Antivirus Protection: What is a Keylogger Trojan?

Unlike many viruses, the people you love, as well as criminals, can infect your computer with a keylogger Trojan without you ever knowing. It is important to be familiar with what these trojans can do and how to protect your privacy and your computer from them.

What is a Keylogger Trojan?

A keylogger Trojan is used to spy on computer users. It records keystrokes and relays them back to the person who deployed the Trojan. Basically, the malware records every time you press a button on your keyboard.

What is the Purpose of a Keylogger Trojan?

Take a second to think about all that you do on your computer every day. You probably go to websites, pay bills, send emails and chat with friends through instant messaging or social media sites like Facebook or Google+.

The people who use keyloggers want to know this type of information. These people don't have to be hackers, though; they can be someone you know. A jealous husband could use a keylogger to find out if his wife has any hidden accounts or if she talks to other men online. A thief would use it to find your account numbers and login names to steal your identity or to empty your bank accounts. A boss would use it make sure you are using your computer for work-related tasks only.

All of these people can obtain keylogger Trojans without much trouble. Spy software that contains keylogger technology is sold commercially, and legally, to consumers though reputable software dealers. Most spy software is marketed as a way to protect teens and young children from predators. What better way is there to protect your children than to be able to see everywhere they go on the internet, right? Unfortunately, people with much more nefarious intent use this seemingly benign tool also.

How Do You Prevent or Remove Computer Infections?

In most cases, keyloggers run silently in the background, and most people will never know they have one. Simple antivirus software also won't detect this type of Trojan.
Commercial spy software must be installed on the computer that will be monitored, so the person has to have physical access to the computer. The best way to protect your computer is to keep it password protected and never share the password.

Of course, a password isn't going to help much if your computer is infected by a tainted site or file online. In this case, high-quality internet security or antivirus software that includes an anti-Trojan feature will protect your computer and clean up any malware that may already be on your computer.

If you have found a keylogger on your computer or if you suspect you may have one, make sure to change your important online passwords after running an anti-Trojan scan. There's no need to be a victim of hackers, nosy spouses or bosses. Even though keylogger Trojans are a stealthy way to spy on your personal information, they can be prevented or removed.

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