Technique
Keylogger
Also known as: Keystroke Logger, Keyboard Logger, Input Capture, Keystroke Capture, System Monitor
Software or hardware that secretly records every keystroke on a device, capturing passwords, messages, credit card numbers, and other sensitive input before encryption protects it.
Common attack flows
How it fits in a scam
This technique shows up duringEXPLOITATION
Defense
How to defend against this
How to spot it
- Noticeable delay between typing and characters appearing on screen
- Cursor or mouse movements lagging
- Unknown processes running in Task Manager or Activity Monitor
- Antivirus alerts for keylogger or spyware signatures
- Accounts compromised despite using unique passwords
- Slow web browsing performance
- Unfamiliar browser extensions or startup programs
- Hardware device attached between keyboard and computer
Further reading