My games are registered as Keyloggers??

[The Dark Scholar]

There's a piece of software I installed recently on my computer (Won't advertise what since I don't know if its against the rules, but its a trusted, highly rated anti-keylogger software) that detects spyware and keyloggers through its behavior and not a digital signature database. What's odd is the fact that some but not all of my games have been detected as keyloggers by this software.

While I know that Steam knows better than to allow something harmful like that onto their store, I cant help but wonder why this is happening. Like I said, this anti-spyware software detects threats by monitoring the registry, keyboard, and system files to see if anything strange is attempting to access it. I asked a friend on the subject, and his response was that games need to log the keyboard in order to carry out the function you tell the game to perform. Is this true? If it is, why, and why doesn't every game do this? (My best guess would be the way the game's code is organized and streamlined)

I'm a little new to the forums, so I apologize if this topic is in the wrong place.

P.S. No, this isn't my anti-virus, its just an extra layer of protection since I'm paranoid about keyloggers and spyware.

[cinedine]

It should be quite obvious that any program using keyboard as input methods records key-press-events.
Your system provides a steady stream of key presses for any program to read. Depending on what it's used for a program can save part of it as a separate entity in your memory. That can apply to your login credentials as well as something like writing a text file. Games with chat functions even send those data into the ether for the other party to read. Other triggers may include option menus with API calls that are stored in system .dll's.

Pure behavioural analysis is bound to find lots of false positives. Like patches are often flagged as potential threads because they alter files or induce code into executables just like a virus does.

[Satoru]

Sounds more like whtaever 'software' you got is total garbage and is probably a virus

[Muppet among Puppets]

Check if your program is recommended on reputated magazines.

If its a legit program, learn how to "read and understand" its function.

[WereCatf]

Why are you even asking about the app in here? Games on Steam are quite obviously not keyloggers, so the problem lies with the app, not the games. And, well, Valve didn't make the app, so you should go and ask the app's devs instead.

[The Dark Scholar]

Thanks for the replies.

To answer your questions, yes its a reputable software I've found reviews, tests, and did a file analysis using Norton and found it was considered trusted by their DB.

And second, I was only curious as to why this happens with some games and not others. I only know basic code and was curious was all. If you want to look it up, it's called Zemana ANtilogger.

[Daggoth]

I'd expect it'll be something like some games getting keystrokes through the windows API like 'proper' programs, and other games grabbing raw keyboard input, which your program thinks is suspect.

[Satoru]

If its detecting games as keyloggers it cant be very good

[Spawn of Totoro]

http://www.zemana.us/Support.aspx

Would be a better idea to contact them about the issue directly. If their program is getting false positives, they can tell better then we can. They can also fix their program too, if that is the issue.

[kdodds]

Sounds like your program needs a "safe" database, at the very least. Can you "mark as safe" as a function of the program? Personally, I've not found a single anti-virus/anti-spyware utility that is as effective and stable as the off-the-shelf "commercial" brands. But to each his own... I'm kind of baffled, though. If you have a security suite and password protect your account on the machine, why you'd feel the need for even more in-memory, CPU utilizing, bloat?