Beware of them; they aren’t always served for a good purpose. They spy on you, seek to steal your information, and invade your privacy. Slyly they sneak on your computer screen and record your keystrokes. What’s the danger?

The Truth behind Keystroke Loggers

Key loggers are used in the workplace to assess employee productivity on task where the computers are used. They are also used by law enforcement to obtain passwords or other encryption keys by detouring around security measures. Put simply keystroke loggers are basically is like a surveillance camera watching anything you could possibly do online. Those keystroke loggers send the information back to the user who seeks to spy on you. Keyloggers are a type of spyware.

Types of Key Loggers

• Hardware Keyloggers - Small inline devices implanted in between the keyboard and the computer. This type has the ability to seize hundreds of keystrokes that even includes your personal information, such as your bank account number.
• Software Keyloggers - This kind of key logging is carried out by using the Windows function SetWindowsHookEx that monitors all keystrokes.
• Kernel Loggers - This kind can be programmed such that it goes undetected because it is implemented on the boot before the user has even started to access anything. It receives data straight from the input device which is usually the keyboard.

Now that you know what key loggers are used for, it’s important that you protect yourself. Mischievously they can get the information that you enter online such as bank account number, passwords for different websites booked in your favorites and even your address.

Ways They Trick You

Using keystroke loggers is a popular way scammers destroy their victims. They use a wide variety of tricks to deceive you. For example, they can send you a spam email telling you to click on a link; out of curiosity you just might do that. Some set out websites promising you something else but solely use to contaminate your computer. Other sources of key loggers are places online that offer free games and music that you can download. When it happens this way, it’s sometimes called “Trojan” a kind of file that seems to be a harmless but actually is dangerous.

Here are ways you can be deceived:

• Online free shopping spree and auction scams - places that offer you a chance for a free shopping spree, or a place to sell and auction things and make money.
• Junk email - that offer free or cheap games, electronics or other prizes. Or promise to send a check or a chance for you to win free money but require you to enter personal information.
• Free Offers- Websites that offer free downloads, shares, product trials but in the end require you to supply your credit card number.
• Online Dating Scams- Places that start seeming as if they are interested in you, asking you your romantic interest, the kind of men or women you like but end up telling you you have to pay a certain fee to use their service.

Ways to Protect Yourself

Avoid opening email they seem to be spam or junk. Don’t open any links sent from people you are unfamiliar with. Install anti-spyware software on your computer to be protected from this. Be careful of websites that offer free music or games downloads. Instead of using your current keyboard you can try using a virtual one. A virtual keyboard is a graphical keypad where the user clicks on characters rather than words.

Now that you know exactly what key loggers are, protect yourself from it by taking all the needed action such as investing in good anti-spyware software. All I can possibly say right now is beware; they are out there trying to destroy you.