How To Defend Against Keyloggers? Updated for 2022

Although keyloggers are not inherently illegal, they can be used to commit criminal acts in software and hardware forms.

Keyloggers can be used to record and track what is being typed on a keyboard. Employers commonly use them for monitoring their workers’ activities or parents for monitoring their child’s online behavior.

They can be useful in locating wrongdoing but can also be used by criminals to steal information.

Malicious actors can insert them into your device and steal private information like usernames and passwords as well as account numbers and credit card details.

What are the different types of keyloggers?

Although software keyloggers are more common than hardware versions, they should not be overlooked. Below are five examples:

Software

• Kernel level
• Application programming interface (API), based
• Form-grabbing
• Javascript
• Screen scrapers

Hardware

• Keyboard
• Acoustic
• Hidden camera
• Physical drive
• Electromagnetic

5 ways you can protect yourself against keyloggers

It is vital that keyloggers not be installed on company systems. Watching what employees type on company computers daily could expose sensitive and vital information.

Here are five ways that businesses can be protected.

1. Make sure employees use two-factor authentication. Malicious actors cannot access files or services by knowing their login credentials.

Threat actors will not be granted access if they are required to authenticate access via a device other than a phone.

2. Do not leave your devices unsupervised. If you leave your devices unsupervised at work, a bad actor might install keyloggers while nobody is watching. Keyloggers can be disguised and installed on your device without you knowing. This could make it easy for your keystrokes to be recorded and tracked.

3. You can refuse to allow downloads. Employers should use a zero trust model to restrict access to certain features. They will only allow it if necessary. This privilege should only be granted to administrators and employees.

Even if your company follows this practice, employees need to be able to use the internet safely. Employees should be able to identify what files are suspicious and which sites they should avoid. They should also be aware of the dangers of Phishing. It is important to avoid clicking on attachments and links sent via email.

4. Keep devices updated. You are likelier to be safe from keyloggers, which can be downloaded unintentionally via the internet.

Unpatched software will be vulnerable to hackers. Updates will likely fix these issues. Software keyloggers can be combined with other software, such as trojan or malware. More up-to-date software will have a greater chance of being detected.

5. A password manager is a must. Password managers are not only a solid way to keep your passwords safe but also counter keyloggers.

You won’t have to type passwords in if they are stored on your device. This will protect you from keyloggers.