Best keylogging software?

[Number6]

Does anyone have any experience with, or can recommend keylogging & snapshotting software?

I need to secretly monitor everything that is typed on a Win XP PC and preferably have it automatically emailed to me at regular intervals. Ideally I would also like regular snapshots taken of the desktop and emailed also.

It needs to be not picked up by any of the regular AV packages.

Is there anything? Freeware?

Thanks for your help.

[synaesthesia]

Dont know any off hand - if there is anything the AV doesnt pick up, the AV needs replacing

[mac_shinobi]

not sure on what to recommend with regards to key logging but if you do find anything cant you just get your AV software to add that as an exception so it ignores it ?

[laserblazer]

Is what you propose legal? Sounds like you are investigating someone and it's a bit like phone-tapping.

[p858snake]

Be aware that in most places that unless you notify all users of the system that it's [the keylogging] occuring it is illegal and can end up with you going to jail.

[mac_shinobi]

Be aware that in most places that unless you notify all users of the system that it's [the keylogging] occuring it is illegal and can end up with you going to jail.

If you want to go down that road - you could get ab tutor - not too expensive and as snake mentions obviously advise your end users about it - maybe put it in the A.U.P ( [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acceptable_use_policy]Acceptable use policy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame] )

[DrPerceptron]

you could look at this technology...

Sniffing keystrokes via laser and keyboard power | Tech News on ZDNet

whether you can get hold of it is a different story all together.

I'm pretty sure I saw one that did work for laptops/USB keyboards too, but I'm not looking too hard for it.

[GrumbleDook]

Logging as part of a monitoring process needs to be an open and fair process.

There are tools such as Securus and Forensic Software that will monitor for key words and the take snapshots of the screen and centrally store this. These systems can be set to automatically email you a copy of the log if needed.

If this is being done as part of monitoring staff then it needs to be part of their working conditions that they will be monitored, with clear notice of what the information will be used for and how it will be actioned on. This would have to be done in consultation with staff and the unions as it is likely to be considered a change of contract.

If you start monitoring staff and students adn they are not aware of it, or not aware of what the information may be used for, then should you decide (or the school decide) to take action on it (eg a member of staff is using your computers to run an internet auction site even though the AUP says no money-making or students are sharing coursework / plagiarising ) and you suspend the teacher / exclude the student then it will not stand on appeal.

If it is something more serious (grooming, fraud, bullying, etc) and you get the police involved then the evidence is likely to be inadmissable.

Monitoring should not be taken lightly and you are at risk of being accused of harrassment if you don't get it stuck down in your schools policies and procedures ... protect your own neck as well.

[Number6]

Understand all the comments and we're aware of the implications.

Monitoring is in the AUP and everyone signs up to it as part of their contract.

There's a specific reason we need to do this right now, it's certainly not frivolous.

Thanks for the comments.

Pete

[Busybub]

A hardware usb keylogger is about 40 quid (15 to 20 for a PS2) and sits between the keyboard and PC port. Undetectable by AV, but the risk is a paranoid user finding it and yanking it out.

The ones sugeested by Grumbly will do the job but at a cost.

AB Tutor as suggested would be a cheaper alternative but with none of the automation for screendumps. If you have the system tray disabled in group policy, you could use iTalc for nothing.

[glennda]

There are tools such as Securus and Forensic Software that will monitor for key words and the take snapshots of the screen and centrally store this. These systems can be set to automatically email you a copy of the log if needed.

I personally found that Forensic Software's policy central, although sophos was set to ignore the software they both ran very high % of the client machines

[amfony]

i wrote a simple screen dumping app in autoIT that executed on every space bar/enter - that was so easy. im sure you could do that and customise as required.