Keyloggers – Typing Your Own Virtual Obituary

As its name suggests, a keystroke logger (or keylogger) keeps track of every keystroke that you make on your computer. Although it´s a form of spyware, keystroke loggers are sometimes used for legitimate purposes, such as employee-monitoring. Parents sometimes use keystroke loggers, too, to monitor the online activities of their children.

Unfortunately, this program has also been refitted by hackers to stealthily go into systems to illegally obtain information about the user. Unsuspecting victims usually infect their computer by downloading free software which contain this malicious program. Keyloggers could also attach itself to cookies. Once installed, it could record all the characters or data that you key in to a Web site or in any program. If you buy things on the Internet, then chances are is that the keylogger author will be able to obtain your credit card number or other pertinent financial details which would allow them to transact a sale using your account.

Different Means, Same Effect

Majority of the keyloggers that infect PCs all over the world are software-based. They are usually small programs that take note of every activity that you do on your computer. It usually takes three files in order to get the job done. The first file bears the .exe extension, while the other two ends in .dll. The .exe file initiates the deed by loading the two files, usually during the boot up stage. On the other hand, the .dll files do the main dirty deed of recording every keyboard activity on the computer. Software keyloggers are hard to detect since they run on the background and exploit the registry to cover itself when loading.

Keyloggers can also be hardware-based. These compact devices are usually attached to keyboards or to the CPU. They are not as stealthy as their software counterparts. A very observant user would be able to detect its presence. However, smaller or well-placed hardware keyloggers are virtually unnoticeable and can be mistaken as a part of the component of the keyboard or computer.

Keeping the Keys From Opening Your Secrets

There are ways by which you could ensure that your secrets stay between you and your computer only. Many, if not all of them, might already be familiar to you since they are the very same methods by which you could keep malware away from your computer. Here are a number of them:

• Invest in a good anti-spyware program
  
  Many anti-spyware applications can detect and eliminate keyloggers. Make sure that it is always updated and conduct a full system scan on a regular basis.


• Install a third-party or activate your operating system´s firewall
  
  Firewalls regulate the flow of data in your computer. This is usually your system´s first line of defense. You could definitely spare yourself the headache if you won´t let the unwanted program get past the gate.


• Check the programs running on your computer.
  
  We all know that spyware can attach themselves to legitimate programs to evade detection and elimination. Hence, it is important to keep an eye on every software that is running or hardware that is attached to your PC for any suspicious activity. This precautionary measure could be very helpful, especially when there are other people using your computer.


• Use an efficient network monitor.
  
  A network monitor can detect any attempt by a program to access the Internet using your connection. You could prevent the malicious program from sending sensitive personal information by denying it online access.


• Use automatic form fillers.
  
  As keyloggers work by recording keyboard activity, they´ll be virtually useless if another program already does the typing for you. Form fillers automatically provide the data that you need in a particular field or space, such as your username. It also renders the characters that you type in the password field virtually incorrigible to spyware.


• Use virtual keyboards.
  
  Virtual keyboards are programs which allow you to type in characters without using an actual one. All you need to do is use your mouse and click on the keys of the keyboard that appears on your screen. However, keystroke loggers that capture screenshots might render the measure useless.

Make sure that you take into consideration some or all of these precautionary measures in order to ensure that your computer won´t squeal any of the secrets that you share with it.

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