Day 24 Computer surveillance

Keystroke logging or tracking, keeps track of the keys that have been hit on the keyboard and records it with many people unaware that it is happening. There are many different types of computer surveillance a few examples being: harware - based keyloggers, wireless keyboard sniffers, keyboard overlays, acoustic keyloggers, electromagnetic emissions, and optical surveillance.

Wireless keyboard sniffers - "These passive sniffers collect packets of data being transferred from a wireless keyboard and its receiver."

keyboard overlays - "Criminals have been known to use keyboard overlays on ATM machines to capture people's PINs. Each keypress is registered by the keyboard of the ATM as well as the criminal's keypad that is placed over it."

Acoustic keylogger - "Acoustic cryptanalysis can be used to monitor the sound created by someone typing on a computer. Each character on the keyboard makes a subtly different acoustic signature when stroked."

Electromagnetic emissions - "It is possible to capture the electromagnetic emissions of a wired keyboard from up to 20 metres (66 ft) away, without being physically wired to it"

Optical surveillance - "A strategically placed camera, such as a hidden surveillance camera at an ATM, can allow a criminal to watch a PIN or password being entered"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keystroke_logging

Room641A - Alleged wiretaping by the NSA on AT&T customers in a secret room in an AT&T SBC Communications building on Folsom St., San Francisco. The lawsuit against such accusations began in 2003 and is still continuing today.

http://www.eff.org/cases/att

http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Computer_surveillance_-_Surveillance_techniques/id/1251548