What is a keylogger?
A keylogger is an activity-tracking tool that monitors the online and offline activity of a user over a computer. The tool records the keystrokes of the user, by monitoring every press on the keyboard, including the time of it, and prepares a comprehensive report.
They come in two forms, hardware devices and an app or software that is installed in the user’s device. The latter is the most used choice in workplaces and homes.
Spyrix is an example of an installable keystroke logger that keeps a tab on the online and offline activities of the user on whose device it has been set up.
How do keyloggers work?
Keyloggers monitor the keystroke patterns of the user. This can be done once the keylogging software has been installed and set up on the device of the user.
It can then stealthily make reports on what the users have been typing on their keyboards and when. Whether it’s a Google search or a chat with a friend on social media, every stroke is counted and recorded.
Of course, the keystrokes can also be deleted by the user, but keyloggers like Spyrix detect all the keystrokes, even the removed ones.
Most of the modern keyloggers also offer additional features, from taking screenshots to web activity monitoring.
How are keyloggers installed?
Installing a legal keylogger is simple. All you have to do is download the program on your system and install it. You’d then be asked to set the wizard and register the license in the program if the software is paid.
Once done, you would then be asked to set the logs of online monitoring that you want to be sent to your email. You can use any web browser for this. Before this, you would have to make an online account for the keylogger.
Once all these steps are done, you could choose the logs which you want to be sent via email, Google Drive, local network, and more.
Illegal keyloggers can get on your computer in a variety of ways. For example, a keylogger may be installed by another unreliable program that you download. It can also get on your computer when you open an email attachment or visit an infected website.
Can an antivirus detect a keylogger?
This depends on the form of the keylogger that has been installed. For example, hardware keyloggers would be hard or impossible to detect.
But apps and software that have been installed on the system could be detected by anti-malware and antivirus. Even if the installed keylogger is completely legal, the antivirus may still react with a false positive alert and block the program.
The name of the keylogger would appear on the antivirus, and the user would instantly know if their online activities are being watched. For complete stealth, you need to deactivate the antivirus and add the keylogger to the exceptions in it.
Are keyloggers legal?
Keyloggers in workplaces and at home are legal to install on two conditions. One, the person whose activities are being monitored is informed of it, and they have consented to the same.
If they are spied on without being informed, you will most definitely be on the wrong side of the law. The other condition is that it can only be installed on the devices owned by the company and is not the personal property of the employee (in the case of employee monitoring). Speaking about monitoring at home, the device must be owned by you or you must have the permission of the owner to install the keylogger.
If these two conditions are met, keyloggers can legally be installed and used.
Are keyloggers safe?
Keyloggers are beneficial to employers and parents who want to keep an eye on their employees and children. Legal keylogger software like Spyrix is safe to use.
However, illegal tools can make your device prone to hacking elements.
An illegal keylogger can implant itself into the operating system of a PC. In such cases, malware like “rootkit” viruses could seep into the system and start corrupting the facets of the device.
Due to this, keyloggers can often do more harm than good. But if cautionary measures are taken, they can indeed be safe. Before installing a keylogger, make sure that it comes from a verified developer and find reviews on the Internet.
To reduce the risk of infection with a malicious keylogger, use the antivirus, regularly update your system and the browser and do not open suspicious attachments.
How to remove keylogger?
A keylogger could be removed through ‘installers.’ All you have to do is download the installer, launch it, and uninstall the keylogger that you have detected. There could also be some remnants of the software, all of which could be removed using a decent anti-malware scanner.
Another way of uninstalling it is by restarting the computer in safe mode. Some keyloggers can be difficult to remove.
The last resort to getting it out of the system is to reinstall the PC’s operating system.