The Dangers of Online Gaming

by Ashley Searles

 

There are over 3.2 billion gamers in the world, but not all of those gamers are aware of the dangers that can come with online gaming. Below are a few ways that Cybercriminals can access your account and how you can help make sure you don’t become a victim to cybercrime.

 

Risks

NortonLifeLock conducted a gaming and Cybercrime Survey to determine how many gamers believe they will never be hacked. More than half the gamers who took the survey were positive that they would never be hacked but since the 2020 Pandemic, hacking in the gaming industry rose to an all time high.

Phishing

Hackers will attempt to steal sensitive information by sending emails pretending to be a gaming company and ask you to confirm your login information. If you did not personally initiate the email it is best to assume it is a phishing attempt.

Credit Card Fraud

If your account gets hacked, it is possible that the cyber criminal can steal your card information and even spend your money on in game items within your account

Malware & viruses

Games that allow you to download mods can cause malware and viruses, never download mods from unknown publishers  or untrusted websites

 

How can this affect you everyday life?

  • If you are a victim of credit card fraud due to a gaming account hack it may take months to get that money back and on rare occasions you may never receive that money back.
  • You may lose access to other accounts if you recycle passwords.
  • Your sensitive information may be floating around on the darknet.
  • .You can lose you gaming account forever including games and items bought within games

 

Tips to help secure your account.

  • Use a unique password
  • Change passwords every 60-90 days
  • Do not store credit card information on account
  • Do not give out personal information to strangers
  • Add multifactor authentication or two step verification
“PC and mobile games are more vulnerable than console-based games that use proprietary technology. In most cases, mobile-based games vendors aim to deliver lightweight programs that might overlook security during the development process.” – ISA Cybersecurity
“Malicious cyber actors targeting the gaming industry have built informal structures that emulate the efficiencies of standard enterprise operations. The threat groups consist of developers, quality assurance personnel, managers, and marketing and PR experts who publicize gaming products and vendors” – ISA Cybersecurity

 

Through this process I have learned that gaming platforms require a lot of personal information that can be used by Cybercriminals to not only steal money but also gain access to other sensitive accounts. Many gamers are aware that they can be hacked but they do not take the right precautions to avoid being a victim

Its never too late to take precautions, if you haven’t been hacked before that doesn’t mean you are not at risk. Cybercriminals are always working to get your information, it is best to stay on top of your own account security before you become a victim.

 

References

•https://www.nortonlifelock.com/blogs/gaming/pandemic-gaming-and-cybercrime (date accessed: October 5th,2021)

•https://www.isacybersecurity.com/cybersecurity-in-the-gaming-industry/(date accessed: October 5th,2021)