I Built a Simple Python Antivirus to Hunt Down Keyloggers

Remember that Python keylogger I showed you how to build? If you haven’t read that one yet, check it out first Keylogger-app-logic , python-keylogger-script – this post will hit harder once you see how a simple script can silently record every keystroke.

That project was all about red team cybersecurity skills – thinking like an attacker. But today, I’m switching sides. I wrote a lightweight Python antivirus script that hunts down and kills keyloggers running in the background. No heavy antivirus software, no flashy UI – just clean Python code doing the job.

I wanted to keep it simple and practical:

• Detect any suspicious process connected to a keylogger.

• Kill it immediately.

• Keep scanning so nothing slips through.

This is perfect for ethical hackers, cybersecurity students, or developers testing malware in a safe lab setup while building their blue team defensive skills.

 Disclaimer

This blog is human written and I use AI tools for refining and SEO optimisation.

 Algorithm for Python Antivirus Keylogger Detection

1. Start the Antivirus Program.

2. Initialize a Keyword List with suspicious identifiers (e.g., pynput, keylogger.py).

3. Begin an Infinite Loop to continuously monitor the system.

4. Fetch All Running Processes using a process monitoring library.

5. For Each Process:

   • Extract PID (Process ID), name, and command-line arguments.

   • If there are no command-line arguments, treat it as empty.

6. Match Process Data against each keyword in the keyword list.

7. If a Keyword is Found:

   • Display a warning message with process details.

   • Kill the process immediately.

   • Display a success confirmation.

8. Handle Exceptions (e.g., process not found or permission denied).

9. Pause for 2 Seconds.

10. Repeat the Scan by looping back to step 4.

This is a lightweight, script-based antivirus designed to give you a deeper understanding of malware detection, process monitoring, and security automation.

If you are successful into converting this algorithm into a program this is how it looks 

In order to run this program split the terminal into two 

As you can see, the keylogger program is running 

and as soon as i run the antivirus program it terminates the operation 

and if you look into the terminal running keylogger program the program is killed 

 Why This Project Matters

Cybersecurity isn’t just about hacking into systems – it’s about protecting them. This simple script teaches you:

• How to scan and monitor system processes in real time

• How to spot malicious activity by analyzing command lines

• How lightweight Python scripts can be powerful defense tools

It’s not a full-fledged antivirus, but it’s an educational, practical tool to help you understand the fundamentals of blue team security.

This project is fast, lightweight, and perfect for ethical hacking practice. If you’re serious about cybersecurity, penetration testing, or malware analysis, this is a great way to level up your skills.

Stick around – I drop weekly cybersecurity experiments, coding tutorials, and ethical hacking projects to help you sharpen your skills and stay ahead in the game.