Aobo Mac OS X Keylogger Standard Edition

Aobo Mac OS X Keylogger Standard Edition is a keylogger with functionality that may be enough for parental control and not the most pleasant to look at, yet very thought out interface. Easy to use, requires no special knowledge of keyloggers.

Advantages:

• Multi-OS support
• Great URLs interception
• Grouping of the intercepted information and settings into categories
• Good stealthiness level

Disadvantages:

• Zero file-activity monitoring
• Available in English only
• Only basic screenshot-making options

Installation

InstallationSo we download the installation folder of Aobo Mac OS X Keylogger Standard Edition. Once we launch the application it lets us know that it is going to restart itself and then run in stealth mode. It also informs us about the hotkey combination we should press in order to access it. We click "OK" and keylogger shows us another window asking to open System Preferences > Universal Access and check the item "Enable access for assistive devices". We try to click "Next" not doing what Aobo asks us to, and it shows us the same message written in red not allowing using or performing any actions with it.

Assistive DevicesSo we go where we were asked to, check the item, put in the admin password and click "Next". Aobo Mac OS X Keylogger Standard Edition asks us to launch it again. We do that, press the hotkey combination and finally see the application's interface.

It is important to say that the Standard Edition of Aobo Mac OS X Keylogger is advertised as the one requiring no admin password to be installed. As you see it is only partially true. The keylogger really neither requires us to agree with EULA, nor to enter the admin password in order to install it. However, putting in the password of administrator is vital in order to use Aobo Mac OS X Keylogger Standard Edition.

It is strange that it never shows us the installation process, EULA and doesn't even ask for the password of administrator.

Interface

InterfaceThe interface of keylogger is very simple. The tiny non scalable grey window contains all the configuration information grouped into few sections with its content in the middle and buttons to navigate the sections in the top. Everything is clear and simple, yet misses colours.

The interface of Log Viewer looks similar, yet is oriented on information's viewing. Its window is also grey, but bigger and has a tiny line of controls in the bottom. The rest of the window shows the intercepted information. Both of the windows are easy to use, yet not pretty much pleasant to look at.

OS Support

Aobo Mac OS X Keylogger Standard Edition supports all the operating systems taking part in our comparison, including the new OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion.

Security

The keylogger has all the necessary security basics: its folder is hidden, it is password-protected and can be accessed by pressing a hotkey combination.

It can't be set to uninstall itself on a pre-specified date, can't be accessed by typing a keyword and can't show the computer's users they are being monitored though.

Monitoring

As for the "Monitoring" section there is not much Aobo Mac OS X Keylogger Standard Edition have to show here. It intercepts typewriter keys and makes screenshots. It also allows it user to set how often the screenshots should be made and their quality.

That's all. No logging of system keys, clipboard content, file activity and even system log on/off time.

Online Monitoring

It looks like Aobo Mac OS X Keylogger Standard Edition is more
Websites Visitedoriented on online than offline monitoring. Not only it logs all the URLs visited in all the browsers taking part in our comparison, but also does the same with both sides of chat conversations made in Microsoft Messenger and Skype!

It is interesting that in order for Aobo Mac OS X Keylogger Standard Edition to log both sides of conversations made in MSN and in iChat (Bonjour protocol), saving the conversations should be also enabled in MSN and iChat, not in Aobo only. The similar thing used to be required for Aobo to log both sides of chats in AIM, however new version of the messenger doesn't have such a check box in "Preferences", so the keylogger doesn't log both sides of chats made in AIM. Unfortunately, the situation is the same with both sides of chats made in Yahoo and Bonjour.

Sent and received emails are also two things you will not find in the log files of Aobo Mac OS X Keylogger Standard Edition. It also can't be configured to make a screenshot every time a new website is visited — a feature that is not vital, yet handy.

Reports

Email SettingsAs for the reports Aobo Mac OS X Keylogger Standard Edition can deliver them to you by email or FTP. It can't send logs using LAN or flush them to a USB device, the means that are less handy to use than the two above mentioned ones. It also allows its users to configure the automatic clearance of logs, but doesn't allow limiting their size.

Aobo Mac OS X Keylogger Standard Edition won't show you the duration of the events (only their start time), won't allow you to perform search in its logs or to specify a period of dates you would like to see the logs for. Specifying the list of applications and users you would like to monitor is also a thing you will not find in Aobo Mac OS X Keylogger Standard Edition.

Other

Unfortunately, Aobo Mac OS X Keylogger Standard Edition can't react to a pre-specified list of keywords, block applications and websites, work on schedule and is available in English only.

The Bottom Line

Summing up we can say that despite the controversial interface and lack of many features Aobo Mac OS X Keylogger Standard Edition is a keylogger that might come in handy for those of you who are in need of a Mac keylogger for parental control.