Hackers can easily get everything you type on your computer with a keylogger. A keylogger can either be inserted into your computer as a hardware piece or software. It records every keystroke that you make and sends that information back to the hackers who put it in your device.
Follow these steps to remove a keylogger from your device.
Update Your Operating System And All Applications
The first step should be to ensure that you update your operating system to the latest available updates. Then after that, set it to receive updates automatically. Also, update all the applications you have on your device.
Updating the operating system and applications ensures that hackers don’t have room to access your computer from the already existing software on it. Updates seal and remove any security gaps and vulnerabilities.
Operating system and application makers release updates regularly. If you don’t make your updates, your device vulnerable to hacking and they can send a keylogger to it.
Check Your Web Browser
You can also update the security settings of your browser. This ensures that you block any external persons or malware from accessing your device or system through it.
Install Antivirus
An antivirus is an important element of your device security. Get an always-on antivirus for your device’s enhanced protection.
Install antivirus on your device if you don’t have it. If you do, get its latest updates. Always make sure that you scan your computer by trusted antivirus. A good antivirus will detect and block when your device is about to be illegally accessed by malware such as keyloggers. You can couple your antivirus with an online service that can help you protect your device from other malware and viruses.
Check For The Keylogger
With your device secured, you can effectively search for, find and remove the keylogger. The first thing to do is to start your devices task manager. Once it is open, you will get a list of all the processes running on your device.
From this list, you are looking for suspicious processes and apps that you can’t identify or can’t remember installing. You can always look up any process that you can’t figure out easily. Turn off all suspicious processes running on your device.
On the task manager, check for applications on your device that start up with it. If there are any suspicious ones, disable them from starting up with your device.
Also, check for any peripheral devices that you are not aware of. As already mentioned, the keylogger can be a hardware device or software. If you see one, remove it from your device immediately.
The last step you need to take to find a keylogger in your device is to run a scan. Use your updated reputable antivirus for this process. This will help identify any malicious software in your device including the keylogger.
Removing the Keylogger
When you have spotted and identified the keylogger and any other suspicious software and applications write them down.
You now need to uninstall the keylogger from your device. Use a reliable uninstaller to remove it from your device. Once you have removed, run another scan and then uninstall any of its remnants that are identified by the antivirus.
Depending on the type of keylogger your antivirus detects, you may need to download a specialized uninstaller. This uninstalls the keylogger quickly and effectively from your device.
When you are sure that the keyloggerhas been uninstalled, run a search for it on your device. This helps to confirm that it is no longer available on your device. If your search returns not available, you have successfully removed the keylogger. If it is still available, use a stronger anti-malware uninstaller to eliminate remnants.
Reinstall Your Operating System
If you are confident that the keylogger is no longer on your device, you can go ahead and use it without changing your current operating system.
However, if you will use your device for sensitive personal information, you need to reinstall your operating system. This ensures that your device is reformatted and any remnants of the keylogger are eliminated.
This allows you to confidently carry out financial transactions and hold confidential information on your device.
Conclusion
Keyloggers are dangerous malware on your device. They enable hackers to steal sensitive information such as passwords and usernames easily. Anytime you think they are present in your device follow these steps to remove them. Most importantly, always have an updated antivirus in your device to protect you from any intrusions.
