Checking for keylogging software?

I've got someone who wants me to ensure that some laptop computers are free of keylogging software and other types of spying software. Would keylogging programs (such as the type that I understand some employers put on their computers) and other spying software be detected by the usual security suites, or is something else necessary?

Thanks

 

Malwarebytes Free and Emsisoft Emergency Kit (Free) are two excellent places to start. Most AVs do an excellent job of catching keylogging/spying programs.
There are dedicated Antikeylogger programs such as Zemana and Spyshelter which will catch keyloggers on execution.

 

Many of the most widely used security programs do not detect commercial spy programs. Some say it is because of their enterprise customers, who want to maintain monitoring of employees without detection, and since enterprise pays the bills, the spy programs go undetected.

SpyReveal is the best in terms of this niche area... the program currently detects 766 spy programs.


It is a niche product, designed to detect just these type of programs and nothing else.

PS - Last time I checked, MBAM was not detecting commercial keyloggers.

 

VIPRE is also supposed to be pretty good at catching commercial keyloggers.

 

Indeed, most AV's do not detect commercial/corporate keyloggers but some have them as potentially unwanted/unsafe program or some other detection category disabled by default.

 

I think you have to also check for rootkits and hardware keyloggers that may be hidden inside the computer. Probably the only way you can be sure the computers are free of spyware/ keyloggers, etc is to just wipe the computers and start from scratch.

 

SpyReveal is the "true" successor to the old "SpyCop." I agree that its database is huge and catches keyloggers far better than any competitors. However, I base this on how things were up until the last few months. Have you seen or heard from the developer? Is he still releasing dated updates? That's my only concern and its really based on old "news" on the website and I haven't visited lately. I'd like to hear from current users.

EDIT: From what LoneWolf has posted - it's looks like everything is still okay with SpyReveal. It was last updated 39 days ago.

You can't do better if keyloggers is your concern.

 

It appears that SpyReveal was last updated on January 24th, 2012.
https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=316993

 

Hi all,

My sincere apologies for not having posted lately SpyReveal updates. It is me and only me who is to blame here Sorry!
I will do my best to post again the updates; that's one of my "jobs"; they usually come at Tuesday.

Page42 was surely right about the last defs:

 

A few side-notes if you guys allow me:

1.
As for commercial key-loggers installed by your employers.
As being said before, your employers might have the right to do so, whether you like it or not.

2.
Several AV/AT/AS (generally anti-malware programs) might detect commercial keyloggers. It may be called in the settings PUP (Potential Unwanted Program) or PUA (Potential Unwanted/Unsafe Application), or something like that. But again your employers might have the right to install keyloggers, and you don't want to loose your job.

3.
In the past (and I'm talking about several years back (which is a long time on the internet)) I did some tests with the Ardamax keylogger.
Yes, SpyCop (now called SpyReveal) did detect it, for sure!! But as for file scanning NOD32 and TrojanHunter did a better job. In that time I had several contacts with Gavin (Trojan Analyst at TrojanHunter) about new files detected by my file-integrity-checkers after installing Ardamax and having submitted them to Gavin. For almost all of these files detection was quickly added by Gavin. And in the years after it lots more defs were added to TrojanHunter.
What am I saying here? It were tests about one commercial keylogger, several years ago. Once an anti-malware program detects a keylogger, put back a full back-up image.

 

Exactly, as well you can install a Keyscrambler that fouls up the data any logger might copy.

In any major firm they can track the sites you go to via their routers logs and sniffers so it is a bit futile.

If they want to they can do it. The trick on this is no trick. Don't use their networks or PC's for personal use.

 

As I am sure you know, but I just wanted to point out, wiping the HD won't do anything to rid the computer of a hardware keylogger.

 

Thanks to all the great information. I am looking into the programs that were suggested.

Vince

 

Good point on the H/W keyloger