If you’re worried that your Mac’s keyboard is being recorded by a keylogger there are a number of steps you can take to find out and then remove it.
There are many ways a keylogger or malware can end up on your MacOS system. It can happen from an infected file, a hacker with a USB Rubber Ducky, or, more likely, a jealous spouse or overprotective family member trying to monitor your actions. Checking for Keylogger through internet usage Checking your internet usage report also is an effective way of confirming a keylogger’s presence on your system. Follow the steps below Press the Window button on your keyboard and “I” simultaneously, which would open up the Windows setting’s tab.
How do keyloggers work?
Keyloggers record the keystrokes typed on your Mac’s keyboard. There are two types of keyloggers, sofware- and hardware-based, which connect to a USB port on your Mac. Once the keystrokes have been recorded, anyone with access to the keylogger can see what has been typed on the keyboard, including usernames, passwords, bank details, and the content of instant messages and emails. Hackers use keyloggers to do just that.
Who uses keyloggers?
There are lots of instances where keyloggers can be used, from parents who want to monitor their children’s computer use or companies that want to snoop on employees, to hackers who use them to try and discover passwords.
While there are lots of legitimate (depending on your point of view) uses of keyloggers, there are also lots of ways in which they’re used unethically and in some cases illegally, so it’s important to know how to protect your Mac.
How To Get A Keylogger
Can Macs get keyloggers?
Yes, there are several keyloggers available for the Mac. Known Mac keyloggers include Aobo Mac Keylogger, Refog Keylogger, and Spyrix Keylogger for Mac. They are among the top 10 Mac keyloggers.
How to check your Mac for keyloggers
The first thing to do is to check for a hardware keylogger. This is likely to be plugged into your keyboard or somewhere between your keyboard and your Mac –if you use an external keyboard.
If there’s no sign of a hardware keylogger, the next step is to launch Activity Monitor.
- Go to Applications>Utilities and double-click Activity Monitor
- Check for processes that look like they might be keyboard loggers
- If you find one, write down its name
- Go to Applications>Utilities and launch Terminal
- Type: man [name of process] – where [name of process] is the process you wrote down. Type it’s name without the square brackets
- You should see a description of the process in the Terminal window
If the keyboard logger was installed by malware, it will likely be sending back the log of keystrokes to a remote server, known as ‘phoning home’. You can check for this by using an app called Little Snitch, which alerts you whenever a process on your Mac phone’s home and allows you to block it.
What should I do if I find a keyboard logger?
There are two possibilities if you find a keyboard logger on your Mac: that someone put it there deliberately by sitting in front of your Mac and fitting or installing it, or that you downloaded malware that contained the keyboard logger. In the latter situation, you should attempt to remove it using the steps below. However, if it was installed by, say an employer on your work Mac, you should speak to them.
How to remove a keylogger
If the keyboard logger was installed via malware, you can get rid of it using antivirus software. There are several antivirus tools for Mac, like BitDefender or Avast, for example, that you can download free and use to scan your Mac. Depending on the application, you may then have to pay for a full version to get rid of any malware it finds.
Another option is to use CleanMyMac X. CleanMyMac X has a malware removal tool that has a regularly-updated database of known malicious code. You can use that to scan your Mac at the press of a button. If CleanMyMac X finds anything, all it takes as a press of another button to remove it.
If you’ve tried running a malware removal or antivirus tool and still suspect you may have a keylogger on your Mac, your next option might be to perform a clean install of macOS. Make sure you backup your data before you do. But don’t restore from the backup — that will reinstall the keylogger. Instead, once you’ve erased your boot drive and reinstalled the OS, start installing applications one by one, then copy your data manually from the backup.
How can I protect my Mac from keyloggers?
You can protect your Mac from hardware keyloggers by never leaving it unattended. That may not be possible, of course, especially in a work environment, so if you suspect someone will attempt to fit one, check your Mac every time you return to it.
