![]() ![]() Here's an example of a phishing email scam from hackers posing as the World Health Organization. Interacting with any of these items initiates a clandestine keylogger installation sequence. Software keyloggers are commonly installed through phishing or social engineering attacks.ĭuring these attacks, a victim is presented with a seemingly innocent email that's infected with either malicious links or attachments. This is the most common type of keylogger because it's the most efficient for rapid and large-scale distribution by cybercriminals. The primary difference between the two is the method of keylogger software installation. There are two different types of keyloggers - software keyloggers and hardware keyloggers. The process of a keylogging cyberattack depends on the type of keylogger being used. It appears that cybercriminals are adding keyloggers to their cyberattack toolkit to maximize compromise potential, which further highlights the importance of resilient cybersecurity in the financial sector. From all the server access attacks observed by X-Force in 2020, nearly 36% targeted the finance and insurance sector. ![]() This trend harmonizes with the findings from the 2021 X-Force Threat Intelligence Index by IBM. In 2018, cybersecurity company, Lastline, discovered an unusually high number of keylogging malware among financial firms. Particularly within the financial sector. If you detect keylogger software on your system, it has likely been surreptitiously installed by cybercriminals to steal your sensitive data. That being said, the majority of keylogger use cases are illegal. What are the objectives of the keylogging sessions? - Is the software used to steal or access sensitive user data?.Who owns the product being monitored? - Is the device personal or owned by a company?.Did the user offer consent? - If yes, was clear messaging used to ensure the user was aware that they gave consent?.The following 3-question framework for keylogger legality considers all of these factors. Unfortunately, not all regions mirror the strict keylogging laws in the U.S.Ī better indication of legality is to also consider the objectives of the keylogger and the ownership of the product being monitored. Law Enforcement - Law enforcement agencies use keyloggers to monitor criminal activity.ĭetermining whether or not keylogging sessions are legal isn't as easy as checking for user consent.Sensitive Resource Security - Monitoring for any unauthorized access attempts.Unsurprisingly, such forced market research isn't likely to be received well - as demonstrated by the controversial inclusion of keyloggers in Microsoft's Windows 10. Research and Development - The permissible collection of user information to inform product improvement efforts.Public Safety - Companies monitoring for any unethical activity on their devices.Insider Threat Detection - Companies monitoring for intentional cybersecurity breaches by employees.Troubleshooting - IT departments collect user input commands to help them accurately resolve computer issues.Here are some examples of legal use cases of keylogging: This includes access achieved by keylogging software.īecause keylogging could be classified as a breach of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), offenders could face up to 5 years in prison and fines up to $250,000.īut not all instances of keylogging are illegal. Is Keylogging Illegal in the US?Īny unauthorized access of personal information on a computer is a criminal offense under US State and Federal Laws. To learn how to detect keyloggers and prevent their covert installation, read on. Many victims are unaware that they're being monitored by keyloggers and continue to divulge sensitive information to cybercriminals. They're often just a single component of a multi-variable cyberattack sequence like a botnet attack, ransomware attack, or cryptocurrency mining attack. Keyloggers are not always the sole threat in cyberattacks. They can read data copied to the clipboard and take screenshots of the user's screen - on PCs, Macs, iPhones, and Android devices. Some forms of keyloggers can do more than steal keyboard strokes. They allow cybercriminals to read anything a victim is typing into their keyboard, including private data like passwords, account numbers, and credit card numbers. A keylogger is a type of spyware that monitors and records user keystrokes. ![]()
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