KEYLOGGER

KEYLOGGER

Illegitimate software or hardware equipment designed to intercept keystrokes. A keylogger allows the attacker who deployed it to know everything that has been entered on the victim's keyboard (passwords, website addresses, emails, etc.). When they are hardware-based, keyloggers take the form of an adapter inserted between the computer's keyboard output and the cable leading to it. They are then more difficult to detect by any software solutions and allow the interception of all keystrokes, including before the operating system is launched (to intercept the BIOS password for example) and even if the user starts their computer on a third-party system from external storage. There are keyloggers for wireless keyboards.

Before the widespread use of laptops in offices, the threat of the keylogger was often used to encourage employees to clean up behind the PC towers.