PrivacyKeyboard 10.0.0

New version of PrivacyKeyboard now supports Windows 7!

Advantages:

• Easy to install
• Easy to use
• Available in 6 languages
• Ultimate protection from keyloggers, clipboard and screenshot capturing

Disadvantages:

• Blocked modules could be explained in more details

Today we are reviewing PrivacyKeyboard 10.0.0 by Global Information Technology (UK) Limited.

So we run the installation file and see the Welcome screen informing us about what is going to be installed, we click ‘Next’ and see EULA, that we accept after careful reading. The next installation screen offers us to choose one of three available installations: Typical, Custom or Complete. We click Custom and see that only quantity of languages, skins and the fact of the program icon presence on the desktop, differs these three types of installation, so we choose ‘Complete’. Next screen is ‘Ready to install’, so we click ‘Install’ button and wait until installation finishes – few seconds later we click ‘Finish’ and installation is over. So PrivacyKeyboard receives ‘Easy’ and 8 points in ‘Installation Easiness’ section.

The next thing that comes up is a PrivacyKeyboard’s loading screen showing what program modules are being loaded. After the process is finished we see the program’s icon in System Tray. We double click it and see the program interface. Everything looks nice and easy for understanding – the program window is divided into two sections, the left one contains the name of categories (‘About’, ‘Protection Policy’, Options’, ‘Contacts’ and ‘Languages’), the right one – their content.

The program seems to work in real-time and doesn’t require any configuration – whenever we install it on a PC with preconfigured working keylogger, PrivacyKeyboard shows a popup window, stating that the module was blocked. So we click on the popup window and see the ‘Auto-detected modules list’ containing the list of .dll and .exe files, either having the red ‘X’ or green ‘check mark’ to the left of the file name. According to ‘PrivacyKeyboard User Manual’ the modules with green ‘check marks’ are those that are currently unblocked while the ones that have Red ‘X’ signs are vice-versa the blocked ones. Let’s study these modules more carefully.

We see that the files with green ‘check mark’ have the name of the program they belong to and a strange square sign to the right of this name. So we click on of these square signs and find out it’s a sign of a Microsoft certificate, which is thoroughly described in the appearing window. So it looks like these modules are safe to be unblocked. On the contrary the modules with red ‘X’ sign do not have any name of the program they belong to, so as the Microsoft certificate. According to the specified above manual you can easily find out the path to any of the modules of the ‘Auto-detected modules list’ by just pointing your mouse cursor to its name. We try and it really works – nicely done! This allows us to find out to which of the program’s these module belongs to and thus understand whether it is safe to unblock or not. The process of unblocking the module is also very simple – we just click the red ‘X’ sign and it changes to green ‘check mark’ – sign of the module being unblocked. We should add that some of the monitoring software we use in our testing has the Microsoft certificate and thus will be automatically unblocked by PrivacyKeyboard. Not to let this happen the user needs to unmark the ‘Automatically enable modules with certificates from Microsoft®’ item in Options of the program. In the same ‘Options’ window we can also check the program not to show the certificates, not to check them, not to display the automatically unblocked modules in ‘Auto-detected modules list’, disable anti-screenshooting or clipboard protection. Pretty easy for understanding, so the program gets ‘Easy’ in ‘Configuration Easiness’ section and receives 8 more points. We would like to also mark availabilities to password protect PrivacyKeyboard and to prohibit switching off the protection if user doesn’t have administrative privileges, allowing user to protect the program not only from the threats outside the PC, but from the persons that have a direct physical access to the PC also. What we didn’t like in PrivacyKeyboard is the absence of the blocked modules description, like it is done in Elite Antikeylogger from WideStep Security Software, where the user sees not only the names of the modules, but also what type of information they intercept (e.g. clipboard content, keystrokes pressed, etc).

Not let’s get to the functionality testing. PrivacyKeyboard easily passes by 8 of the 9 ‘Anti-Keylogger Leak Tester’ tests. Only 'Screenshot1' test is failed. The situation with ‘Zemana Security Tests’ is the same. PrivacyKeyboard passes 3 of 4 tests failing in ‘SSL-Logger’ test – unfortunately both username and password are intercepted, so the program from Global Information Technology (UK) Limited loses 10 points. So, in total, 11 out of 13 tests are passed successfully. 80 points out of 90 in ‘Anti-Keylogger Leak Tester’ section and 30 out of 40 in ‘Zemana Security Tests’ one.

Now let’s get to testing ‘in the field’.

Spytech SpyAgent. The product from Spytech Software and Design, Inc. has the capability to counteract anti-keyloggers, but PrivacyKeyboard installs successfully, thus, has the chance to receive points in this section. So, after performing the actions needed, we launch Spytech SpyAgent and see that PrivacyKeyboard haven’t prevented URLs visited and applications launched from intercepting. So, it it is 28 points out of 58.

All In One Keylogger. The product from Relytec also has the capability to counteract anti-keyloggers. What is more it doesn’t only have it, it also uses it actively, so PrivacyKeyboard setup just quits any time it is launched. So, no points in this section for PrivacyKeyboard. 0 out of 38.

Spector Pro. Famous monitoring software from SpectorSoft Corporation doesn’t have any anti-keyloggers counteracting mechanisms, so PrivacyKeyboard installs successfully. The situation here is similar to the one PrivacyKeyboard has during testing with Spytech SpyAgent – the applications launched and URLs are intercepted, the keystrokes and screenshots are not. 20 out of 40.

REFOG Personal Monitor. One of the best products of ReFog Software that also doesn’t counteract anti-keyloggers installation. As in previous situations applications launched and URLs are intercepted, keystrokes, clipboard content and screenshots are not. 28 out of 48.

eBlaster. One more product from SpectorSoft Corporation that also doesn’t prevent anti-keyloggers from installation.  Keystrokes arenot intercepted as usual   so, in this section PrivacyKeyboard receives 10 points out of 30.

As for other points in other sections:

Operation Systems. The program has lost  2 points only for not having Windows NT in ‘Supported OS’ list. 29 of 31.

Languages. PrivacyKeyboard is translated to Chinese-simplified, English, French, German, Russian, Ukrainian – 6 in total, so 5 points out of 5.

Usability. 2 points for ‘PrivacyKeyboard User Manual’ and 0 for the absence of video tutorials. 2 out of 5.

Technical support. Only support by phone is unavailable for PrivacyKeyboard that costs it 7 points. 9 out of 16.

Summing up we can say that PrivacyKeyboard is a great anti-keylogging product that will come in handy to those who value simplicity and quality.

POINTS TOTAL: 257