Keylogging, also known as keystroke capturing, is a type of cyber attack that involves the deployment of malware to record or monitor a victim’s keystrokes. If one or more of your small business’s computers is infected with keylogging malware, anything you type on that computer may be seen by a hacker.
Whether you’re writing an email, managing your small business’s online bank account or handling customer payments, all this information will be visible to the person or persons responsible for the attack. You can protect your small business from keylogging, however, by following these five tips.
#1) Install Anti-Keylogging Software
There’s software available that’s designed specifically to detect keylogging malware. Known as anti-keylogging software, it automatically scans your computer for keylogging malware. Installing anti-keylogging software on your computer is a simple yet effective way to protect against this disturbing cyber threat.
#2) Download a Password Manager
A password manager won’t necessarily prevent keylogging, but it can mitigate the damage if your computer is infected with keylogging malware. With a password manager, you won’t have to manually enter your username and password to log in to accounts. Instead, you simply click a button from within your web browser. Since there’s no typing involves, the hacker won’t see your username and password when using a password manager, even if your computer is infected with keylogging malware.
#3) Use Speech Recognition Software
You can also use speech recognition software to lower the risk of keylogging. Speech recognition software works by capturing your speech and converting it into text. Once installed on your computer, you can log in to accounts by speaking your username and password rather than typing them.
#4) Perform Deceptive Typing
Some cybersecurity experts recommend deceptive typing as a means of protecting against keylogging. What is deceptive typing exactly? Deceptive typing refers to the practice of alternating between two or more fields when typing sensitive information, such as a password. If you’re trying to log in to an account, for example, you can perform deceptive typing by entering the first three characters of the password, followed by entering three random characters in a separate field, and then entering three more characters of the password.
#5) Keep Software Up to Date
Keeping all the software on your computer up to date will lower the risk of all forms of malware, including keylogging malware. For a hacker to spy on your keystrokes, he or she must first deploy keylogging malware on your computer. Normally, the deployment of such malware is performed through a software vulnerability, such as an outdated operating system (OS). If your computer’s OS and other software is up to date, however, it will be less vulnerable to keylogging attacks.