
"Who’s spying on my Hotmail? With new spyware, even your private Yahoo, Hotmail e-mails can be seen."
by Bob Sullivan, found on MSNBC.com.

What is spy software and why is it so dangerous?

 

Spy software, commonly referred to as "Spyware", is any software application that was designed to secretly collect information from a user. Some Spyware applications have limited abilities, but some pose a serious privacy concern. Spyware is becoming more sophisticated in today's digital age. Some of these applications have the ability to be remotely installed without the need of physical access to your computer. Others have the ability to monitor your chat transcripts, email usage, and internet connection in a complete stealth enviroment. There are many other powerful features these spyware applications offer. To name a few: Remote Access, Critical System Information, Remote Desktop Viewing, Webcam Capturing, Keystroke Logging, Application Usage etc.

 

Another definition: spy software (snoopware, spyware, nonviral malware, hackers utility, surveillance utility, Trojans,…) is any hidden (stealth, invisible) software program that aids in unauthorized gathering different information about a person or organization without their knowledge. It records such information as every keystroke, including system keys, all AOL/ICQ/MSN/AIM chat conversations, all websites visited, all windows opened and interacted with, every application executed, every document printed, all texts and images sent to the clipboard etc. in a log file on the PC hard disk or network disk or transmission of captured data to a pre-determined internet address (relay it to other interested parties).

 

 

A Keylogger is a software or hardware application that was designed to capture all keystrokes typed. Software keylogger utilities are used more often simply by how they are distributed. Some keyloggers are distributed commercially while others can be obtained through warez or hacker websites. Advanced Keyloggers have the ability to run silently on a target machine and remotely deliver the recorded information to the user who initiated the monitoring session. Usually Keylogger is the basic part of anyone Espionage or Activity Monitoring Software.

 

Keystroke monitoring software, as everything else, created by man, can be used both for the welfare and to the detriment of a computer user, company and government organization. All confidential information is passed through the keyboard and reaches the PC. This includes all passwords, usernames, identification data, credit card details, and confidential documents (as they are typed), etc. On the one hand, keystroke monitoring programs are an essential part of "trusted computing base", and it allows to control "unauthorized access to information". It is a powerful management tool for companies, which want to increase their productivity and profitability. On the other hand, keystroke monitoring program may be misused. A Bad Boy can obtain confidential information, such as credit card numbers or access passwords by using these programs. Some of monitoring products are freeware and can be quickly downloaded and installed on any computer, anywhere, at anytime, even by users without credit cards!

 

Keystroke monitoring software may be distributed and installed locally, i.e. through floppy disk, networks, etc, or it may be distributed remotely. Keystroke monitoring program may be enveloped in a Trojan or virus, and be distributed via email. More advanced keystroke monitoring program will then email the recorded key logs silently - the user will never know it is there! For example - the newest computer viruses send email messages with infected attached files, as well as install spying Trojan component to steal information from infected systems.

 

Spy software is often purchased and used to protect children from Internet predators, allow spouses to prevent infidelity, and can also promote employee productivity. Since the purpose of the software is for good intentions, it's not picked up by anti virus programs. However, often people abuse spy programs and use them for illegal activities, especially with remote installation of spy software being possible. If you want to assure your computer activities are private, you need anti spy software.

 

 

Trojans or often called backdoors are programs which will most be sent via email, instant-messengers or filesharing-tools. If you run a trojan file it will install itself on your computer to get run every time you boot up your machine. Trojans opens a port (channel) on your system which can be used by an attacker to connect to your computer. Trojans can enable almost everything for an attacker to do harmful things like viewing/modifying/deleting data, watching you when you are working or surfing the web, etc. Depending on the trojan there can be thousands of functions built in which can be remotely used by any attacker to spy you.

 

Remeber, that only specialized software like Personal Antispy can detect spy software. Our specialists know ALL about spy software - that's why we offer quality anti-spyware product.

 

Read more about Personal Antispy .