Top Online Gaming Threats of 2021

Cybersecurity threats for online gamers have increased by manifolds over the past year. Cases of identity theft, data breaches, and financial scams are commonplace. Luckily, many online gamers, aware of the latest threats and cybersecurity, have managed to survive the barge of online attacks. You must get savvy about online gaming threats and prevention protocols to safeguard against hacking, phishing, and online scams. Implement the latest security measures to ensure complete safety while playing online games. Thus, whenever you are playing Mario or trying out new games, these tips should be noted.

Mods or cheats from unknown sources

Irrespective of the online account type, hackers are targeting everything from email to social media accounts. In many cases, gamers’ behavior can lead to compromising situations. For instance, let’s say you want to spice things up by installing cheats and mods for your games. Depending on the source, such improvements can actually be malware-ridden and cause problems you never anticipated. Thus, you should never get software from unknown sources, especially if the deal sounds too good to be true.

Easy-to-guess passwords

This recommendation is rather versatile: all your accounts need to be protected by complex and unique passwords. For gamers, getting through the registration process is a milestone they need to complete. Thus, they might rush to fill in the necessary fields and reuse passwords they have applied to other accounts. The truth is that this practice is something you should drop without hesitation. Every time you sign up for a new account, ensure that your passwords are original. The aftermath of a leaked password can be highly severe. Seasoned gamers will probably also have their gaming accounts directly tied to their credit card. Thus, ensure that this scenario does not ruin your gaming experience.

Phishing

Phishing is the sophisticated technique used by cybercriminals to trick users into revealing their login details. In some cases, fraudulent offers can encourage you to click on links or download attached files. Thus, this strategy is accomplished using emails containing malicious links masked as genuine links to reputed online gaming websites. Gamers could be subjected to phishing and online scams. They can receive emails allegedly originating from reliable game providers. They might offer opportunities for discounts or invite you to play a game that is yet to be released. Do not be tempted by such alleged sales or early access. In many cases, such messages come from hackers, hoping that you will perform the specified action.

In order to avoid such traps, you must never click on a link until and unless you’re certain about its authenticity. No reputed gaming website will ever ask for your login details or any other personal data. In case of any doubt, you must contact the support team and find out whether a link is genuine or not.

Malware

In tandem with the phishing methods, vectors are regularly used to spread malware. The majority of the competitive games are rigged with malware downloads. For instance, hackers often convince the gamers into downloading a malicious download on the pretext of gaining access to hacks and cheats.

Additionally, games you play can contain malware as well. Of course, the official versions will be safe. However, games become infected when they are pirated and distributed through unsafe means. It is always best to buy legitimate versions of games. You can also use gaming platforms such as Steam to find dozens of available products.

Tips for gamers

• Don’t reuse passwords. Even if it might seem like a simple tip, it can do wonders for your experience.
• Use 2FA. Game providers adapt to the ever-changing threat landscape. Thus, many of them might offer two-factor authentication. Once enabled, it will prevent unauthorized access. How? Well, cybercriminals will need to provide a token from an external source when logging into your account. Since they won’t have it, their attempts will be futile.
• Download games from official sources. It might be tempting to get games, cheats, or mods from the internet. However, bear in mind that most of them can be malware-ridden, meaning that hackers could gain access to your computer.
• Get a VPN. Using a VPN is a great way for gamers to remain safe and anonymous. Additionally, it will mitigate DDoS attacks that villains could target you with. A trusted gaming VPN can also offer advanced features like blocking access to potentially dangerous websites. It creates an encrypted connection between your device and the server. Thus, all the data you exchange and receive is encrypted. Hence, hackers or other intrusive entities can no longer obtain the same volumes of information about you. Since a VPN will also give you a new IP address, your true location will also be obscured. Use it to find better prices for games.