How to Prevent, Detect, & Remove Keystroke Loggers

Keystroke loggers, also known as keyloggers and keylogging are a very real threat to your internet security and privacy. Ultimately, they can cause you to have your identity stolen, becoming yet another victim of identity theft. Fortunately, there are some basic steps you can take to prevent, detect, and remove keystroke loggers.

Keyloggers secretly record every keystroke the computer user makes. Some software keystroke loggers can even record screen shots of your Desktop, both sides of instant messenger conversations, and all websites visited.

There are two types of keystroke loggers – software and hardware.

Software keyloggers are by far the most common and widely available to download online. In fact, this malicious software can be purchased for as little as $23 US.

Hardware keystroke loggers are less common and more expensive. A person needs physical access to your computer to install a hardware keystroke logger.

Employers, parents, and jealous spouses can use keystroke loggers to spy on the unsuspecting computer user. Crooks use keyloggers to capture credit card numbers, banking passwords, and other info. They use this personal information to steal the computer users identity, making them the next victim of identity theft, one of the fastest growing crimes in the USA and Canada.

You’ll be glad to know that there are some simple things that you can do to prevent, detect, and remove keystroke loggers.

• Make sure you have anti-virus software installed and updated on your computer. Don’t rely on anti-virus software alone to protect you from keystroke loggers, as it will only detect some keyloggers.
• A firewall installed on your computer can help detect and disable keystroke loggers before they are installed or do any more damage on your computer. Don’t take out your credit card just yet! There are some good free personal firewalls available for download online.
• Avoid running programs that you receive in your email or instant messaging unless you know precisely what it is.
• Install anti-spyware software, some of which can be downloaded on the Internet for free. This software will protect you from most, but not all keyloggers.
• Anti-keylogger software installed on your computer will detect, disable, and remove keystroke loggers. It’s good to know that there are a couple of free anti-keylogger programs available for download online.
• By using peer-to-peer(P2P) programs/networks, Usenet, and by visiting other questionable web sites you are puting yourself at risk of downloading keyloggers and other malicious software.

Currently, there is no software available to prevent, detect, and remove hardware keystroke loggers. You have to physically remove them. They are located in the keyboard itself or attached to the keyboard cable.