How To Avoid Keyloggers
Posted on | October 25, 2009 | No Comments
Keystroke logging – or keylogging in layman’s terms – is a well known issue in most MMO communities. A keylogger is a software program written with the sole purpose of infecting your computer. Once deployed, the keylogger will track every push of a button on your keyboard and send it back to it’s creator. The creators are usually interested in two things only: Your account name and your password. Once this information is in the wrong hands, your account can be emptied out in a matter of minutes, leaving you with a very empty account.
Dealing with a keylogger can prove problematic. Most keyloggers are easy to remove using anti-spyware programs; registry scanning programs and other such utilities. However, there is little guarantee you will actually be rid of the keylogger. Some programs are able to play dead: Disabled while your program is scanning only to re-activate itself when you’re done.
With this information in mind, I’ll focus more on what you can do to avoid getting a keylogger in the first place.
- Be aware of entering domains ending in .cn – I don’t mind Chinese people at all, but there seems to be a correlation between Chinese domains and keyloggers. Apply caution before entering Chinese domains! Having said that, you’ll be able to get a keylogger from all sorts of other domains.
- Do a little research before visiting gold selling and/or powerleveling sites – A lot of sites attract gamers with the promise of free gold and free powerleveling. If you ever find yourself confronted with these, remember the ancient old saying: There’s no such thing as a free lunch. This is true in most aspects of life – also when you’re online!
- Switch to FireFox – No offense to Microsoft intended, but Internet Explorer is truly made of fail. I highly recommend using FireFox as you’ll be able to utilize the following addons. They’re all useful when trying to avoid keyloggers!First, there’s BlockSite. This addon, which you can download here, allows you to blacklist certain domains. Taking what you learned earlier into consideration, it may be wise to add “.cn”-domains to this blacklist. The addon will then prevent your browser from loading any domain ending in .cn.Secondly, there’s KeyScrambler. This addon, which you can download here, encrypts all passwords you enter when you are browsing the internet. Useful if you frequent certain.. sinister sites.The third and last addon I’d like to recommend is No Script! This addon prevents sites from loading scripts/flash, thus protecting you from acquiring a keylogger in this way. The addon allows you to add exceptions, so you don’t have to worry about not being able to load scripts/flash again, if you’re browsing a safe site. You can pick it up here.
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