Keyloggers

From Blindside

Contents 1 What is it 2 Impact & Maturity assessment 3 Information Assurance issues 4 Timescale 5 Examples 6 Comments (attributed) 7 Organisations 8 Documents & research papers 9 Experts (academic, practitioner)

[edit] What is it

Originally they were there to help. As the divine Wikipedia puts it

Keystroke logging (often called keylogging) is a diagnostic tool used in software development that captures the user's keystrokes. It can be useful to determine sources of error in computer systems and is sometimes used to measure employee productivity on certain clerical tasks. Such systems are also highly useful for law enforcement and espionage—for instance, providing a means to obtain passwords or encryption keys and thus bypassing other security measures. However, keyloggers are widely available on the Internet and can be used by private parties to spy on the computer usage of others.

They sound complicated and difficult to use - high end spy stuff. But no - a six-year old managed to place one on an MP's computer. See [1].

This can be taken as evidence for the case that the end user's PC is effectively insecureable and we'd do best to face the future on that assumption, while doing what we can to mitigate the situation.

[edit] Impact & Maturity assessment

[See definition of levels]

We estimate the Impact Level at 2, based on the intelligence threat estimate regarding government information and conventional and industrial espionage. We estimate the Maturity Level at 2, in that this is happening, but is not widespread. However, lower level versions of logging software are now being commercially sold, with the objective of helping parents supervise and control their childrens' behaviour online, and it won't be long before this is used for other purposes.

[edit] Information Assurance issues

Answer: what seem to be the likely information assurance issues of the emerging technology under discussion

[edit] Timescale

Is the impact of this emerging technology felt - now (less than 18 months) - in 2-5 years? - in 5-25 years - longer-term than that even

[edit] Examples

[edit] Comments (attributed)

What people say about this emerging technology (attributed)

[edit] Organisations

Groups which have a particular contribution or point of view about this emerging technology, eg tech businesses, user organisations or advocacy groups

[edit] Documents & research papers

Very brief abstracts or links to informative documents, presentations or academic research papers about this emerging technology

[edit] Experts (academic, practitioner)

Links to academic experts or expert practitioners and commentators on this emerging technology