What is Spyware?

Keyloggers

What are they?

Keyloggers are the most dangerous form of malware of them all. Closely related to viruses, they are used almost entirely for illegal purposes and can have devastating consequences.

What do they do?

After installation, they run invisibley as a background task, the user typically doesn't even know that they are there. Keyloggers constantly scan your PC's keyboard and record every single key press that you make. Periodically, the keylogger will send it's keystroke record to a remote computer, where the recipient closely inspects the information looking for information such as usernames and passwords, bank details and credit card numbers.

Who uses them?

Keyloggers are used extensively by groups or individuals looking to commit fraud, although recent reports have stated that some large companies have used keyloggers to 'spy' on their employees, particularly when looking for proof of misconduct. Keyloggers that are 'caught' from the Internet however are almost always used by fraudsters

What's the risk to me and my PC?

Very high. Lots have people have become the victims of credit card and banking fraud through the information captured from their PCs by keyloggers, and the number of incidents are expected to continue to increase.

How do I prevent / get rid of them?

Since Keyloggers present such a massive security risk, almost all of the major antivirus applications include keyloggers in their virus databases. Make sure that your PC is running an antivirus application at all times and update the virus database regularly. Spyware removal applications also help to identify and remove Keyloggers.

Firewall software can also help by preventing the Keylogger from transmitting it's log files to the recipient over the Internet, however you should not rely on a firewall alone.

 

 

 

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