keystrokes

One way to make passwords obsolete -- just keep typing

Remembering a clunky password could become a thing of the past, according to researchers at Iowa State University.

Morris Chang, an associate professor of engineering, and his team are working on keystroke authentication -- a way of identifying you by the way you type and how long you pause between keystrokes. Ultimately, such a technique could block unauthorized users based on their typing patterns from gaining access to an account.

Using biometrics to identify and authenticate users isn't new -- think fingerprint recognition or iris scans. But those are one-time verifications. What makes keystroke authentication more secure is the … Read more

Track keystrokes with Free Keylogger

You probably know that keyloggers are programs that capture a computer user's keystrokes, most often surreptitiously. As the name suggests, IwantSoft's Free Keylogger is a freeware keylogging app. It can track and record keystrokes, clipboard activity, and Net surfing on individual PCs or networks (with administrative access) without users being able to see it or disable it. Of course, you need access to a user's PC to install Free Keylogger, and there are ethical and potential legal issues involved when you monitor someone else's computer use. But for parents who need to know what their kids … Read more

Keystroke keyholer

This aptly named program offers a detailed look at the browsing habits of anyone using your computer. Despite a few minor interface annoyances, it's a capable tool for capturing keystrokes.

At first glance, Keylog Detective's interface appears a bit cluttered, but it's easy to navigate. Prominent buttons for capturing and viewing keystroke information line the top and left side of the window. Click the Start Capture button and the program will immediately start recording your every move. You can view each session's keystroke details as well as any Web sites visited or programs accessed. The program'… Read more

Pro PC surveillance for parents, employers

This snooping utility provides almost all the features essential for monitoring a PC, but we were especially impressed with its stealthiness. System Surveillance Pro logs keystrokes, IM chats, applications used, and Web sites visited, and can capture screenshots at user-defined periodic intervals.

The interface makes it easy to locate any log file you need to access. System Surveillance Pro can block Web sites via URLs or detected keywords, and includes a scheduler in case you don't need to monitor PC usage at all times. Like most respectable spying applications, it will send you e-mail reports so you can keep … Read more

Keystrokes can be recovered remotely

Wired keyboards, like those found on desktop PCs, emit electromagnetic waves that can be read remotely, according two Swiss researchers.

Researchers Martin Vuagnoux and Sylvain Pasini of the Swiss Security and Cryptography Laboratory at LASEC/EPFL, were able to recover keystrokes from wired keyboards at a distance up to 20 meters (about 65 feet), even through walls, simply by reading the electromagnetic emanations of the peripheral device. The experiments focused on wired keyboards attached to a computer either by PS/2 or USB connections.

In two videos, Vuagnoux demonstrates the attacks.

In the first video, he shows how only the … Read more

Don't let your office nemesis see this

We almost didn't post this item because we wanted to keep it a secret from our co-workers. That way we could use it on them every day between now and April 1.

The "Phantom Keystroker" is the ultimate prank for office sadist, a devious little device that's sure to make any cubicle dweller go postal (not that it takes much). Once discreetly plugged into an unsuspecting colleague's USB port, it will randomly move the cursor around and type in dummy text whenver it feels like it, Gizmodo says.

Unfortunately it can't be controlled remotely. … Read more