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How to Detect Keylogger on Your Computer/PC and Remove It!

Dave Miller with Online Cloud Security

Dave Miller – Tech Enthusiast & Security Expert – May 12th, 2022

how to detect keylogger on your pc

Keylogger programs have evolved through time. To remove it, you need to know how to detect keylogger on your computer. On one side, Keyloggers are lawful to employ for monitoring and assuring safe or permitted use. However, this is not always the case. If these activity-tracking software packages get utilized without the owner’s consent, hackers may gain access to personal information. The main issue is that these keyloggers operate deep within your device’s operating system, making them difficult to detect even by antivirus software. So, how can you defend yourself against an intangible foe?

Continue reading the post; I’ll cover all you need to know about it today, including how they generally function and how to identify and prevent them from invading your system.

How to Detect Keylogger on Your Computer/PC and Remove It!​ - Summary

Keylogger – What You Should Know

In simple terms, capturing a user’s keyboard activities and device information get known as keylogging or keystroke logging. These programs have a variety of functions. Like, screen loggers are a type of advanced keylogger that works by taking screenshots of your desktop to collect the information shown on the screen. The kind of usage determines whether they are legal or illegal. Although keyloggers get frequently used for hacking nowadays, there is another scope of this technology.

Statistics: Google’s analysis found 25,000 black-hat tools for phishing and keylogging and multiple black marketplaces that exchanged third-party password breaches. They discovered 788,000 credentials taken via keyloggers in total.

How to Detect Keylogger on Your Computer – Top Six Methods

Nowadays, technology is rapidly evolving, allowing for speedier development and advancement and speeding up the rate of change. As a result of its unique capacity to remain in the operating system’s kernel, today’s modern keylogger is extremely difficult to detect. Although, poorly programmed keyloggers can get detected in a variety of ways. It makes no difference if keyloggers are weak or strong; what you need is the best technique to prevent yourself and your computer from being a victim.

So, if you believe a keylogger got placed on your computer without your permission. In that case, you have every right to uninstall it. Here’s how to detect keylogger on your computer and remove

Method 1: Use the Task Manager

The Windows Task Manager is a useful application that displays information about your system’s overall resource use. You may also use Task Manager to start and stop applications and processes. It’s also available for Mac users in the form of an Activity Monitor. Follow the below steps to use task manager to your advantage to detect any keylogger on your computer

  • Step 1: Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc, and you will have a task manager infront of you.
  • Step 2: When you click more detail at the bottom left, the advance window with many options will open. Navigate through the process, startup app, and performance tabs.
  • Step 3: Suspicious programs may be running in the background. Look for apps that you are unfamiliar with. Terminate/disable them by right-clicking them.

Method 2: Use Programs And Features

Programs and Features is a Windows that displays a comprehensive list of all the programs installed on your computer. You may alter, fix, or delete software products in just a few easy clicks. You may also use this to find software from unknown publishers by following the steps outlined below.

  • Step 1: You can access the program feature from the control panel or use the Run command and type cpl
  • Step 2: When the Programs And Features window appears. Look for programs that are suspicious or unfamiliar. If you see anything you don’t recognize, look it up online. Right-click and remove it if it’s useless or hazardous.
  • Step 3: You should concentrate on software from unknown publishers most of the time.

Method 3: Clean Temporary Files

Temporary files are frequently stored on your hard disk by programs. Clearing temporary files is one efficient technique to get rid of keyloggers and malware. Keyloggers can lurk in your temporary folder to evade detection, particularly if they were downloaded automatically as part of a website-based fraud.

It’s also conceivable that you won’t be able to notice a keylogger in the TEMP folder individually. Still, you can get rid of it right away by deleting TEMP files in the hopes of removing the keylogger with it.

  • Step 1: To open the “Run” dialog box, press Windows + R and type %temp%.
  • Step 2: Select all files in the temporary folder and destroy them after opening. Remember to empty the recycling bin afterward. You can also perform all the above steps from the Windows 10 interface through the storage section, and it is a lot more convenient for these to go through the TEMP folder.

Note: Windows or another program is actively using it if you get any errors when trying to remove a TEMP folder file. Try removing the file again after closing all open apps and restarting the computer.

Method 4: Use Firewall

The firewall detects incoming and outgoing network accesses, allowing you to regulate every inbound and outbound connection. As a result, it can more carefully monitor computer activities to inspect and manage what goes in and out of your computer based on your preferences. Most computers, whether they run Windows or Mac OS, have a software firewall installed.

Since keyloggers transfer your data to a distant site but require an Internet connection, everything sent out will appear in the activity log of your firewall. Although the Windows Firewall is relatively efficient at identifying keyloggers and malware, a third-party firewall is always an option. Even if you have another firewall installed, Microsoft recommends keeping Microsoft Defender Firewall turned on. It aids in the prevention of unlawful access.

