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Summary
Reliable and up-to-date antivirus software is your best defense against keyloggers.
Keyloggers can get onto your setup and mobile gear in a variety of ways and for several different reasons.
What is a Keylogger?
Jason Montoya / How-To Geek
Keyloggers are often associated with infection by othertypes of malware, but not always.
Keylogging software is not illegal, but how they are used can be.
Keylogging Software vs. Hardware
There are two main types of keyloggers: software and hardware.
Outside the corporate world, you are much more likely to encounter a software keylogger than a hardware version.
Software keyloggers are installed invisibly on the equipment to be monitored, often alongside other malware.
Keystroke logs can then be automatically sent over the internet or emailed without you knowing.
This can happen on almost any schedule, perhaps several times a day.
Hardware keyloggers need to be physically attached to the computer.
Hardware keyloggers usually use onboard storage.
How to Detect Keyloggers on your gear
Hardware keyloggers are usually easy to detect.
Just be sure that you aren’t removing a legitimate USB adapter by mistake.
Expand the Task Manager to show details, and add columns to show publisher names.
you could then scroll through the list of processes to find any unusual entries.
Do a web search for any suspicious process names to learn if they are associated with keyloggers.
If the activity of an unknown process spikes when typing, investigate it.
Unfortunately, keyloggers are often disguised as legitimate software, which can make identifying and removing them more difficult.
The most reliable way to remove a keylogger is by using your antivirus software.
When a keylogger is found, you will be given the option to remove it.
If all else fails,resetting your computershould remove even the most stubborn keylogging software.
Related:Does a Factory Reset Remove Viruses?
Most well-known antivirus software will give you at least some protection from software keyloggers.
Be wary ofoffers to install “bonus” appsorbrowser extensionswhen installing seemingly safe software.
