How to Protect Your Gaming Accounts from Cyber Threats

The internet has become much more secure recently, thanks to strict policies for cybercrime and data sharing. However, the job is still unfinished, as internet users encounter several cyber threats. One of the soft targets of these threats is the online gaming community. You may not be aware, but if you are a gamer, there is a high probability that your gaming account may be under cyber threat. Since gaming, for the majority, is a source of leisure, not everyone is vigilant about how their account is being accessed. And this is where cyber threats come in.

You might have heard about threats like data breaches, phishing scams, etc. Well, all these scams can directly affect a gamer, too, considering all your personal information is in the open, in the form of your gaming account.

In this post, let us look at these cyber threats you may encounter while gaming and how to protect your gaming account. Without delay, let’s get started!

Types of Cyber Threats Associated with Your Online Gaming Account

Playing games online seems to be a harmless thing to do, but sadly, it is not. You may wonder what could happen when you share your credentials with an online gaming platform. To understand that, you should know what types of risks surround your gaming account and how they can affect you.

Here are some of the most common cyber threats and risks associated with your gaming account –

1. Phishing Attacks: One of the most common cyber threats is getting users to share sensitive information by tricking them. Everything may be fine with your game. However, one day you might receive an email asking you to reset your password or take action for your gaming account. This email is the trap as it gets you to click on an unknown link that further asks about your personal information. Hackers use phishing to access information that users do not usually share online, such as personal data about security questions, credit card numbers, and contact numbers.

2. Malware Attack: If your gaming account keeps receiving links to download a new game extension or files, this can directly cause an induced malware attack. Now, what is meant by a malware attack? Well, unknown applications are installed on your PC in disguise of game mods and external files to track your usage and access data on your computer. If you always look for game mods and cheat programs to enhance your gaming abilities, beware that these mods are not released through official channels, which is where attackers take advantage. By inducing malware into your PC, attackers can access files from your computer and steal credentials, track your key presses, and whatnot.

3. Online Frauds: Online fraud is another common issue that can be difficult to detect and highly impactful. While playing a game, if you get ads or deals that seem too good to be true, there are chances that they are staged just to scam you. The best example of online fraud can be when an individual engages with you while playing a game and talks you into sending them money or sharing information. You can find a lot of con artists playing the game with you, trying to be friends with you just so they can benefit from you.

4. Payment Scams: These types of scams directly threaten your finances. If you have connected your gaming account with a mode of payment, say Venmo, PayPal, or any other just to buy skins and stuff for your game, chances are that you can get scammed into paying a random attacker. These scammers disguise themselves as authentic platforms and try to access your gaming accounts to find payment information. If someone has access to your gaming account, they can easily send you a fake email or a link to pay for the game, and unknowingly, you will end up paying them instead of paying for the game.

5. Data Breach: If you thought you could only get scammed for money, think about it again! Data breach is one of the most common issues caused by a weak gaming server. In such attacks, the entire gaming server you use is compromised, leaving all your data and information exposed for the attacker to use. This usually happens when you use unprotected internet or your game provider’s server is attacked. Either way, your data can be used to create fake IDs and manipulate others into thinking it’s you, leading to further disasters.

And sadly, these are just some of the identified cyber threats gamers usually face. There are several more threats that you should stay vigilant about. Fortunately, if there are cyber threats to be worried about, there are a few ways to protect yourself. Check out the next section to find some of the best ways to protect your gaming accounts from cyber threats.

Ways to Protect Your Gaming Account from Cyber Threats

Staying up to date with the latest security updates is definitely one of them; however, it is just not enough. After learning about the types of scams and threats, you might have an idea about what you are dealing with and where you may be vulnerable.

Fortunately, there are several things that you can do to protect yourself from becoming a victim of these cyber threats. Check out some of the preventive measures and fixes that will help you protect your gaming account.

