#1) Antivirus Software Will Always Catch It
While there are instances in which antivirus software may catch keyloggers, this doesn’t always happen. Statistics show, in fact, that antivirus software only catches about one in five keyloggers. That means roughly 80% of all keyloggers go undetected by antivirus software. You can still use antivirus software, but don’t count on it detecting keyloggers.
#2) Slows Down Your Computer
It’s a common myth that keyloggers cause performance issues with infected computers. Some business owners assume that all keyloggers will make their computers slow. And if they aren’t experiencing slow speeds, business owners may assume that their computers aren’t infected with a keylogger. Keyloggers, though, typically don’t cause slow speeds or other performance issues. They run quietly in the background while consuming minimal resources.
#3) Exclusively Software Based
Another common myth is that all keyloggers are software based. Keyloggers can often be classified as malware. There are software-based keyloggers that, when deployed, will log all keystrokes on the infected computer. With that said, some keyloggers are hardware based. Hardware-based keyloggers can consist of universal serial bus (USB) drives, keyboard overlays or modified circuits.
#4) There’s No Way to Prevent It
Antivirus software may offer little or no protection against keyloggers, but there are other cybersecurity solutions that can prevent keylogger infections. Anti-keyloggers, for instance, live up to their namesake by protecting against keyloggers. They are designed specifically to detect and neutralize keyloggers. If you’re worried about keyloggers infecting your computer, you should consider using an anti-keylogger. It’s arguably the most effective safeguard against this cyber threat.
#5) Only Record Keystrokes
All keyloggers record or “log” keystrokes. After all, that’s why they are known as keyloggers. Nonetheless, some of them may be programmed to perform other malicious acts. There are keyloggers that can record your microphone, for instance. If your computer is equipped with a built-in microphone, a keylogger may turn it on while recording your conversations. Other keyloggers can take screenshots. They’ll automatically capture the images on your computer monitor.