Spying on the keyboard activities of a computer is usually done by two methods – through some innocuous-looking hardware device attached to the computer or through some stealthy software application. Normally, spying on the computer activities through hardware device will require the spy-hardware to be kept attached to the computer due to which chances of such hardware getting detected increase. Therefore, such spy-hardware is usually in some disguised form or some innocuous-looking device attached to the computer, but it may still be detected. On the other hand, it is difficult to detect a spy-software. Accordingly, spying through some secret software application (such as a keylogger which records all the keyboard activities) is more common than spying through some hardware device. However, SpyCobra is a USB stick which is a hardware device that can be used to spy over the activities on a computer and moreover, it need not remain attached with the computer.
SpyCobra is different from other hardware devices in the sense that it doesn’t have to be left attached to the computer to spy on its activities. You have to plug it into a USB port on the target computer and within 15 seconds a small piece of software can be installed on that computer which will record all keyboard activities, record all websites visited on that computer and also capture screenshots at regular intervals. Thereafter, you can remove SpyCobra from the computer but the spying will continue. Later on, when you want to retrieve the information collected by it, you have to simply plug the SpyCobra stick into the USB port of the computer again and all activities recorded by it will be uploaded onto it, and within seconds you can remove it from the computer and analyze the recorded activities at some other place.
Thus, it is combination of hardware and software, and there is no need to keep this hardware device continuously attached to the target computer. What you require, of course, is access to the target computer at least for a few minutes for initial installation and later for retrieving the information. This makes it difficult to detect and the users on the target computer won’t be able to know that they are being spied on. However, as mentioned above, at least some occasional access to the target computer is a must. In view of these reasons, SpyCobra is specially suited for parents who want to keep watch on the computer activities of their kids, or for employers who want to monitor computer activities of their employees. In both these situations, the parents and the employers can definitely get access to the target computer at least for some time. In other situations, it may be of limited use.
A typical 1 GB SpyCobra USB stick can record up to about 10 thousand screenshots and practically unlimited keystrokes data which is in the text form. It can cost you somewhere in the range of US$ 100 to 150. You can easily Google the places from where it can be sourced.
Caution: Spying on the activities of a computer may amount to an offence under the laws of your country depending upon the object and purpose of spying. So, better check your local laws before using any such device.
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There is also a question of ethics. Is it ethical to spy on a computer of others?
It is definitely not ethical, generally speaking. But, in certain situations such as parents or employers keeping control over the activities of their kids or employees, respectively, it may not be unethical as it is done in the bona fide interest and not with a mala fide interest. Ultimately, every act has to be seen from the point of view of the intention or the object behind the act. Even law permits such differentiation. For example, to take an extreme case, if a normal person kills another person he may be committing the offence of murder. However, if a police officer kills another person in the discharge of his official duties while acting in good faith, he is protected under law and no offence is made out against him. Of course, I have cited an extreme example; but the purpose is to show the difference that can be made by “intention” or “object” behind an act. Ultimately, everything is relative and nothing is absolute. Therefore, there cannot be the same standards of ethics while judging in all types of situations. The standards of ethics may vary in certain situations where something is done in good faith for the common benefit of all or for the benefit of the person concerned.