Are you looking for something that can help you in recording what keys are being pressed on your notebook? We can assure that you are at the right place. In this (How-to) article, we will tell you two different approaches through which you can record keys that are being typed on your computer or notebook.
Before going into details, we would like to tell you that this process of recording keys is usually called as Keylogging. In simple words, Keylogging is an act of tracking and recording every keystroke entry (key’s pressed) happened through keyboard or any similar device. In this, the user is often unaware that the keystroke entries are being recorded. It is also known as keyboard capturing.
Keylogging can be beneficial due to many reasons, but at the same time, it can be dangerous as well. Starting from its benefits, many institutes like schools and organizations use it because it can help in monitoring the students and employees (what activities they are doing on the computer). Further, a keystroke can act as a backup of text typed (in a file or email) that got deleted accidentally or due to some other reason. In this scenario, using keylogging is totally legal. It is worth mentioning that if you are doing keylogging on other computers (in offices or schools), you must have administration rights.
Undoubtedly, it has many advantages but at the same time, disadvantages too which are described following: Hackers can use it to track your activities, to know your email and passwords, and many other personal things. You might be wondering how hackers can do keylogging on your computer. Well, it can be done through viruses and spyware programs which gets install in your computer without your permission and you remain unaware of that. By observing the keylogging, your activities and many personal things can easily be tracked. In this scenario, the keylogging is totally illegal.
Methods of Keylogging
There are two methods of keylogging. First one is related to hardware which can be done by attaching some device to your keyboard or CPU/Notebook. In the second method, we use different kinds of keylogging software. Both methods are discussed below in detail:
- Hardware Method
In this method, the keylogging hardware is used to perform it. Once again, we have two approaches in this method to do. In the first approach, we can use computer’s BIOS for recording keystrokes. In second, we can use a small keylogging adapter.
In the first method (related to BIOS), we would simply enable the Keylogging option in the BIOS, if available. The BIOS firmware will simply record the keystrokes and user can see them through specific software. It is not must that your notebook/CPU support keylogging through BIOS. If not supported, head toward the second hardware method.
In the second method, we would record keystrokes through keylogging devices. It is worth mentioning that many keyboards come with built-in keylogging feature through which the user doesn’t need to do connect any external device. But if not supported, the external adapter is required.
The keylogging adaptor is also known as Keylogger which can easily be purchased in both offline and online markets. It records keystroke before they reach to the destination i.e. CPU/notebook (as an input). You can also purchase a modern keylogger device which can record keystrokes through wireless keyboard. This kind of keyloggers detects the input data sent between the keyboard and receiver.
- Software Method
In this method, we would use different software which is used as a keylogger. However, before going into details, it is worth mentioning that a keylogger can also be in a form of virus which is generally used by hackers in order to track your activities, saved passwords and other personal things. In this scenario, you would be totally unaware of all these things. In order to avoid this kind of virus, we recommend you to use a good anti-virus program.
At the same time, there are some software which are available online and are designed to legally detect the keystrokes data from your computer. Following are some of them:
- Kid Inspector
- Iwantsoft Free Keylogger
- Spyrix Free Keylogger
- REFOG Free Keylogger
- Actual Keylogger
The above mentioned software is mostly used for this purpose. Almost all of them consist of the same functions which are mentioned following: Parental Control, IM Chats (Instant Messaging) logging, and many keylogging functions, covering all the needs of users. Generally, Parental Control programs are mostly used to perform keylogging.
