A key logger is classified as which type of malicious software?

A key logger is classified as spyware because it is designed to monitor and capture user input, specifically keystrokes, often without the user's consent. Spyware operates stealthily in the background, collecting sensitive information like passwords, credit card numbers, and personal messages. The primary goal of a key logger is to gather data for malicious purposes, such as identity theft or unauthorized access to personal accounts, aligning it with the definition of spyware.

While worms, Trojan horses, and viruses are other types of malicious software, they function differently. Worms can replicate themselves and spread independently across networks. Trojan horses disguise themselves as legitimate software to trick users into installing them, while viruses attach themselves to clean files and spread to other files. None of these categories specifically focus on the eavesdropping and data-stealing characteristics that define spyware and, by extension, key loggers.