The ruling is the answer to FTC’s complaint against CyberSpy Software, a Florida-based company that marketed and sold the RemoteSpy keylogger spyware to anywone willing to secretly monitor the activity of others on chosen computers.

In addition, CyberSpy Software must also shot down all the servers used to collect, store, or provide access to information gathered by their spyware.

According to the FTC filing, the defendants provided RemoteSpy clients with detailed instructions about how to disguise the spyware as a photo, attached to an email. The victims would click on the file and have the spyware installed on their computer without their knowledge.

Once installed, the keylogger spyware would record the following:
– all the keystrokes typed on the victim’s computer, passwords included.
– images of the computer screen
– the sites visited by the victim

The recorded data was then made available to customers via a website maintained by CyberSpy Software. Speaking of which, the company was also ordered to shot down all the servers used to collect, store, or provide access to information gathered by their spyware.

The FTC will continue its legal crusade as it seeks to permanently bar such unfair and deceptive practices.