100 lines
3.9 KiB
Markdown
100 lines
3.9 KiB
Markdown
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# logkeys Linux keylogger #
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## Important announcement for Arch Linux users ##
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logkeys was having an [issue on Arch Linux where it produced an empty
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log](https://github.com/kernc/logkeys/issues/60). The issue
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is now fixed in the repository (fix found by **bytbox** from the Arch
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Linux community), so if you're on Arch (or you seem to experience this
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issue), please check out the source from GitHub.
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## NEWS: logkeys version 0.1.1a (alpha) released ##
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* fixed 100% CPU issue on x64
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* various bug fixes
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* removed pgrep dependency
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* PID file now in /var/run/
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* other symlink attack vulnerability fixes
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* other security fixes
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* code refactoring
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* remote log uploading via HTTP
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* lkl and lklk are now llk and llkk to avoid confusion
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* llk and llkk are now programs that run logkeys-start.sh/-stop.sh scripts
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* also recognize "HID" USB keyboard devices
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* bug fixes
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---
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### What is logkeys?
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**logkeys is a linux keylogger** (GNU/Linux systems only). It is no
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more advanced than other available linux keyloggers, but is a bit more
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up to date, it doesn't unreliably repeat keys and it should never
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crash your X. All in all, it just seems to work. It relies on event
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interface of the Linux input subsystem. Once set, it logs all common
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character and function keys, while also being fully aware of Shift and
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AltGr key modifiers. **It works with serial as well as USB
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keyboards**.
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### What is a keylogger?
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Keylogger is a software that quietly monitors keyboard input so as to
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log any keypresses the user makes. Keyloggers can be used by malicious
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attackers to sniff out passwords and other sensitive textual
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information, but often times the user himself (or the corporate
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branch) wants to monitor his computer unattended (or the employees),
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reliably storing any unauthorized keyboard activity for later
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inspection. For example, when you leave your PC just to grab a quick
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bite from the vending machine, you might want to know if anybody was
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touching it while you were gone. Or you could use it to monitor your
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supposedly cheating wife, or young kids while they are surfing the
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web. You could also use it to obtain statistics of your most pressed
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keys in order to create your custom Dvorak-style keyboard (I've seen
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that done). Perhaps you want EVERYTHING you've typed or written in the
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past months archived for ANY purpose... Uses are limitless.
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### Are there alternative Linux keyloggers?
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There is a plethora of keyloggers for Windows, but not so many for Linux.
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On GNU/Linux systems and other reasonable operating systems,
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keyloggers can be easily implemented with a few lines of shell
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code. Novice users, however, are usually limited to a narrow set of
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the following tools:
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- [lkl](http://sourceforge.net/projects/lkl/)
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- [uberkey](http://gnu.ethz.ch/linuks.mine.nu/uberkey/)
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- [THC-vlogger](http://freeworld.thc.org/releases.php?q=vlogger), made
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by a renowned group of hackers
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- [PyKeylogger](http://pykeylogger.sourceforge.net/).
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All these tools have their pros and cons:
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- Lkl sometimes abnormally repeats keys and [its keymap configuration is rather
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awkward](http://www.google.com/search?q=lkl+keymap) for a range of
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users.
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- Uberkey, which is just over a hundred lines of code, also often
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repeats keys and [sometimes makes your mouse move
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abruptly](http://www.google.com/search?q=uberkey+mouse+problem),
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losing any sense of control.
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- PyKeylogger is very feature rich, but only works in an X
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environment.
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- vlogger only logs shell sessions and currently the code does not
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build (on Ubuntu 14.04 at least).
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There may be other tools, but logkeys definitely makes a
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simple and competitive addition.
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### What keyboards logkeys does work with?
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logkeys supports keyboards like on the image below (courtesy of
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SEOConsultants.com). These are standard 101 to 105-key PC keyboards
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with no Asian extensions.
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logkeys should also work with serial as well as USB
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keyboards, or similar "HID" devices.
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