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According to Statista, the online games market is projected to experience an annual growth rate of 5.20%, which could result in a US$32.56bn volume by 2027. This success has made the internet gaming industry a breeding ground for cyber attacks. It’s advisable to stay vigilant of these attacks and protect yourself when gaming online. This write-up discusses about cybersecurity in online gaming and give tips on how you can protect yourself when playing games online. Read on!
Risks Associated with Online Gaming
Before we delve into the details of how you can protect yourself when playing online games, let’s first understand the risks around cybersecurity in online gaming. They include:
1. Malware Attacks and Virus Infections
Mostly, unofficial games contain malware and viruses, which hackers use to attack your device and gain access to your personal information. In that case, refrain from downloading cheaper or free game versions. Beware of third-party sellers claiming to offer cheat codes to your favourite game.
Malware infections are usually transmitted through infected fake login pages, emails, or ads. If you click or download the files sent to you by hackers, you may end up infecting a device.
2. Spyware and Data Breaches
A fraudulent gaming operator or developer may collect your personal information without your knowledge and use it to track your online activities. Most of them record and sell the data to third parties, which is technically a breach of privacy. For instance, a game developer called Zynga suffered a massive data breach in 2019, which left more than 172 million accounts with infections. It is one of the biggest data breaches to date.
3. Identity Theft
As the name suggests, identity theft involves someone stealing your information and using it for fraudulent purposes. This includes your name, email address, and phone number.
Usually, identity thieves gain access to your information when you are logging or signing into an online gaming platform. Besides, they can use the chat feature to collect it from you.
How to Protect Yourself
Now that you know the cybersecurity risks of playing online games, let’s discuss ways you can protect yourself.
1. Create a Strong and Unique Password
Usually, players are required to create an account to access their favourite games. In that case, ensure you come up with a strong and unique password to minimize the risks of your data falling into the wrong hands.
Ideally, it involves creating a password that is hard for fraudsters to guess. So, when creating your password, don’t make the mistake of using information that can be easily guessed by someone who knows you. This includes your mom’s name, your date of birth or your child’s name.
To make your password unpredictable, use at least 12 characters, including a combination of alphabets, numbers, and symbols. For alphabets, ensure you mix lower and uppercase letters.
Also, avoid using the same password for all your online accounts. It eliminates the risk of hackers gaining access to all of your accounts.
Last but not least, always log out of your account after accessing it using someone else’s device.
2. Update Your Software Regularly
Updated software can greatly minimize cyber vulnerabilities when gaming online. In that case, keep your antivirus and device’s operating system up-to-date to ensure you use the latest security patches.
3. Enable the 2-factor Authentication
After activating the two-factor authentication on your account, you’ll be required to verify your identity twice when accessing your account from a different device. This adds an extra layer of security to your gaining account.
It usually involves receiving a message or email with a code, which you’d use to confirm it’s you who is attempting to access the account. So, if someone tries to log into your account, you will be notified immediately.
4. Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network)
Installing a VPN on your device helps conceal your location. It works by encrypting your internet connection to protect your privacy.
As a result, each time you use a VPN to log into your gaming account, it appears as if you are accessing it from a different geographical location than the one you are at, making it hard for attackers to find your actual location.
Conclusion
Prioritizing your security when playing online games can save you from many problems, including identity theft and malware attacks. From creating strong passwords to using a VPN, the tips above will help you minimize the risks of online attacks. They are your best bet to ensure you enjoy uninterrupted gaming experience.
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