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If one is installed on a Windows Vista laptop, on a Guest account, can it discover the password to the Admin account?

I'd imagine it would, if it was set to work come up anytime the computer was logged on, not just under the guest account.

Also, *insert comment about moral issues I know you really don't care about*

Well I'm aware of how they work, just never had a chance to test it in this situation. So the admin's actions (including their password to their account) would be saved to the guest accounts hidden keylogger if activated upon PC start up? Wasn't sure as most work off Windows Start up but that'd be about the same thing I imagine.

I think it depends on the keylogger. I've heard of ones that will activate when the computer is turned on (even logging keystrokes in BIOS), but others that will run only when the account is opened (and so would not detect the admin in this case, as the guest would have to be logged in).

I'm not however, very savvy in this regard unfortunately. I have a techie friend I'll consult - he programs and installs things like this for fun on a regular basis.

Hm, seems I'm having trouble installing one on a guest account, I keep getting "Error! Must be installed as adminstrator".

You could boot the computer in Safe Mode, a default admin account, and install the keylogger...

Keyloggers can't log anything unless they are actually running.
So the question becomes...how do I get this thing started as soon as possible?
BIOS-level keyloggers can only do so if they have managed to insinuate themselves into the BIOS code itself. All other keyloggers have to get themselves running during the startup process (as a service, a TSR, etc). Keyloggers which are installed under standard/restricted accounts will only launch when that user is logged in (they are local to that user only), which is of limited usefulness in the business of keylogging. Installing it with admin privileges allows it to run under any user, the same way that you can run Word or WoW (or even your video/audio drivers) under any user (because they are installed globally). That means that they'll log your keystrokes too, though.

Helpful?

--Patrick

From a programming perspective, no, the guest account does not have the priviledges to install the drivers needed to capture the keyboard keypresses.

However, if the guest account was available, a virus might possibly be used to force its way past those pesky administrator priviledge security measures and install the necessary drivers anyway.

So in theory, no, but practically it's possible.

However, you should consider a hardware keylogger - it's much easier to install (no need to even turn the computer on) and most people don't notice that sort of thing.

But honestly, Shego?

Just quit it.

I mean that seriously.

Usually when people start down this path (you may already be well on your way) they have a lot more to lose than they realize, and it's rarely, if ever, worth it.

Thanks for the advice stienman, but it's not for me. It's my brother. He's got some serious reason to think his wife and mother of his 3 kids is cheating. He just wants the proof he'd need to keep the kids.

I have alot of experience with keyloggers in general so I've given him a good start, but as for the admin/guest thing I was at a loss and looking for some advice to pass along. The GF and I are actually doing pretty well but I didn't want to put that "out there" till it had been a good while of smooth sailing.

Strangely enough, seconded. There are PS/2 and USB hardware keyloggers that are more reliable (more complete at catching keystrokes, less likely to crash the machine), though harder to conceal.

However, the only times I've had to deal with keyloggers, the end results were always the same...people got hurt. Sometimes permanently. Your choice/risk, of course.

--Patrick

I'm guessing you didn't read my reply.

Now I wish I had someone to spy on to be all ...spy-y on. I don't care about what anyone does on their computer today.

Perhaps you can spy on Shego while she spies on her sister-in-law.

Thing is, I'm hoping he's being overly paranoid and is wrong.

What if he is being paranoid, but she discovers he (and you) are spying on her? Won't that hurt their marriage?

And there's the possibility that she finds out and forgives him but decides that you can't be trusted, and forces him to limit his contact with you. Some women try this, and some husbands comply.

There'd be no way she'd find out. She's not computer savvy in the least.

I'm definitely with Shego on this one. If he has reason to suspect, he should investigate. I hope he's wrong too, for that's a shitty situation. Best of luck to him.

Shegokigo said:

I'm guessing you didn't read my reply.

Click to expand...

You posted it while I was composing mine.

--Patrick

It took you 13 minutes to type like 4 sentences?

Chances are her phone may have some incriminating texts...

Shegokigo said:

There'd be no way she'd find out. She's not computer savvy in the least.

Click to expand...

Maybe her boyfriend is.

Also, Chaz's reply is true.

