Law enforcement recently made several arrests after keylogging software was found installed on hotel PCs in Texas, in what is a reminder to be extra careful when using public access computers.
Keylogging software is capable of logging every keystroke you make and sending the resulting data straight back to a scammer. It is amongst the most popular malware types out there and the one you’ll most likely find on a public computer.
Those recorded keystrokes include passwords, usernames and online banking information, and can give a scammer access to any account on which you use when using an infected computer.
Since the arrests, the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC), posted a nonpublic advisory warning to the hospitality industry warning them about the threat of potential attacks.
It’s another reminder to be careful when using public computers, and to avoid accessing accounts such as social media accounts, your PayPal account and especially online banking accounts.
If you find yourself in a situation where upon you absolutely need to access one of these accounts on a public computer then try and run a full antivirus scan first but if that is not possible then use a virtual “on-screen” keyboard.
These keyboards appear on screen and you click the keys you need instead of typing them in. Most current versions of Windows have a virtual keyboard already installed.
