Worried about keyloggers? What are keyloggers? A keylogger is a type of malicious unwanted software that logs your keystrokes when you type them in. Then these keystrokes are sent to a third party. What information? Anything you type in, including your passwords and credit card numbers. So, how do you protect yourself for free? In addition to a working anti-malware software and firewall, an anti-keylogger software could be helpful. One in particular would be QFX Software KeyScrambler.
As you type, KeyScrambler encrypts your keystrokes and sends them to the application and then decrypts them.
There are three versions of KeyScrambler available. The Personal is the free version that protects all parts of Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Flock. KeyScrambler Professional is a one time payment of $29.99 (USD) and protects over 90 applications. KeyScrambler Premium is a one time payment $44.99 (USD) or an upgrade from Pro for $12.99 (USD) and protects over 130 applications including Windows Login. Learn what applications are supported here. This review is about the free Personal version.
Unlike traditional antivirus software which depend on signatures and definitions on known threats, KeyScrambler works at the kernal level to scramble the keys as you type them before sending them to the application. Your keys will then unscramble at the application. This helps protect from both known and unknown threats. Learn more about how it works here.
After downloading and installing the .exe file, it will then install the Firefox/Flock add-on. Restarting your computer is required to finish the installation of the .exe file on the first install (not required when updating). I recommend you download from QFX Software rather than AMO. From AMO, the latest versions are often experimental and it first installs the .xpi instead of .exe.
After the quick and easy installation is complete, you will see a tray icon and/or an overlay window. Settings can be adjusted in the Options window.
When the tray icon is red, it means KeyScrambler is turned off. When it is yellow, it means it is on, but you are not in an active application. Green means it is turned on and active. On a rare occasion, it stays inactive even in a protected application though this was easily fixed by clicking on the taskbar or another window and back.
Whenever you type, your keys are scrambled as shown in the unobtrusive green overlay window, which can be positioned in any corner of the screen you choose. You can also have it animate or not. The recent update (2.5) removed all the animation choices like slide and replaced it with fade animation or no animation.
There is nothing you need to learn about the program to use it or do anything differently. Just do everything you do normally and ignore KeyScrambler, letting it silently do its job.
So, to test how effective KeyScrambler is, I have to install a keylogger. I installed a trial version of ActualSpy (Download.com here and Softpedia here). This program is supposed to monitor activities on a computer to see what others are doing on your computer. Although this program isn’t supposed to be malware, it acts like it so Windows Defender gives me an alert for MonitoringTool:Win32/ActualSpy. I will not go into or test the many features of ActualSpy.
First, I activated ActaulSpy and went to Gmail on Google Chrome and typed in testaccount for the Username and thisisnotarealpassword for the password (after pressing the tab key to switch fields). After this, I stopped ActualSpy and looked at what it had logged. I repeated this for Firefox with KeyScrambler (using the same fake username and password).
ActualSpy had successfully and accurately recorded my keystrokes on Google Chrome.
As you can see, without KeyScrambler, this keylogger had recorded all my keystrokes even the Tab key. Now lets go see the results of Firefox.
ActualSpy recorded a bunch of random characters on Firefox. KeyScrambler had scrambled them before ActualSpy had the chance to record them.
Hmm interesting. Looks like ActualSpy has recorded testaccount to be v3v\rox,=ug and thisisnotarealpassword to be [space]k3hsg6lyh[3;\78\ixl7. Why? KeyScrambler had intercepted my keystrokes and scrambled them before ActualSpy could get them.
Occasionally, the keys fail to decrypt and the scrambled keys are entered instead but this only happens on a rare occasion.
The Personal free version is a browser add-on for Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Flock. The Professional and Premium versions do not require add-ons as they run as a separate process in the background, protecting other applications and browsers.
QFX KeyScrambler Rating:
Performance: 4
Features: 5
Ease of Use: 5
Value for Money: 4
Appearance: 5
Overall: 4.6
Learn how we calculate ratings.
Want to give this great software a try for yourself? Click here to learn more and download.
Supports Windows 2000 and above on both 32-bit and 64-bit systems.
I recommend you give this program a try. It wouldn’t hurt to get an extra line of security. This program is free and unobtrusive and has little or no impact on your computer’s performance.
Keylogging is always a serious protection and security problem. One is never sure. But that keyscrambler tool seems pretty good, thanks for rating it and writing about it in clear terms. I’m on firefox, I’ll give it a try.