" Hacking " by using keyloggers

[hitman6267]

First of all im truly sorry if this thread doesnt belong in this section but i ddnt know were else to put it :( .
Alot of so called " Hackers " threaten to steal ur email or account for a game some were.I think they all install keyloggers on your pc , therefore get ur password.My question is how do they install it in the first place ?
And another question may be offtopic but what can u do with some one's ip ?
Thank you all :)

[PeOfEo]

Getting an account for a game might not be hacking at all, it could be them cracking the accounts... cracking != hacking.

If they are going to put something on your machine they need to connect to you, this can be done through a direct connection like aim. I mean it really depends on your operating system (which is most likely windows), service pack, and other updates. They might be able to port scan you if they know your ip and then they could maybe slip something onto your system by excessive packeting( wouldn't know how to do it myself as I am not a haxor... I am just not l33t enough). So on and so fourth. A router with a hardware firewall would eliminate this threat.

[hitman6267]

I have another question , i ddnt want to make another thread because it falls sorta in the same thread as this.
From a good source i heard that some " hackers " need you to talk to them via msn or for you to be online to get your password, any ideas on how they do it ? im not looking on how to do it but im looking for ways on protecting my self because some of my friends have been " hacked " and i dont want to be the unlucky contact that is next. So i figured if i know the way , i will know how to protect my self.Thank you all in advance.

[PeOfEo]

They need more than to talk to you on a messenger client. See what they need is they need to connect to you directly which can be done through the sending of a file, direct connect, webcam, or mic. Before this though they would run a netstat command in dos to list the users they are connected to, then once they connect they would do it again and look for the new ip/host name on the list. That would be yours. They would also need to slip one end of a trojan onto your machine. Just talking to you though gives them nothing because the chatting is going through a central box in the form of xml/soap (a lot of the networks are xml based).

[hitman6267]

I get what u mean,but i think that applies when we have for exemple cable, im supposing thats what u meant when u said alot of networks are xml based but im sure both users are on dial up so no network there if u mean that.What u said about a direct connection and that can only obtained if some one is sending a file or in a mic/video conversation,i think there is another way based that i remember in msn messenger 7.0 there was a box in security i remember that asks u if u should allow msn messenger to have a direct connection with the users ur talking too,its a default setting.You said they would slip u a trojan , how can they do that ?and is a firewall ( ZA )and an AV ( norton 2005 with worm protection ) gona be able to protect me ?

Thanx for your reply.