LKL Linux KeyLogger vs. logkeys

From Ubuntu Forum - by Fabrizio

Business case is: install a key logging utility on Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx).

Solution: Trying to address the business case I stumbled upon two different key logging utilities: LKL Linux KeyLogger and logkeys. Based upon my humble experience first one does not matches expectations, while the second one does it in full.

Scope of the article: share the experience with others which might have a similar business case.

Assumption: the lab system has an italian keyboard layout.


FIRST TRY: LKL Linux KeyLogger

http://blog.theunical.com/ubuntu/lin...ger-in-ubuntu/

- How to install?
http://sourceforge.net/projects/lkl/
./confiure
make
sudo make install

- How to use?
sudo lkl -l -k /home/XYZ/Downloads/lkl/keymaps/it_km -o /home/XYZ/loggy.log
(apparently seems ok)

- now it has to start automatically at any reboot
cd /etc/init.d
sudo vi rc.local
add at the bottom "/usr/local/bin/lkl -l -k /home/XYZ/Downloads/lkl/keymaps/it_km -o /home/XYZ/loggy.log &"
(it starts but in the loggy.log file there is only garbage, I tried to remove the two keyboard mapping it_UP e it_ALT, but no way it does not log anything meaningful)


SECOND TRY: logkeys

http://code.google.com/p/logkeys/

- How to install?
gunzip logkeys-0.1.1a.tar.gz
tar xvf logkeys-0.1.1a.tar
cd logkeys-0.1.1a/
cd build/
../configure
('sudo apt-get install build-essential' if previous command fails)
make
sudo make install

- it is important to have the correct map file so download the it.map file from their website

- How to use?
sudo logkeys -s -m /home/XYZ/Downloads/de.map -o /home/XYZ/loggy.log
sudo logkeys -k

- now it has to start automatically at boot time
cd /etc/init.d
sudo vi rc.local
add at the bottom "/usr/local/bin/logkeys -s -m /home/XYZ/Downloads/de.map -o /home/XYZ/loggy.log &"
(it starts and the loggy.log file is human readable, mission accomplished)


CONCLUSION
IMHO logkeys rules! ;o)

Cheers,

Fabrizio