As the online gaming industry is constantly growing, the potential risks of experiencing cyberattacks are also increasing. Why is it so? The reason is very simple – this is an extremely profitable “business” for hackers. Often an easy way to make money from those who don’t care or lack knowledge about online security.
In this article, we look at some of the main threats that you might face in the online world. But don’t worry, we also have some tips for you as well about how you can keep yourself safe when online gaming. So, without further delay, let’s get started with the things you really need to be careful about and what they can potentially do to your computer.
What you should watch out for?
Although there are many dangers lurking in the online space, here are some of the ones that online gamers usually face:
Malware
There are many types of malware: viruses, Trojan horses, spyware, scareware, adware, etc. It infects the device’s software and explores and steals users’ sensitive personal information.
Scams
It is a crime when a person is deceived in order to extort money from them. They usually come through emails or even pop-up messages and urge the user to react immediately as well.
Data breaches
Data breaches are incidents where information is stolen from a platform or someone accidentally leaks files, whether they be of a personal or just sensitive nature. The worst part is that it can happen without the platform’s administrators knowing about it. Therefore, the crime only comes to light when users suffer data losses and they are held for ransom to get it back or the leaks appear online.
Account hijacking
That is when an attacker steals one’s personal information and takes ownership of your online accounts. Often in this way, they also gain access to users’ bank accounts and embezzle the money.
DDoS attacks
It is a cybercrime used to prevent users from accessing a particular website. However, during these attacks, no information about websites’ users is stolen.
A few tips that will make you feel more secure online:
We’ve now given you the knowledge of some of the more common online gaming threats out there, although these threats can appear anywhere, so now it’s time to look at what you can do to keep yourself safe.
Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN)
This is a method that ensures your safety while playing games online. In this way, your connection is encrypted, and your personal information becomes inaccessible to third parties. Furthermore, some online gaming lovers use Virtual Private Networks for faster online gaming. That is because it helps to reduce ping in many cases.
Make sure that you use safe passwords
One of the most frequent reasons why people experience cyberattacks is the poor strength of the passwords they use. Thus it is extremely significant to use passwords that would contain at least some uppercase and lowercase letters, symbols as well as numbers. Also, make sure that your password does not contain any of your personal details which would help the hackers to trace you back.
Do not disclose your personal information under any circumstances
The majority of online gamers state that they pay much attention to their personal information being safe. However, at the same time, they do not see any problems filling in the pop-up windows with their name, surname and contact details. In this way, they themselves reveal their data to potential attackers.
Final thoughts
So, how safe is online gaming in 2022? It can be considered safe if you use the tools necessary to guarantee your online security. Virtual Private Network is especially helpful in this way. Otherwise, online gaming cannot be called safe, because cyber attackers do not miss an opportunity to profit from it.
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