Third-Party Firewalls

A specialized third-party real-time anti-keylogger that searches for and inhibits suspicious logging behavior is another option to protect yourself from keyloggers. Here are some of the keylogger Protection with Firewall available today

  • Comodo Free Firewall: Comodo provides an award-winning Firewall package for individual users and Advanced Endpoint Protection, a centralized security solution for protecting enterprise networks and endpoint devices. Monitoring the keyboard activity protects against keyloggers. The keyboard gets protected from unauthorized access by the Host Intrusion Prevention System. It also keeps track of apps that try to use the keyboard. It detects malicious activity quickly by avoiding inbound and outbound threats through network traffic filtering.

Method 5: Reset Your PC

The “Reset your PC” option in Windows 10 instantly returns Windows to its factory default settings. This option will reinstall Windows and keep your stuff, such as images, music, movies, and personal files. However, it will erase any programs or drivers you have installed and any modifications you have changed to the settings. As a result, you can use this method to get rid of a keylogger.

Note: Resetting the PC will take some time, so make sure the power gets not turned off. Also, please do not force the computer to shut down to avoid any problems.

Method 6: Use Antivirus Software

The best practice for preventing infection from a keylogger and any other connected malware dangers is to use real-time antivirus and anti-malware protection.

  • Avast One: Avast One is an anti-malware and cybersecurity program that automatically identifies and automatically eliminates keyloggers and other spyware. It’s not just that there are so many helpful security mechanisms in place; they’re also robust and accomplish precisely what they’re supposed to do. Avast uses one of the world’s largest detection systems networks to stop millions of cybersecurity attacks every day. You can get award-winning, risk-free protection for free with an option to upgrade further.
  • Norton 360: Norton 360 is a popular antivirus that includes keylogging prevention. To tackle advanced cybersecurity assaults, its robust anti-malware engine employs artificial intelligence and machine learning. It provides comprehensive device security, including antivirus and other essential features. Norton is also giving out Power Eraser for free. It’s a good option for identifying and removing deeply implanted spyware that ordinary antiviruses can’t get rid of. Overall, you will get well protected against keyloggers and other forms of malware.

Note: Because Power Eraser is known to erase valid programs and data without asking for permission, be cautious about what you delete.

Why Do Hackers Use Keyloggers?

Apart from the risk of hacking, keyloggers are now mainly employed for two objectives. If your company’s performance is deteriorating by the day, you have every right to be worried. Knowing what employees are doing as an employer can assist them in improving productivity and network monitoring throughout their firm. Apart from that, if you merely know what kinds of activities your children are doing on the internet, you will be able to follow their behaviors with reasonable ease. For both instances, the keylogger performs admirably. Or even IT organizations gather user input directives to aid in the accurate resolution of computer problems.

Fact: For mobile phones, there are still no known hardware keyloggers. However, software keyloggers are available for both Android and iPhones.

Types of Keyloggers to Know

Software keyloggers and hardware keyloggers are the two forms of keyloggers. Software-based keyloggers are applications that monitor your computer’s operating system. Hardware Keyloggers do not require installation since they get already embedded in the physical design of the computer. Hardware keyloggers are impossible to detect with anti-spyware. In contrast, certain software-based keyloggers may be discovered and deleted using anti-spyware.

Can Antivirus Detect All Keyloggers on Your PC?

Anti-malware software will not identify all types of keyloggers. They will hash known ones, and some will use heuristic analysis to detect keylogger-like activities. Link Antivirus software cannot identify custom-written malware until the pathogen’s signatures get discovered. Similarly, keyloggers can be one-of-a-kind, resulting in non-detection by even the best antivirus software. Apart from responding to this softwares, it would be best if you looked into good cyber security practices to help yourself prevent becoming a victim of a keylogger.

Additional Info to Know: Keylogger Controversy

Since keyloggers secretly record everything a user puts into their devices, it has prompted several debates in the past, with major companies including keyloggers in their products.

Bottom Line

If you discover a keylogger on your computer, you should try to remove it right away. Any antivirus product that fights against keylogging malware can eradicate even the most complicated keyloggers. And in this article, I’ve covered numerous methods for detecting malware and removing it permanently. Remember to use the internet responsibly. It’s the only way to be secure in this age of unavoidable cyber security.

Keep in mind that they are legal ways to use keyloggers for the entity’s owner, and there is no perfect way to detect the hardware keylogger.

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Dave Miller with Online Cloud Security

Dave Miller

IT Consultant at Online Cloud Security

Dave Miller is an IT Consultant for Online Cloud Security and has over 7 years of experience in the Information Technology space. He also specializes in repairing laptops & computers. In his spare time, he loves to talk about new technologies and hosts monthly IT and Cyber Security meetings in the Houston area.

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About Online Cloud Security:

Online Cloud Security is here to recommend you the most secure devices, from laptops to smartphones, we only want to provide you with products that we have tested and used ourselves for online security. Every product that we recommend is heavily inspected and tested for security against hackers, viruses, malware, and any other intruders that may want to steal your information. 

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Online Cloud Security Logo (500x500px)

About Online Cloud Security

Online Cloud Security is here to recommend you the most secure devices, from laptops to smartphones, we only want to provide you with products that we have tested and used ourselves for online security. Every product that we recommend is heavily inspected and tested for security against hackers, viruses, malware, and any other intruders that may want to steal your information. 

Recent Posts: