The hardware version of key loggers are often mistaken for an obligatory part of the hardware and so are ignored because they either look like a part of a keyboard or are made to look like normal keyboards . Spyware by the name of "Real Time Spy" is capable of monitoring subjects as they are online, which is known as real-time spyware, and then there is also spyware that allows the user to monitor all e-mail traffic on the subject's machine , which is known as "WebMail Spy". .
Another limited form of key logger is a Trojan horse. These are designed to imitate a certain program, such as a login program and store the information that the unsuspecting user types and transmit it back to the originator.
Not all government spying is done with intricate Spyware programs though. They also have access to vast databases where they can find anything related to a specific topic- this technique is known as datamining. .
Recent accusations concerning the employ of this type of software to spy on UN Secretary General Kofi Annan have been made in Britain. Clare Short, the former British government minister was accused of leaking this confidential information to the press . .
Impact of the issue.
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, created in 1978, allows the US government to search through private documents and personal information merely by indicating that the search might be linked to a matter that concerns national security, whether or not a crime has been proven or even committed . The events of September 11, 2001 in New York and at the Pentagon implemented new security measures, the chief one being greater surveillance measures and the creation of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which provides investigation and protection services against threats to the USA. Maine State Law declares that individuals are protected against spying in private domains and that disregarding this law is a class D crime .
