One of the easiest ways through which Internet users can contact these kinds of malware software like the keyloggers is by opening an infected e-mail which, usually, comes with an incorporated attachment. Once the user opens the attachment, the software installs itself into the victim’s computer and starts recording and transmitting back to the original cyber-criminal the passwords the user types, financial information, account addresses, card numbers, so on and so forth. Most software used to scan the computer for malwares usually forget about the existence of these keylogger applications which are usually hidden in Windows Registry, in components’ drivers and sometimes in the Random Access Memory, making them, thus, very hard to detect.
In the year 1998, the company Spydex Inc. developed this easy-to-use application called Advanced Antikeylogger, which is an anti-keylogger software that can be installed in a matter of seconds with only a few mouse clicks. The only problems that can occur whilst attempting to uninstall the software as this can be uninstalled only after the user rebooted the system into Safe Mode. Since we mentioned Safe Mode, it’s clear that this software only works for the Microsoft Windows operating systems.
As far as the software’s efficiency is concerned, this software does not offer one of the best protections. This software is unable to fight against ‘hardcore’ keyloggers like the Direct X keyloggers or the keyloggers that install themselves automatically under the form of ‘raw input data’. Despite these failures, this software can ensure successfully a good protection against the most common keyloggers which are the scrambling type encrypted keyloggers.
However, the global efficiency of the security provided by this software is rather doubtful because Advanced Antikeylogger had its last update in the year 2006. Moreover, the software has a rather high price for what it can actually do for the user. This period of 7 years might not seem so much but one must not forget that we are talking about IT. In this area of the IT, in which new stuff appear once in four hours, these 7 years represent an enormous period of time in which cyber-criminals that develop malwares and keyloggers have built in the mean time very complex and powerful systems that were unheard of in 2006. This is the reason why updates are a ‘must’ when it comes to systems and software that are meant for data protection.
The advanced users of the software Advanced Antikeylogger confirm the numerous error messages that they get and also the more and more frequent system crashes that occur whilst running this software. Most likely, these troubles appear because the software is loosely overcome by the technology in the new generation of computers which results in numerous incompatibilities – especially in the 64bit versions.
As far as the offered protection is concerned, the company that produces this software claims that the software can protect the user against abusive print screens and screen video captures (literally recording your computer). This software also offers the possibility to protect the entire application with a password and use it in ‘high security mode’ regularly. The software shows in real time which security mode is currently used and also lists the modules that monitor the keyboard’s activity.
When it comes to tech support, Advanced Antikeylogger is rather weak. On the company’s website there is a discussions forum, but this forum is almost entirely abandoned by its users. Also, there is a user’s manual on the company’s website, but this manual can be easily categorized as a superficial work. There is also a ‘Help and Support’ option preinstalled in the software which might be more helpful than anything on the company’s website. For each application the user buys, the user has the right to install it on a single computer but there is also the possibility of getting certain discounts in case someone purchases a multiple license. As far as the upgrades are concerned, things are very complicated because there is no newer version, other than the 2006 version as stated above.
The software Advanced Antikeylogger can run only on Microsoft Windows operating systems and only on the Windows XP and Windows 2003 versions. Since this software is quite old, officially it is said to be working also on Windows NT version, albeit there is no third party user to have reported a decent functionality on that particular version of Windows.
Therefore, this anti-keylooger software can have quite some difficulties as far as detecting modern malware attacks is concerned and this is happening precisely because there were no updates for this software since 2006, when most of the malware attacks that are popular today did not exist at all (not even as a concept) in those days. The price for which one can acquire this software is rather high considering the software’s performances and what it can actually do for the user, especially if we consider that there are some better types of software available, with even lower purchasing prices than this one.