Spyware and Keyloggers

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• malware can be used for different levels of monitoring:
  • tracking cookies
    • is a plain text file
    • third-party cookies can be used to record web activity, track IP address, and harvest metadata
    • created by adverts and analytics widgets embedded in websites
  • Supercookie
    • is a means of storing tracking data in a non-regular way:
      • saving it to cache without declaring the data to be a cookie
      • or encoding data into header requests
  • Beacon
    • is a single pixel image embedded into a website
    • invisible to the user
    • browser must make a request to download the pixel to load the site
      • gives the beacon host ability to:
        • collect metadata
        • perform fingerprinting
        • run tracking scripts
  • Adware
    • Software that records information about a PC and its user
    • is a class of PUP/bloatware that performs browser reconfigurations
      • allowing tracking cookies
      • changing default search provider
      • opening sponsored pages on startup
      • adding bookmarks
      • etc.
    • can be installed as
      • a program
      • browser extension
  • Spyware
    • Software that records information about a PC and its users
    • can perform
      • tracking
      • recording of mic and webcam
      • take screenshots
      • perform DNS redirection to pharming sites
  • Keylogger
    • Malicious software or hardware that can record user keystrokes
    • type of spyware