{
  "family": "keylogr",
  "sample_count": 1,
  "category": "trojan",
  "description": "<h3>Executive Summary</h3>\n\"Keylogr\" is a generic detection name used by security engines to identify software that exhibits the behavioral characteristics of a keystroke logger. Whether it is a commercial \"employee monitoring\" tool (Riskware) or a malicious, custom-built Info Stealer (Trojan), its primary function is to silently record every keystroke made by the user, posing a critical threat to credential security and data confidentiality.\n\n<h3>Infection Vector and Technical Capabilities</h3>\nMalicious keyloggers are typically deployed via targeted spear-phishing (malicious attachments), drive-by downloads, or dropped by initial access brokers who have compromised a system. Commercial (Riskware) keyloggers must be installed manually by someone with physical access or administrative rights.\n\nRegardless of the source, Keylogr variants utilize deep system monitoring:\n<ul>\n<li><strong>API Hooking:</strong> The most common technique involves hooking core Windows APIs (such as `SetWindowsHookEx` or `GetAsyncKeyState`). This allows the software to intercept hardware interrupts from the keyboard before the keystrokes are passed to the active application.</li>\n<li><strong>Kernel-Level Logging:</strong> More advanced variants operate as kernel-mode rootkits, intercepting keystrokes at the driver level (`kbdclass.sys`). This makes them completely invisible to user-mode security software and the Windows Task Manager.</li>\n<li><strong>Data Exfiltration:</strong> The captured keystrokes (which inevitably include passwords, emails, and sensitive communications) are saved to hidden, encrypted log files. These logs are then periodically exfiltrated to the attacker via SMTP, FTP, or HTTP POST requests.</li>\n</ul>\n\n<h3>Threat Assessment</h3>\nThe detection of a Keylogr is a critical security incident. It guarantees the compromise of any password or sensitive data typed on the infected machine. This provides attackers with the credentials necessary to escalate privileges, access corporate VPNs, and pivot laterally across the network.\n\n<h3>Incident Response and Remediation</h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Immediate Network Isolation:</strong> The highest priority is to disconnect the infected endpoint from the network to halt the active exfiltration of the keystroke logs.</li>\n<li><strong>Global Credential Reset:</strong> It must be assumed that *all* passwords typed on the machine have been stolen. A mandatory, immediate reset of all associated enterprise credentials is required.</li>\n<li><strong>Complete Re-imaging:</strong> Due to the deep system hooking (often at the kernel level) used by keyloggers, attempting to \"clean\" the machine manually is highly risky and often ineffective. A complete bare-metal wipe and re-image from a trusted baseline is necessary.</li>\n</ul>",
  "cta": "Published by the SystemHelpdesk team.",
  "aliases": [
    "Trojan.Keylogger",
    "Spyware.Keylog",
    "Riskware.Monitor"
  ],
  "enrichment_level": "insufficient_information",
  "faq": [],
  "faq_count": 0,
  "mitre_attack": [
    "T1056.001",
    "T1115",
    "T1552.001"
  ],
  "cisa_advisory": null,
  "last_updated": "2026-07-02T07:18:19Z",
  "type": "Spyware / Keylogger",
  "target_industries": [
    "Global / Opportunistic"
  ],
  "motivation": "Opportunistic",
  "threat_actors": [
    "Unknown / Cybercriminal"
  ],
  "target_geographies": [
    "Global"
  ]
}