Recommended tools to scan for malware, keyloggers

Hello Ward,

Thank you for posting your question on our forum.

When you suspect malware or a keylogger may be installed on a PC or laptop, it’s wise to use a combination of tools and methods, because no single scanner catches everything.

First, check for the following:

- Unusual processes running in the background (hidden or unfamiliar names) that consume CPU or memory (go to Task Manager -> Processes).

- Programs that you didn’t install automatically starting up (go to Task Manager -> Startup).

- Compromised passwords , odd network activity or data being sent.

- If the system exhibits lagging input (keyboard/mouse), unusual heat, or unexplained network traffic, it could hint at hidden monitoring software.

Scan your PC with both free and paid malware tools:

- Microsoft Defender Antivirus: has built-in capabilities to detect keylogging/screen-scraping threats.

Use Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Scan options → Microsoft Defender Offline Scan

- Sophos Home Premium: Marketed as having advanced keylogger protection.

- Antivirus suites such as Norton, Kaspersky: keylogger / behaviour-based detection is included.

- Malwarebytes: Good detection of keylogger-type threats

- HitmanPro: Often recommended for one-off deep scans.

- ESET Online Scanner: An online or on-demand scan tool to supplement your full antivirus.

- Spybot Search & Destroy: Especially good for spyware & PUPs; includes functionalities for keylogger/spies.

- MalwareFox: Has a module specifically for anti-keylogger detection.

Other recommended steps:

- Update everything: Fully update Windows, your antivirus and anti-malware tools, device drivers

- Boot into Safe Mode (or use an offline scanner) and run one of the on-demand deep scanners (Malwarebytes, HitmanPro, etc.)

- Run a full scan with your main antivirus (or switch to one that is known for strong keylogger/spying detection).

- After the scans, manually inspect Task Manager → Startup tab, Task Manager → Processes tab, Installed Programs list → check for recently added or unknown software.

- Use “Microsoft Defender Offline” (or equivalent) for a scan outside of normal OS runtime, which can catch rootkits or hidden monitoring tools.

- If you find suspicious items—quarantine, then reboot and rerun scans to confirm they’re gone.

- As a final security step: change all passwords to strong passwords (preferably from a clean device), enable two-factor authentication, and monitor for any unusual login activity.

Points to keep in mind:

- Keyloggers, especially very well-concealed ones or hardware keyloggers, can be very hard to detect. Manual inspection + multiple tools improve your odds.

- If the device was physically accessed by someone, a hardware-based logger (USB inserted between keyboard & PC) might not be captured by software scans.

- Real-time protection + behaviour monitoring is better than occasional scans alone.

- Always keep backups of important data before making major changes.

If you need further assistance, please don't hesitate to contact us!