1. Authenticate Source Before Downloading/Playing an Online Gaming

Verifying that the platform you are using to play the game is authentic or the website from which you are downloading the game is genuine plays a crucial role. An attacker plants a fake game setup in several ways so you can download it and get trapped. To ensure that you do not become a victim of a similar issue, here’s what you can do –

Check the website’s security certificate to ensure that it is secure. Look for HTTPS in the URL.
Scroll down to the footer to find the copyright information. Usually, hackers try to fake an authentic website without a copyright.
Ensure that the website does not contain unnecessary ads. A website selling your games does not have to show you spam ads for revenue; it is a red flag.
Give the URL a quick Google search to find reviews and discussions.
Learn more about the game before downloading it to know exactly what you want. Identify the setup size so you instantly know if the file you are downloading is genuine or just a small-sized malware planted to attack you.

2. Keep Antivirus Definitions Up to Date

If you are using an antivirus on your PC, make sure you keep it regularly updated. Keep your Windows versions updated, too, so that the defender can easily detect the errors and help you identify threats when it detects any. Cyber attackers usually keep updating their threats according to the latest security patches to appear as genuine as possible and not trigger a warning for the user. Hence, to outsmart them before they outsmart you, you must –

Keep checking for updates every 7 days.
Keep your OS updated with the latest security patch, and install even the most minute update.
Regularly scan your PC with both Defender and third-party antivirus.

Editor’s Recommendation – Use T9 Antivirus for additional security.

3. Avoid Clicking Random Ads that You May Find While Playing an Online Game

If you are someone who gets curious about the ads you see while playing, then chances are that you will struggle and easily fall into the trap. Avoid clicking on ads that keep appearing out of nowhere, as these may take you to a website or get you to download a file that is nothing more than malware. By chance, when these files get to your system, you might regret it as all your data and personal files are exposed.

Some ways you can protect your gaming account from unnecessary ads are –

Use an Ad blocker that can help you avoid these ads altogether.
If there is an Ad related to a game offer or discount, check its legitimacy on official platforms before getting excited and clicking on it.
Instantly use the cross to prevent these ads from flashing if they bother your experience.

4. Use a VPN to Ensure a Secure and Isolated Connection

One of the most vulnerable factors while playing an online game is your IP getting exposed. The IP address serves as your information online; hence, if an attacker gets their hands on your IP address, they can easily identify a lot about you and your gameplay. The best way to handle this is by using a VPN.

A VPN helps you with a different IP address that covers your original one so that it is impossible to track you or your computer/ This way, your personal information stays safe, too. The best way to protect yourself with a VPN is to –

Use a reliable VPN client that offers you a reliable range of servers.
Always remember to enable the VPN before you start playing your games online.
Keep your VPN credentials secure so no one can disable or use them in your absence.

5. Always Check Terms & Conditions Before Agreeing for Permissions

Several online games use your personal information with consent. Games you log in via social media usually require access to your personal information. However, you are not always aware of how these services use the data. Sometimes, the data required is just your email address to send you newsletters and updates; others can keep track of your messages, photos you share, and whatnot. Hence, you must check and track the confidentiality clause before registering on a platform.

Read the privacy policy thoroughly to understand how your data is used.
Pay attention while allowing the game permissions and check if it is asking to access something that may be useless to the gameplay.
When playing online, review the cookies policy just to be safe.

Other than these, you always have the option to use a pseudo account for your gaming purposes. That way, you not only avoid a direct breach of your personal information but are also relaxed as there is not much to lose in case of a cyberattack. Needless to say, this is one of the major reasons why “usernames” were introduced in almost every online game.

Secure Gaming Experiences for the WIN!

You might have understood the importance of keeping your personal information secure while playing games online. To protect your gaming accounts from cyber threats, use the preventive measures shared above. Even though you believe that there is no chance of you facing a cyber threat, there’s no harm in staying vigilant. With that being said, if you are looking for a VPN that helps you protect your gaming account and personal information while staying online, Systweak VPN is a great option. It offers 200+ robust servers with military-grade encryption. Download today for the best results.

Thanks for reading. Good luck!

Dishank Sharma

A creative tech-writer who loves to explore latest tech-trends & convey them to his readers in the simplest way possible. He loves to blend the crispness of technology with a pinch of creativity while curating best practices for the readers. In his free time, he likes to scribble poetry, listen to rap & travel.