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If I copy a username/password from an email and paste it into an FTP client or an online form in the browser, can keyloggers capture this private information?

And does it make any difference whether using:

CTRL+C and CTRL+V
vs
Right-click > Copy, Right-click > Paste

Or are both equally vulnerable to keyloggers?

Simon East
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2 Answers2

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From the MSDN page.

The clipboard is a set of functions and messages that enable applications to transfer data. Because all applications have access to the clipboard, data can be easily transferred between applications or within an application.

Any applications can read data from the clipboard. A keylogger might not be logging such data, but it's definitely possible.

3

Often key loggers are not just looking at what is typed on the keyboard but also looking for submitted data from forms. On Windows at least, if a program has admin access to see the keystrokes going to other applications, it can also inspect the form contents of other programs.

Copy and paste may defeat the most basic key loggers, but it won't do anything against reasonably well built ones.

AJ Henderson
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