Well, the topic has become even bigger amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. While government units implemented social distancing regulations, numerous companies resorted to remote work. Millions of employees have now made their homes their offices.
Managers still expect their employees to work in a well-organized way in this setup. Although, they now face the added struggles of housekeeping & homeschooling kids. Many workers are no longer within company premises, and even under business hours, the lines continue to blur. So, where does this situation leave employee monitoring? Can businesses still make certain accountability among their remote workers? How can they achieve this?
Employee Monitoring with Keyloggers
There are ample liabilities to consider when letting your workforce operate remotely. Without anyone to manage or supervise them in person, an extra stringent risk management plan should be put in place. Businesses need to address liabilities such as data theft, damaging communications, moonlighting under company hours, and illegal behavior like abuse, drug, or embezzlement. So, with all the risks involved in remote work, you have probably considered looking into the keylogging trade.
Moreover, some companies have clauses in their recruitment contracts that need their employees to install a keylogger. This piece of software tracks keystrokes, visited websites, emails, and also passwords. Since this writing, no federal law has been passed to interpret keyloggers’ use in the workplace, even discreetly, as illegal. As long as the company installs keyloggers without the purpose of misuse and trespass, then the practice is entirely legal.
What Are the 10 Best Keyloggers that You Can Use for Free?
If you are still on the fence about whether you will invest in a premium keylogger, then I have a solution for you. You can try the top free keyloggers and see if the product can bring value to your company and operations. Here are some of the highly-rated names on the market.
1. Spyrix
http://www.spyrix.com/en/spyrix-free-keylogger.php
Spyrix is among the great keyloggers for Mac & Windows. While it gained popularity and admiration among over-zealous parents, it can even be used in corporate settings. Besides, this keylogger can support 12 languages, making it perfect for managing geographically scattered workers. When installed, Spyrix will monitor and record every installed app and program running on the device. It’ll take screenshots of active windows & even removable drives and peripherals such as printers. It also records keystrokes & clipboards.
Pros
⦁ Free to install & use
⦁ Can be used alongside Internet filtering tools
⦁ Hidden monitoring feature
Cons
⦁ Anti-virus can flag it as malicious software
⦁ Social network & instant messaging monitoring is solely available in the paid plan
2. Refog
https://www.refog.com/free-keylogger.html
You do not need complex tech skills to operate Refog. It contains a user-friendly interface, making it an excellent remote keylogger for beginners. With this tool, you can gather info like web browsing history and even typed text. Moreover, it records a user’s keystrokes on social media websites, web pages, and chats. And all the while, it indicates the time of visit or use. Additionally, Refog can track actions and file activities, including anything copied, pasted, & deleted.
Pros
⦁ Can record a comprehensive amount of activities
⦁ User-friendly UI
⦁ Provides real-time remote viewing
⦁ Provides accurate time monitoring
Cons
⦁ No remote reports for the free version
3. Ardamax
https://www.ardamax.com/free-keylogger/
Ardamax is another top remote keylogger freeware with an easy-to-use UI. It can take screenshots, also record audio, track keystrokes & clipboards, and even monitor app and website usage. While it doesn’t track emails, attachments, or download files, it can still record keystrokes & web addresses. Additionally, it can run stealthily, but managers also have the option to keep it visible on their employees’ devices.
Pros
⦁ Can capture mouse tap activity
⦁ Easy to install yet provides high performance
⦁ Offers support for more than 20 languages
Cons
⦁ Lack of complex builtin reports generation
4. Actual Keylogger
https://www.actualkeylogger.com/
The interface of Actual Keylogger does not differ too much from what other similar tools have. Its dashboard displays the events with their corresponding description & timestamp. You can configure the tool to monitor the messaging apps and also social network websites under separate categories. Besides, Actual Keylogger allows managers to set a site blacklist with categories ranging from gaming and adult websites to shopping & social media, among others.
