Keystroke logging facts for kids
Keystroke logging, often referred to as keylogging or keyboard capturing, is the action of recording (logging) the keys struck on a keyboard, typically covertly, so that person using the keyboard is unaware that their actions are being monitored. Data can then be retrieved by the person operating the logging program.
A keylogger can be either software or hardware.
While the programs themselves are legal, with many of them being designed to allow employers to oversee the use of their computers, keyloggers are most often used for the purpose of stealing passwords and other confidential information.
Keylogging can also be used to study human–computer interaction. Numerous key-logging methods exist: they range from hardware and software-based approaches to acoustic analysis.
Images for kids
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A keylogger example of a screen capture, which holds potentially confidential and private information. The image below holds the corresponding keylogger text result.
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A logfile from a software-based keylogger, based on the screen capture above
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A hardware-based keylogger
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A connected hardware-based keylogger
See also
In Spanish: Keylogger para niños
