A keylogger (KL) is basically a tool that records every keystroke you make on your computer, whether it’s through software or a hardware device. This process is known as keylogging or keystroke logging. While keyloggers themselves aren’t illegal, they’re often associated with shady activities.
Positive Uses
Keyloggers often get a bad rap because of their association with shady activities, but they can actually have some positive applications. For instance, parents can use them to keep an eye on their kids’ online activities, and employers might use them to see how their staff is using their computers during work hours—just make sure to get the employees’ okay first. They can also help in backing up passwords and other important info in case your system crashes, although there are definitely better methods for that. Plus, researchers have started using keystroke logging to study how people write, which is pretty cool!
Negative Uses
A keylogger, as the name implies, is designed to record every keystroke made on a target computer, and it doesn’t always have to be a bad thing. Sadly, the reality is that keyloggers are most often used for harmful purposes. Cybercriminals frequently employ these programs to swipe sensitive info from their victims, including credit card details, passwords, personal emails, banking info, driver’s license numbers, and more. It can be a significant threat to cryptocurrency users. It can capture sensitive information, such as wallet private keys, seed phrases, or passwords entered when accessing a crypto wallet.
Types of Keyloggers
There are basically two main kinds of keylogging devices: software and hardware. It’s crucial to know the differences between these two when comparing software keyloggers to hardware ones. While software keyloggers are more common, it’s also good to understand how hardware keyloggers work.
How To Detect and Remove It
The simplest way to spot a software keylogger is by looking at the system processes running on your computer. If you see anything that seems suspicious, do a quick online search to see if it’s part of a legitimate program or a known keylogger. Also, keeping an eye on your outgoing traffic can be really helpful.
Getting rid of a software keylogger can be tricky, but it’s doable. Start by installing an anti-keylogger tool and see if it can remove the threat. If your computer is still acting weird and the anti-keylogger didn’t fix the issue, you might need to consider formatting your hard drive and reinstalling the operating system.