Stealing financial information: One of the primary motivations behind keylogger attacks is financial gain. Cybercriminals use keyloggers to surreptitiously capture credit card details, online banking credentials, and other sensitive financial information. By obtaining this data, attackers can engage in fraudulent transactions, drain bank accounts, or make unauthorized purchases, leading to significant financial losses for the victims.
Corporate espionage: Keyloggers play a nefarious role in corporate espionage, where rival companies or cyberspies seek to gain a competitive edge. By deploying keyloggers on targeted devices within a competitor's organization, competitors can clandestinely record sensitive data, proprietary information, and confidential business strategies. This stolen intelligence can be exploited to gain a competitive advantage or to undermine the target company's position in the market.
Identity theft: Cybercriminals also weaponize keyloggers to perpetrate identity theft. By capturing personal information, login credentials, and other sensitive data, attackers can assume the identity of unsuspecting individuals. This allows them to engage in various criminal activities, such as applying for loans, opening fraudulent accounts, or conducting illegal transactions in the victim's name, leading to severe financial and reputational consequences for the targeted individuals.
Unauthorized surveillance: Cyberspies or attackers may install keyloggers on devices of individuals, businesses, or government agencies to monitor their activities covertly. By recording all keystrokes on the infected device, attackers can access confidential conversations, sensitive documents, and classified information, potentially compromising national security or damaging reputations.