Pros
⦁ Available in 12 languages
⦁ Can track system inactivity time
⦁ Provides clandestine operations
Cons
⦁ Can’t track file activities
⦁ Can’t block specific programs
⦁ Does not record mouse screen clicks
5. Iwantsoft
While Iwantsoft probably not be the best free keylogger for Mac, it is an efficient tool for monitoring Windows activities. It can record keystrokes, web browsing history, app activities, and also clipboard content. Moreover, it can block unnecessary sites and apps.
Pros
⦁ User-friendly interface
⦁ Can operate in stealth mode
⦁ Can generate comprehensive reports
Cons
⦁ Can’t record mouse screen clicks
⦁ Does not track file activities and content copied from documents
6. Revealer Keylogger
Note: No official website.
Revealer Keylogger is one of the great Mac keyloggers that offers support for multiple languages and password protection. Besides, it is also compatible with Windows devices. It allows you to configure the tool’s startup settings and also enables you to run it with elevated privileges. It can record keystrokes & also track apps and programs used.
Pros
⦁ Easy-to-use UI
⦁ Active features in the free version are entirely functional.
Cons
⦁ Features available are too basic in the free version
⦁ Most features, such as screenshot capture, are only available in the paid version
7. Real Free Keylogger
Note: No official website.
The vital selling point of Real Free Keylogger is how it records all keystrokes. Unlike other tools with a particular tracking feature, this keylogger will monitor all the activities you need. What’s more, managers can set a password to access & view the logs exclusively.
Pros
⦁ Can log all keystrokes
⦁ Highly intuitive UI for easy navigation
Cons
⦁ Stealth mode is merely available in the paid version
⦁ Lacks of advanced options that other keyloggers have.
8. Kickidler
Teams with no more than 6 remote employees can use Kickidler for free. What’s best about this tool is it allows remote access. So, in case you notice any suspicious keystrokes or activity, you can take over the user’s device to prevent or stop further damage.
Pros
⦁ Will not come in conflict with antivirus.
⦁ Easy to set up and manage
⦁ Excellent integration
Cons
⦁ No traffic or email monitoring features
⦁ The last software update was in 2014
9. BlackBox Security Monitor Express
Note: No official website.
BlackBox Security Monitor Express can efficiently and in a competent way monitor activity and app usage. It can even record keystrokes & capture screenshots. Furthermore, if you need to monitor the emails sent and received by a user, this tool can be a perfect option.
Pros
⦁ Configurable warnings & alerts
⦁ Can monitor almost all network traffic
Cons
⦁ No hotkey for launching the tool
10. Best Free Keylogger
Note: No official website.
Best Free Keylogger is an intuitive and easy-to-use monitoring tool available in free and paid versions. You can use it to record keystrokes, running apps, clipboard content, and Internet activity. Besides, you can delete the recorded logs remotely.
Pros
⦁ Password protected upon installation
⦁ User-friendly interface
Cons
⦁ A limited number of screenshots per day
⦁ Premium tech support & invisible mode is available in the paid version only.
Using Keyloggers Is Legal, But Is It Ethical?
So, the legal freedom to monitor employees’ activity is a robust tool. As with any weapon, the perfect keylogging software is only as good as the person’s motives using it. Technically speaking, companies have the right to & ownership of the hours employees spend at work. Although, when monitoring and tracking are overdone, they damage employee morale & hamper productivity.
Furthermore, most keyloggers have no limitations when it comes to recording keystrokes. These tools can also record passwords and usernames. Additionally, when sensitive data falls into the wrong hands, it can lead to severe repercussions. Now, if you wish to ensure accountability without infringing on your workers’ privacy, you must select a tool that promotes ethical monitoring.
Take TechCreative as an example. Indeed, this time tracking program collects screenshots & video clips. The tool reduces its quality to the extent that it would prevent or stop compromising sensitive data. Besides that, the data stored in the cloud is protected with military-grade encryption. You can ensure accountability & security without infringing on privacy. Now, that’s ethical employee monitoring.