5 Internet Gaming Tips to Stay Safe from Hackers

With the advent of the internet, many people have turned towards indoor games to play online games. The COVID-19 pandemic further led to a 30% jump in online players from Q1 to Q2 in 2020 as the world moved into the ‘lock-down’ mode and stayed indoors.

Online gaming is an excellent stress-buster for some people as they can virtually slay demons and aliens or wage royal battles and even build virtual online parks to keep themselves entertained. But unknown to them, there are hackers lurking even around these gaming portals, with web assaults on gaming companies going up by as much as 340% during 2019 and 2020 alone. These hackers unethically source codes from the dim web and utilize them to get into popular online games and collect crucial personal data of the players. Alternatively, these hackers can also duplicate the code of well-known games and make them their own. So before you fall into the hackers’ traps, here are 5 tips to keep your information safe as you enjoy your game:

1. Be careful not to download pirated versions of a game or ‘cheat’ software. Avoid too-good-to-be-true ‘free’ downloads as these could get you to create a gateway for cybercriminals to walk right into your device and inject credential-stealing malware into it!

2. One of the best ways to keep your personal information safe is by signing in with a VPN (Virtual Private Network). A VPN scrambles your internet-based traffic information, making it impossible for hackers to get to your IP address. No one can spy on your web browsing with a VPN.

3. Never be fooled into revealing your personal information. Gamers should be judicious in the use of their real names or birthdates when creating usernames that are visible to the public. Use monikers and a medley of numbers and avoid sharing personal information during live chats.

4. Online gamers need to customize their privacy settings to protect their profiles from others. Be careful who you allow to see your profile and don’t take friend requests casually as they could have a nefarious agenda.

5. Enjoy better gaming experiences with peace of mind, by protecting your device with gaming antivirus software!