The Importance of Online Security in Gaming

Online gaming has grown in popularity in recent years, thanks to Battle Royale games such as Apex Legends, Call of Duty Warzone and Fortnite. Fundamental analysts estimate that there will be more than 3 billion gamers by the end of 2023, and the growth rate is expected to increase slowly.

But while games like these continue to cost us thousands of dollars in broken controllers, we’re facing new kinds of threats in the gaming world: online hacking, in-game cheating, and identity theft.

This $60 billion industry represents a prime and growing opportunity for cybercriminals to exploit. Online gaming it came under great scrutiny due to the impossibility of safe adoption cyber security measures that limit the risk of hackers and other online criminal activities.

In India alone, the average gamer loses about RS8000 (about $100) through each cyber attack. Video game publishers are also losing a fortune due to these scams. One survey revealed that these studios lose up to 40% of their revenue in games and microtransactions on cyber-attacks and scammers every year.

If you’re an online gamer, you should be very careful with who you interact with online, what links you click, and where you buy your games.

In this article, we will look at the importance of online security in gaming. We’ll also go through some of the best cyber security measures to consider to improve your internet security.

Why is online security important in gaming?

The most obvious reason to improve online security in the gaming world is to protect user data from theft or manipulation. One of the most common reasons for hacking user accounts is to steal user data.

Before rebranding as EAFC, FIFA introduced the ultimate team mode (FUT), which allowed players from around the world to build their teams and compete against each other to win in-game prizes that enhanced the overall gaming experience.

However, a game with millions of players also comes with millions of hacking attempts. Over the years, hundreds of thousands of FUT players have had their accounts hacked. Once these hackers took control of user accounts, they manipulated user data, stole valuable in-game items, and even made illegal transactions.

The ‘FIFA hack’ saga is not the only example of lax online security in the gaming world. Games such as Fortnite, Overwatch, Call of Duty Warzone, Destiny and Counter-Strike have also had their fair share of security incidents and challenges.

For example, one of the most notorious hacking incidents in the gaming world involved Fortnite back in 2018-2019. Epic Games, the gaming studio that developed Fortnite, discovered a bug in its systems that allowed hackers to log in as other users.

This led to widespread fraud as hackers were able to steal user information, including payment information, allowing them to make in-game purchases with real money. Millions of dollars have been lost to this scam. Some players have gone so far as to sue Epic Games for the way they handled the breach.

Brute force hacking isn’t the only way hackers gain access to user accounts. Cybercriminals often send fake emails or text messages to unsuspecting players. These emails contain links that appear to be harmless or appear to come from a gaming company.

These scams trick players into revealing their account information, including the user personal data. Sometimes these links will download malware to your computer or console right after you click on them.

Network security in gaming is vitally important as it ensures the safety of user data while improving the overall gaming experience for players around the world.

How can I protect myself from video game hacking?

The key is to take responsibility for your online security. By completely entrusting it to the so-called ‘big’ video game publishers can be dangerous because many of these companies have shown that they cannot be trusted personal data.

Here are some steps you should consider if you want to protect yourself from cyber security threats as an online player:

• Get started by reviewing your gaming account passwords: Double check your gaming account passwords to make sure they are strong and not easy to guess. Avoid using your birthday, pet’s name, address or common expressions. Strong passwords are complex and contain a mix of numbers, symbols, and upper and lower case letters.
• Use a VPN for added privacy and improved gaming: These tools encrypt your data and mask your IP address, offering protection against DDoS attacks that could disrupt your connection during competitive matches. Even free VPNs can improve your gaming experience by protecting your connection from potential threats. In addition, VPNs improve your online privacy by making it extremely difficult for hackers to intercept your data.
• Avoid third-party tricks and hacks: While they sound good on paper, using mods, cheats, or hacking games can lead to security vulnerabilities. Not only that, you could be banned from the game entirely.
• Be careful what you share: It’s fun to chat with your colleagues while playing. But if you’re not careful, sharing personal information in these conversations can be dangerous. It would be wise to limit the amount of personal information you disclose while playing online.

Conclusion

As video games have evolved from simple board games to complex interactive games, attracting millions of people who log in and enjoy them with their friends and family.

Unfortunately, it has also attracted many hackers and cybercriminals who constantly try to steal user data and use it for their own illicit gain. This can be costly as many players have reported losing their game progress, money and other valuables.

Fortunately, you can take back some control and protect yourself from these scammers by using strong passwords and VPNantivirus software and not sharing personal data while chatting with other players online.

Fast The importance of online security in gaming appeared first on Datafloq.

Source link