Implementing the usual common sense approach to using your Mac will also help protect you from keyloggers, since those downloaded as malware rely on your clicking a link to download them.
- Don’t click in a link in any email message unless you’re certain where the email has come from and where the link leads.
- Install an ad-blocker in your web browser
- Heed the warning if your browser tells you a site you’re about to visit is unsafe
- Ignore pop-ups telling you that you need to update Flash or any other part of your Mac
- Use strong passwords and keep them safe in a password manager, rather than writing them down
- Use CleanMyMac X or an antivirus tool to scan your Mac regularly
Discovering a keylogger on your Mac is at best unsettling and at worst, distressing, particularly if you don’t know who put it there or why. However, there are several ways to remove it, whether it’s hardware or software. And once you’ve got rid of it, using the steps described above should makes sure you never have to worry about finding one again.
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Keyloggers are malware designed to track your keyboard and mouse inputs. It records every keystroke and clicks to spy on your system. For example, your bank account details, pin etc. can be intercepted by keylogerrs. Given a chance, these malware connect to Internet and transmits sensitive information to its source.
If you’ve been considering Mac as a safer device, it’s probably the time to re-consider your belief in Mac’s impregnable security. It still is the more secure secure option if you pit it against Windows. But it has its fair share of issues too. So, let’s acquaint you with ways to identify and terminate keyloggers on Mac.
How to Detect Keyloggers on Mac
1. Activity Monitor:
Activity Monitor contains a list of real-time events occurring on your Mac. Click the Finder icon in the Dock, select the “Go” menu and choose “Utilities”. Double-click “Activity Monitor”. Click the “Process” column label to sort your activity by processes. If you spot any unusual process, check it using Terminal. You can open Terminal from Utilities and type ‘man’ followed by a space and the process name, e.g. “man sysmond”.
2. Examine the Hardware:
Many keyloggers are hidden within the tools that connect to your keyboard. This primarily occurs in offices where more people have access to your machine. If you doubt a keylogger presence but couldn’t find it with Activity Monitor, check the connection between your keyboard and computer. If you see any unnecessary wiring, fitting or a sub-box, remove it.
See Also: 14 Best Android Security Apps
3. Virtual Keyboards:
If you find it hard to identify and terminate keylogger on Mac, you can use the virtual keyboard. Keyloggers track your keystrokes. Using a virtual keyboard would prevent the detection. Though this step wouldn’t help in recognizing and neutralizing the keylogger, it would help you be safe. Open System Preferences, select “Keyboard” and check the “Show Input Menu in Menu Bar” box. Click the Input icon in the menu bar and select “Show Keyboard Viewer” from the drop-down menu. Use this keyboard until you get your computer checked for keyloggers.
Also Read: How To Take Screenshot on Macbook Pro Touch Bar
4. Professional Security Tools:
Check For Keylogger Mac
A few security software run advanced scans that may detect Keyloggers. One way of doing this involves checking files for changes and blocking suspicious connections. There’re plethora of tools available to help you detect and vanish keyloggers. Simultaneously, you can use TuneUpMyMac to clean your Mac from various unnecessary entries. Its handy and free to download. You can run a complete scan every once in a while, to avoid sheltering the unwanted and trashy items.
Download TuneupMyMac here-
5. Reset (Reinstall macOS):
When a keylogger is too impulsive to be taken out and other options have failed to remove it, you can clear and reinstall your operating system to get rid of software-based keylogger. Be informed that hardware-based and keyloggers in the firmware won’t get away by a reset. Create a backup, restart your Mac while holding the “Option” key and use Disk Utility to format your hard drive. Quit Disk Utility and then select the option “Reinstall macOS X.”
Also Read: 27 Cool Mac Tips & Tricks You Probably Don’t Know
Overall, keyloggers are evasive. There are strong chances that you fail to identify and terminate a keylogger on Mac due to their property of being camouflaged. However, practicing the above steps would significantly help you get the ball in your court. If you face difficulties, you may contact your technical support provider.
How To Check Mac For Keylogger
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