He's checked the phone every now and then, discreetly.

The reason for the worry is partially because there is a password and no access to the laptop main administrator account.

Even if exists and he's computer savvy, there'd be no way for him to know there's a keylogger present.

Calleja said:

It took you 13 minutes to type like 4 sentences?

Click to expand...

I have a brand new 2-month old in the house. Nothing goes as planned any more. Nothing.

--Patrick

They have keyloggers that plug into the computer via the keyboard (keyboard plugs into the keylogger, keylogger plugs into the computer) you don't need an admin account to activate it and I believe it's always on. as an example http://www.keyghost.com/

That'd be great, but it's a laptop.

Shegokigo said:

He's checked the phone every now and then, discreetly.

The reason for the worry is partially because there is a password and no access to the laptop main administrator account.

Even if exists and he's computer savvy, there'd be no way for him to know there's a keylogger present.

Click to expand...

So his entire basis of suspicion is that because his wife put a password on her laptop, she might be cheating on him? Solid relationship there! :crazy: My laptop is password protected at the bios and the Win7 admin/users. Laptops have this magical property of being portable and thus susceptible to being lost or stolen. I'm checking my wife's computer right now and she's got it password protected. Oh shit... I better hire a detective.

I'm willing to bet that's not the sole root of his suspicions.

Shegokigo said:

He's checked the phone every now and then, discreetly.

The reason for the worry IS PARTIALLY because there is a password and no access to the laptop main administrator account.

Even if exists and he's computer savvy, there'd be no way for him to know there's a keylogger present.

Click to expand...

Bolded for emphasis. She's also been staying out with friends till 5-6am (when before it was midnight-1am the latests) on a couple weekends a night, has made promises about cutting back and hasn't, all around acting very strangely in the past couple of months and progressively has gotten worse are the main reasons. Thanks for the unnecessary sarcasm though. She's also flat out told him that he can't have the password to the main account. Where as he gives her full access to his computer, and all of his email addresses. (They're all the same username and the passwords are their anniversary).

private investigators don't really charge that much for this kind of investigation..if she's going out that much, she'll get busted pretty quickly.

Yeah, I can believe that, but a keylogger is free.

Tinwhistler said:

private investigators don't really charge that much for this kind of investigation..if she's going out that much, she'll get busted pretty quickly.

Click to expand...

He could always ask a friend to follow her, I suppose.

Even though this is very naughty, naughty they have startup disks that can disable password.. so you can, you know, look around the account?
I'm assuming the husband owns the laptop in question and in that right can do whatever the hell he wants to it, so..

http://pogostick.net/~pnh/ntpasswd/

I'm going to laugh when her brother discovers his wife's big secret is that she attends a midnight pottery class.

I believe he needs to read pages 124-125 of The Alphabet of Manliness to properly assess his problem here: House Training Your Woman in the Obedience chapter.

Chazwozel said:

I'm going to laugh when her brother discovers his wife's big secret is that she attends a midnight pottery class.

I believe he needs to read pages 124-125 of The Alphabet of Manliness to properly assess his problem here: House Training Your Woman in the Obedience chapter.

Click to expand...

Hah, sexism. Classy.

Shadazz;330017][QUOTE=Chazwozel said:

I'm going to laugh when her brother discovers his wife's big secret is that she attends a midnight pottery class.

I believe he needs to read pages 124-125 of The Alphabet of Manliness to properly assess his problem here: House Training Your Woman in the Obedience chapter.

Click to expand...

Hah, sexism. Classy.[/QUOTE]


More like classy sexism. Booya!

Oh, you.

Spectersoft is the one I use to keep tabs on my kiddos. Not as much any more but when they were younger I watched everything they do.

It basically shows everything like a VCR and you can play back IMs, keystrokes or screen prints. It shows what web sites have been looked at, how long, etc.

It's the bomb....yo.

Ah. Consider a GPS tracker on her car, and a transparent proxy server on the network that would capture all internet activity, without having to mess with the computer.

But yes, with physical access to the computer you should be able to install a keylogger. Look through the many options for "retrieving a lost windows admin password" and then you can learn the administrator's password, or install a new hidden administrator account for snooping.