Hidden keylogger found on 460+ laptop models

December 11, 2017

By Mark Jones

It’s extremely important that we safeguard our privacy these days. Having sensitive information fall into the hands of cybercriminals is the last thing that we need. But lately, it does not seem like companies really care about us and our data.Millions of Americans already had their critical data stolen by hackers earlier this year through the massive Equifax data breach. We will be dealing with that fiasco for years to come.Get this, a hidden keylogger was discovered on almost 500 laptop models from one of the leading U.S. manufacturers.You wouldn’t expect anything like this. But it’s been going on since 2012!We’re talking about laptop manufacturer HP.Security researcher Michael Myng recently discovered hidden keylogging code pre-installed in software drivers found in certain HP laptop models.HP confirmed that over 460 laptop models were affected by the potential security vulnerability.

What are keyloggers?

You might be wondering, what are keyloggers? It’s a type of software that tracks everything you type into your computer, including usernames, passwords, and your Social Security number. More advanced ones even take pictures of what’s on your screen and listen to what’s going on using your system’s microphone.Scammers can use keyloggers to steal your login information for banks and credit cards. Then they can use this information to access your accounts and transfer your money. They can also use this software to steal sensitive information from your business.This isn’t the first time keyloggers have been discovered in HP laptops.You might remember when we alerted you in May of this year, a keylogger vulnerability was found in some HP laptop’s audio driver package.

How to remove this vulnerability

HP said the vulnerability was discovered in its EliteBook, Envy, Pavilion, and ProBook models, among others. Remember, this is almost 500 models of HP laptops. Click here to see a complete list of impacted laptops.Let’s just say if you have an HP laptop from 2012 to now, it’s likely on the list.The company has issued an emergency patch for this keylogger vulnerability. To remove the vulnerability, make sure you have the latest version of your Windows operating system.

1. On Windows 10: Start button >> Settings >> Update & Security >> Windows Update >> Check for Updates. 
2. Then, you need to get the updates from HP. Click here to get the update for your system.

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