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[x2p]

Study: Keystroke spying on the rise
By Alorie Gilbert
November 15, 2005

Keylogger programs that record passwords and other typed-in text are increasing, according to data from iDefense. The programs are an increasingly popular tool among identity thieves, the security company said Tuesday.

Reports to iDefense, and its own research, indicate that the number of keylogger variants unleashed this year is set to rise 65 percent over last year, reaching nearly 6,200 in total, the company said in a statement on Tuesday. Each variant could lead to anything from a few to several thousand infections, Ken Dunham, senior engineer at iDefense, said.

Keylogger software typically tracks keystrokes on infected computers and is used to try to steal sensitive information such as user names and credit card data. The biggest problem with keyloggers, which silently relay data to attackers, is that they often go undetected, easily slipping past firewalls and antivirus software, iDefense, a division of VeriSign, said.

"There are so many victims because so few know the risk or the early warning signs," Joe Payne, vice president of VeriSign iDefense Security Intelligence Services, said in a statement. "You simply can't stop what you can't see." Early warning signs can include slow performance of a PC, a spike in pop-up messages and other problems.

Source:ZDNet

[RedInferno]

Hardware keyloggers are a pest.... Unless you check your keyboard and/or are paranoid, someone could be stealing your identity if they have access to your computer.