Video games have been around for decades, but it’s only recently that they have reached the peak of their popularity. Gaming has shifted from single-player games on computers and consoles to online multiplayer, cross-platform gaming where gamers can enjoy their favorite titles with friends and family members.
However, not every online connection to a game server is safe. Cybercriminals and hackers made their way into the world of gaming, so you must stick to some basic safety rules to make sure that you’re secure while having fun. With more and more malware families exploiting gaming environments, you need to be extremely vigilant. Here are a few useful tips you should consider.
1. Never Expose Your True Identity
It’s very common for gamers to meet new online friends while playing video games. There’s nothing wrong with that, but on the other hand, you never know who is at the other end of the microphone, chat, or forum. Even if you spend weeks or months playing a video game with the same person, you should avoid sharing personal information at all times.
Many video games have vibrant online communities where thousands of gamers go to exchange experiences and thoughts about their favorite games. That’s just great, but you should avoid sharing personal information such as your phone number, location, address, and even age. The smallest of details can give your identity away.
The other person could be lying about their identity. Many cybercriminals use video games to extract personal information from fellow gamers and then use it to breach their online accounts, steal credit card information, and so on.
The most common way of doing this is for these people to present themselves as support agents and ask for your login credentials so they can resolve “an issue.” That is why many games have the legendary message of “Our support agents will never ask for your credentials.” This indicates that their agents already have access to the backend and don’t need you to give them this info. Once fake support agents have your login info, they can easily change the password, steal your credit card info, and harm you financially.
2. Always Choose Original Game Copies Over Pirtes
Although most of the world has put pir-cy under control, the video game industry is still struggling to prevent the distribution of illegal versions of games. Many websites offer pirted games as the real deal. That is dangerous for several different reasons.
First, pirted games are usually infected by malware or viruses that can create many problems once the game is installed. For instance, KryptoCibule malware has been distributed via malicious torrents pretending to offer pirted versions of well-known games. Millions of gamers experienced some type of cyber-attack after installing pirted games. Second, buying or playing a pirted game is a form of breaking the law, so you could also have legal trouble. Lastly, pirted games don’t have updates. So, you won’t get the best gaming experience.
3. Avoid Using Cheats
Cheating has been around as long as gaming itself. While using cheats to play single-player games wasn’t a problem for most gamers, doing the same in PvP online matches is different. No one likes cheaters, and no matter how careful you are, gamers will always know if you’re cheating. Of course, once you get caught, you will be banned from the game forever. For example, Call of Duty: Warzone banned over 60,000 accounts in one day for breaking its anti-cheat policies.
But the real danger of using cheats is their coding. Rogue programmers and cybercriminals develop most cheat engines. Once you install a cheat on your device, there’s no guarantee that their makers aren’t tracking your activities and stealing personal information.
Stay One Step Ahead
While playing online video games is fun, and many people do it, you must make sure that you’re protected every time you want to play. The smallest of details can be used against you, so you must stay one step ahead of cybercriminals at all times.
There are a few things you can try to improve your online safety but getting a PC VPN is the best place to start. A VPN works as a protective shield between you and the internet. It replaces your original IP address with another one located far away from your location. That makes it much harder for cybercriminals to track your activities and learn where you’re located. Additionally, it might for as a shield against DoS attacks attempting to disrupt your gaming experiences. However, this won’t stop hackers from launching more sophisticated attacks on gaming servers. Since moderators of game servers can be highly competitive, such attempts can be fairly regular.
Apart from being very careful about where you buy your video games, you should ensure that no one is able to track you and steal your personal information. Tighten up your security measures, and have fun playing your favorite games online!
