If you’re a gamer, it’s best to know how to stay safe while playing online games. Protect your online gaming accounts with these tips.
Video games are meant to be a fun, stress-free activity. You shouldn’t be concerned about hackers stealing your private information. Yet, you can become a victim of identity theft or another cybercrime whenever you go online.
What are the Dangers of Online Gaming?
North America makes up over a quarter of the gaming market. The U.S. video game market generated $34.5 billion in revenues in 2021.
Those numbers are great for the economy and the companies making money. But it’s a growing opportunity for hackers to commit crimes against gamers. Criminals will target anything online.
In 2021, video game sales in the United States were estimated at $34.5 billion.
Those figures bode well for the economy and video game makers. However, hackers have a greater chance of committing crimes against players as a result. The Internet is a target for criminals who will take advantage of any vulnerability.
We’re used to hearing about hackers breaking into computers and smartphones. But hackers can also use your online gaming accounts to steal sensitive information.
When breaking into gaming accounts, hackers usually aim for one of the following:
- Financial information – You use your credit or debit card for purchasing games and in-game items. Once hackers have access to your account, they can make purchases using your credit card without your permission.
- Personal information – Your name, birthday, and address are all examples of personally identifiable information that hackers can exploit to commit crimes in your name. If your account gets hacked, your personal information could be at risk.
- In-game items – Weapons and armor are just two examples of the many in-game products for which serious players would shell out real money. When cybercriminals steal these, you suffer an actual financial loss.
Criminals can hack a player’s PC by tampering with the game server software.
CERT Coordination Center’s vulnerability database records cases of gaming vulnerabilities. Compared to playing offline computer games, there is an increased danger to security when playing a game that requires a network connection.
By taking advantage of security holes, cybercriminals might:
- Take complete command of your machine
- Direct it to launch attacks on other devices
- Download and install malicious software like Trojan horses, adware, and spyware
- Access your private data
Two prominent online gaming platforms, Roblox and Bandai Namco were recently found to have security flaws.
By taking advantage of the security holes, attackers can acquire access to the victim’s files, crash the game while playing online, and ultimately control the victim’s PC.
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How can I avoid online gaming risks?
Here are the measures you can take to stay safe while playing online games:
Use Unbreakable Passwords
Protecting your identity while engaging in online gaming requires strong passwords. Cybercriminals will need years to crack a complex password. Criminals are deterred by the challenge and move on to easier prey.
Using password management software, you can secure your data without having to commit random passphrases to memory. It can make and save secure passwords automatically. Convenient and practical, they will ensure your safety. They can encrypt data and alert you to security threats.
Beware of Phishing Attempts
Video game accounts typically feature chat rooms where users can talk to one another. The chat feature facilitates communication and strategy when playing games as a group. However, this function opens players up to phishing scams.
Follow safety procedures to protect yourself against phishing scams. Avoid responding to messages from people you don’t know. The goal of cybercriminals is to get you to visit malicious websites or download malicious files.
Set Up Multi-Factor Authentication
MFA adds an extra safeguard by requiring more than one authentication method. Criminals will have more difficulty breaking into your account due to these measures being in place. In addition to a username and password, this identity verification also needs a unique token. With this feature, you can prevent unauthorized access to your account by using a one-time password sent to your phone, email, or authenticator app.
Multiple-factor authentication (MFA) helps protect gaming accounts from intrusions like phishing and account takeovers.
Only Download from Reputable Sources
While cheat codes and illegal downloads may seem like a good idea, they might have negative consequences. Any form of software piracy is dangerous.
When downloading files, be sure they come from reputable sources, so you know they are safe to use. Any app or game distributor who spreads malware risks losing customers.
When downloading from unauthorized sources, you lose that assurance. The file could have been contaminated with malicious software by the uploader.
Don’t go looking for a Minecraft crack on the Internet. Or else, a Trojan might infect your device and steal your login credentials and other sensitive information.
Keep Software Up to Date
The rate of change in computer hardware and software is rapid, but so is the rate at which cybercriminals can adapt. They are capable of creating highly complex forms of malware. Outdated programs may not withstand sophisticated hacks.
Cybercriminals are aware of the flaws in older programs. They can take advantage of security holes in older software to make your data vulnerable to ransomware.
Always use the most recent versions of your gaming and operating systems. Software updates remedy flaws in the system using the newest fixes available.
Hackers will try to get into your gaming accounts. The gaming industry is rapidly evolving, and with it comes many security threats to players.
Stay informed about cybersecurity threats to know how to stay safe while playing online games.
