Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[CurlyWhirly]

I've been using Kaspersky's Virtual Keyboard every time I have to enter passwords and other confidential information into secure websites but I'm wondering is it really any more secure than using the keyboard ?

If not then I may as well go back to using the keyboard 

Any theories anyone ?

Cheers.

[CurlyWhirly]

This is what it looks like:

[HPsauce]

How does it work?
What is the claimed advantage?

[CurlyWhirly]

How does it work?

You enter passwords, etc via the mouse as opposed to the keyboard.

What is the claimed advantage?

According to Kaspersky, using it deters key loggers.

[roseway]

I would like to see an explanation of how it does that. Maybe I'm being over-simplistic here, but surely, when you click on a character on the virtual keyboard, it must put a signal into the system which is the same as the signal from a real keyboard. So why doesn't a keylogger pick it up just the same?

[tuftedduck]

I would think that it can only deter physical keyloggers...ie, those which are devices planted onto an actual keyboard.

I would also think that the virtual keyboard built into Windows is as effective ( or otherwise ) as the Kaspersky one.

[CurlyWhirly]

I would like to see an explanation of how it does that. Maybe I'm being over-simplistic here, but surely, when you click on a character on the virtual keyboard, it must put a signal into the system which is the same as the signal from a real keyboard. So why doesn't a keylogger pick it up just the same?

I was thinking that as well hence my query !

[CurlyWhirly]

I would also think that the virtual keyboard built into Windows is as effective ( or otherwise ) as the Kaspersky one.

Oh yes the Microsoft keyboard, I forgot about that.

After googling, I got reminded of how you activate it - I haven't used it for years.

You type OSK (which stands for On Screen Keyboard) into the Run command.

One strange thing is the fact that you need a working keyboard in order to activate it, which is it's main purpose I presume, which is to allow you to enter text when your keyboard is not working properly ?

If so then when your keyboard is knackered then you can't get the OSK up and running anyway 

[tuftedduck]

It was built into Windows originally as an accessibility aid, either for those with a visual impairment ( it can be expanded to fill or partially fill the screen ) or those with restricted movement who may find difficulty in typing.

[CurlyWhirly]

It was built into Windows originally as an accessibility aid, either for those with a visual impairment ( it can be expanded to fill or partially fill the screen ) or those with restricted movement who may find difficulty in typing.

Oh right.

I didn't know that 

[AdrianH]

The Kaspersky keyboard runs in a sandbox so that the keystrokes cannot be recorded.

I prefer the Safe Zone system in Avast which is so much easier to use as you are using your standard keyboard but running in a virtual desktop with in built secured browser,once finished any transaction you just clear down the session and nothing remains to be traced.

[BritBrat]

I have been using macros for years as some of my passwords are hard to remember and even harder to type, I also use Roboform.

What I use:

Typeitin (Password Protected)
Macromaker (quite hard to set up)
Roboform. (Password Protected)

[HPsauce]

You enter passwords, etc via the mouse as opposed to the keyboard.

I meant, what mechanisms does it use, not how do you use it. 
As noted above it could easily be vulnerable.

In fact unless it ties in to some security "client" at the receiving end (where and how?) I don't see much point.

[AdrianH]

You enter passwords, etc via the mouse as opposed to the keyboard.

I meant, what mechanisms does it use, not how do you use it. 
As noted above it could easily be vulnerable.

In fact unless it ties in to some security "client" at the receiving end (where and how?) I don't see much point.

They are more for defeating keyloggers and snoopers at the users end.

[CurlyWhirly]

The Kaspersky keyboard runs in a sandbox so that the keystrokes cannot be recorded.

Ah so I was partly right, the Kaspersky virtual keyboard is supposed to avoid keyloggers but only in a sandbox environment.

I prefer the Safe Zone system in Avast which is so much easier to use as you are using your standard keyboard but running in a virtual desktop with in built secured browser,once finished any transaction you just clear down the session and nothing remains to be traced.

That sounds like a great system to me.