When one thinks of gaming or ‘gamers’, cybersecurity is not often something that comes to mind. We mostly hear about attacks on businesses and critical infrastructure. Or hear stories about stolen personal data through phishing attacks. While gamers might be the right target market, it will not stop hackers from trying. As cyberattacks continue to escalate, gamers are finding themselves with a larger target on their backs.
The gaming industry continues to expand right along side business technology and malicious actors will continue to exploit whatever vulnerabilities they can. As more people also immerse themselves in virtual worlds, the risks become even greater.
Young Minds Under Attack
It is no secret that tons of youngsters quickly fall in love with games like Minecraft, Roblox, and Fortnite. Cybercriminals realize this as well and have set their sights accordingly. With cyberattacks on young gamers increasing over 50% in 2022 it is as important as ever to keep a watchful eye. Especially since a lot of the time, kids are using their parents’ device to play these games.
Your children probably don’t have much useful information for cybercriminals, but you sure do!
The Gaming Boom & Cybersecurity Concerns
Gaming has seen exponential growth in recent decades as technology becomes increasingly accessible. While millions of people are experiencing the joy and entertainment that is a good game, it has also attracted the attention of bad actors looking for lucrative opportunities.
According to an article from MSN, cyberattacks on gaming platforms are becoming more prevalent. Hackers are deploying sophisticated techniques to compromise user accounts. As well as stealing sensitive information and disrupting your online gaming experience.
In-Game Purchases & Stolen Credentials
So, what are the primary motivations behind these kinds of cyberattacks? There are two main drivers: account credentials and acquiring valuable in-game items. Virtual goods, such as in game items come in many forms. This could mean elements such as rare skins, weapons, or characters that end up holding a lot of real world value.
In these types of situations, hackers utilize security loopholes and exploit weak passwords. Once cybercriminals have wormed their way in, the pilfer these coveted items for illicit gains.
Ransom Attacks Are Everywhere
As businesses tackle the threat of ransomware, it has become increasingly prevalent in the gaming world as well. In these instances, cybercriminals exploit vulnerabilities to gain control of a users account. They then demand a ransom for it’s release, often asking for untraceable cryptocurrency.
Even if one is to follow the hacker’s demands, there is still no guarantee that you will be able to retrieve your account. No matter the odds, hackers know that some are willing to risk complying in order to not lose meticulously curated profiles, progress, and achievements.
Disruption of Online Gaming Services
Beyond individual attacks, hackers are now targeting gaming platforms. Their intent is to cause a major disruption to online services. When this occurs, they launch an attack called a DDoS or Distributed Denial of Service. This overwhelms servers and renders them inaccessible to high numbers of individual users.
This understandingly greatly frustrates users but can also have severe financial repercussions for gaming companies. They must grapple with the costs of mitigating these attacks. As well as potential revenue losses.
Understanding the Motivations of Cybercriminals
Effectively combating the rising tide of cyber threats in gaming takes a lot of time and knowledge. This is why organizations like CISA have formed because it has become crucial to understand the motivations driving these attacks.
Virtual economies within games have become incredibly lucrative markets for cybercriminals. It may seem silly that something as simple as a virtual ‘skin’ or weapon can be incredibly valuable, but the market is there.
Additionally, the anonymity of gaming communicating also helps make gamers a more attractive target.
Safeguarding Your Gaming Experience: Tips for Gamers
An increase in cyberattacks always means our risks escalate a little bit more. Much like business technology & security, being proactive is your best bet.
Let’s look at a few essentials tips on how to enhance your gaming cybersecurity.
Strengthen Your Password
Passwords are a hot topic in IT. They are one of the most simple and effective ways of reducing risk. Strong, unique, and lengthy passwords are always a good bet.
As with other password protected accounts, avoid using easily guessable passwords. A good place to start is by using a mix of letters, numbers, and special characters. Or you may use a password generator to create stronger security.
Lastly, don’t forget to update your passwords regularly!
A Multitude of Reasons Why Multifactor Authentication Works
Multifactor Authentication is a powerful tool to have in your arsenal. Not only is it quickly becoming a business practice standard, but it adds another powerful layer of security.
MFA users verify their identity through a secondary method after their password is initially entered. These methods include administrative approval, one-time passwords/codes, or even biometric logins.
By adding this extra step to your login routine, you greatly reduce the risk of an account compromise. Even if a cybercriminal were to guess your password, MFA will keep them good and locked out!
Stay Informed & Vigilant
Be aware of the latest cybersecurity threats targeting communities you are involved in gaming or otherwise. Sign up for newsletters (like Vodigy’s), alerts, and follow trusted providers on social media. This can help you prevent breaches from happening and keep informed of the best security practices.
Additionally, it’s extremely important to remain vigilant when clicking on links downloadables. And keep your guard up when interacting with unknown individuals online. Also, make sure you’re vigilantly updating your gaming platform, antivirus, and operating system software. This will continually patch newly discovered vulnerabilities and exploits.
Need Help with Cybersecurity?
We may not troubleshoot issues with your gaming systems at home, but we are a formidable force against cybercriminals in the business technology world!
Let us help you get started on a journey to top-notch security and ultimately, peace of mind.
Reach out to Vodigy today!
