Need Keylogger Rec
September 9, 2009 9:32 AM Subscribe
I need a recommendation for a keylogger to record keystrokes.
I need a keylogger that won't be noticed by people who don't empty their history but aware enough to notice any extra icons anywhere on the desktop, one that won't slow down a laptop enough to trigger someone into running a virus scan. Free or as close to free as possible. I need it to run at least a week, but up to a month at most.
I own the machine in question, if that makes you feel any better. It's a personal home-use laptop, and I don't have intentions of stealing someone identity or anything illegal.
Running Windows XP.
I need a keylogger that won't be noticed by people who don't empty their history but aware enough to notice any extra icons anywhere on the desktop, one that won't slow down a laptop enough to trigger someone into running a virus scan. Free or as close to free as possible. I need it to run at least a week, but up to a month at most.
I own the machine in question, if that makes you feel any better. It's a personal home-use laptop, and I don't have intentions of stealing someone identity or anything illegal.
Running Windows XP.
This post was deleted for the following reason: if you're looking for advice on how to do something that is most likely unethical and probably illegal, the burden is sor tof on you to explain why you need to do this and why your question is okay, otherwise it's straight to trainwreckville. Try again next week or go with the info you've got? -- jessamyn
This information can be really mis-used, and similar questions in the past have recommended alternate problem resolution.
If you want to supervise kids, then keep the pc in a family area, not in a kid's room.
If you have a conflict with a partner, keylogging is not the way to go.
Perhaps you feel the need to gain access to someone's email account. It's illegal, and there's almost certainly a better way to resolve the problem.
posted by theora55 at 9:58 AM on September 9, 2009 [1 favorite]
If you want to supervise kids, then keep the pc in a family area, not in a kid's room.
If you have a conflict with a partner, keylogging is not the way to go.
Perhaps you feel the need to gain access to someone's email account. It's illegal, and there's almost certainly a better way to resolve the problem.
posted by theora55 at 9:58 AM on September 9, 2009 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thank you for your opinion, theora55, but I'm asking for rec of a legal program to use on a system I own and the reasons are really none of your concern. If you don't have an answer to the question, then you should use your scroll bar.
posted by FunkyHelix at 10:06 AM on September 9, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by FunkyHelix at 10:06 AM on September 9, 2009 [2 favorites]
Here's a free one on sourceforge. They used to have another one too, but I can't find it now. Haven't used it, can't vouch for it.
posted by TomMelee at 10:09 AM on September 9, 2009
posted by TomMelee at 10:09 AM on September 9, 2009
Ask your lawyer. This might be illegal, even on your own laptop, if you're presenting it to someone else as not monitored. It depends on where you are, the relationship to other possible users (a husband is a lot different than an employee), what measures you use to protect the private information you inevitably collect, and whether you're breaking any laws by misrepresenting said laptop. You could end up in worse shape than whoever you're spying on.
A lawyer will also help you collect the information in a way that is most useful in court, and a good one can probably provide specific advice on software that their clients have used in the past.
The fact it's your own laptop doesn't mean much. There are thousands of illegal things you can install on your laptop and thousands of illegal things you can do with it.
(If I dust "my own" cell phone with anthrax and then lend it to you for your trip to the lake, while also secretly disabling the brakes on the car I lend you...)
posted by rokusan at 10:31 AM on September 9, 2009
A lawyer will also help you collect the information in a way that is most useful in court, and a good one can probably provide specific advice on software that their clients have used in the past.
The fact it's your own laptop doesn't mean much. There are thousands of illegal things you can install on your laptop and thousands of illegal things you can do with it.
(If I dust "my own" cell phone with anthrax and then lend it to you for your trip to the lake, while also secretly disabling the brakes on the car I lend you...)
posted by rokusan at 10:31 AM on September 9, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by theKik at 9:56 AM on September 9, 2009