What is Cone of Silence?

Cone of Silence is an application that blocks key capture programs while it is running. There are many utilities out there that save all key strokes to a file. The purpose of these programs (usually) is to save anything you have been typing in case of a system crash. The downside is, malicious users install them on other peoples machines (public labs, etc.) and gather information like passwords to network services. This is a MAJOR security issue.

Cone of Silence can be used to ease some of the fears associated with using public access machines. While I can not claim that this program guarantees security in all cases, it does do a good job with every method of key capturing I have found. I carry Cone of Silence around myself, whenever I must use a potentially insecure machine.

Currently tested against the following key capture programs:

Peeping Tom 1.4
MacLifeInsurance 2.0 (and hacks, i.e. : KeyNabber 1.0)
KeyStroke
Personal Backup 1.1
Oasis (and hacks, i.e. : InvisibleOasis)

WARNING:

Cone of Silence cannot stop the control panel "TextTrap" from capturing text that shows up normally on the screen. It will stop the capture of most normal password entry fields that do not actually show the password on the screen. Be aware of this, and be careful.

On the up side - programs like this are not very good for stealing passwords because they capture ALL text displayed on the screen, (and only what is displayed on the screen). This can cause HUGE log files to be created if left running (which are hard to search for passwords, and  will make a disk fill up quite fast!) Also - this type of program tends to slow a computer down, making the user suspicious.

 

Download Cone of Silence for Mac

Architecture

Motorola 68K

System Requirements

From Mac OS 7.0 up to Mac OS 9.2

Compatibility notes

Architecture: 68K

Mac OS 7.x - Mac OS 9.2.2

ADB Keyboard (Apple or equivalent)

 

Emulating this? It could probably run under: Basilisk II