Gaming is addictive, not only because it’s such a high-adrenaline rush. It’s also addictive because you bond deeply with players across different time zones, cultures, and countries. But the combination of trust among gamers, the billions of dollars spent online, and inadequate computer security in a pressured environment mean that gaming is a high-risk activity.
The gaming industry faced over 12 billion attacks over the November 2017 – March 2019 period. Gamers are a fast-increasing cybercrime target.
What Is A VPN For Gaming Security?
Most people know that a VPN is a virtual private network with distributed servers around the globe and that a VPN masks your IP address. People don’t understand a powerful security tool a VPN can be for gamers.
An unencrypted internet connection means sending your gaming credentials, social media platform logins, email connections, search history, and everything else in plain text. A bad guy with a free sniffer tool can intercept everything when you connect directly from your own or public Wi-Fi.
A VPN replaces your unique IP address with the address of their server at a location of your choice. It then encrypts everything you send on the internet, including your login credentials. From the moment of connection via VPN, the VPN hides all information about your device and everything you do while you are on the internet.
What Risks Do Gamers Face That A VPN Can Thwart?
Gamers haven't yet come to terms with the fact that they are becoming a fast-growing cybersecurity target.
● Malware: A software designed to cause disruption to a computer, gaining unauthorized access to a computer system. The most popular targets are compromised copies of Minecraft, The Sims 4, PUBG, Fortnite, and Grand Theft Auto V software.
● Ransomware: People don’t think twice about clicking links that supposedly lead to websites that contain exploits, cheats, mods, or bots.
● Doxing: That’s something that is ‘not done – but people do it. Sore losers have been known to retaliate by uncovering your IP address and publishing your private details online. Women seem to be particularly vulnerable to such threats.
● Swatting: When super-high tensions in long-running rivalries boil over, your physical safety may be compromised. Swatting can endanger you and your family.
● Data theft: It’s easy to steal sensitive documents, credit card details, and personal information if you don't use intrusion protection. Playing games on public Wi-Fi is probably the single most harmful action you can expose yourself to.
● Identity theft: A hacker who has your credit card details, Social Security Number (SSN), and contact details can impersonate you in real life. They can borrow money, spend your savings, and can cause massive damage to your credit profile.
● Pillaged accounts: The pain of losing your high-status account is indescribable. A hacker could sell off your virtual assets overnight and leave you with an empty husk. Worse, you can permanently lose control over the entire account.
Why Is The Gaming Environment So Dangerous?
Firstly, gaming is probably the ultimate social engineering environment. People keep dropping private information about marriage, family, location, birthdays, lifestyle, and major life events like breadcrumbs into every day in-game chats between rivals and team members.
It’s child’s play for a hacker to keep a file and compile a complete profile of potential victims from such snippets of personal information. Eventually, they will have enough data to impersonate you sufficiently to hack your social media accounts or email. Once in, they can harvest even more information – which they can use to lure your friends and family into the same trap.
Secondly, the distribution of compromised gaming software is a crucial strategy for hackers. Close to a million gamers were hit by ransomware in 2018 - 2019 via built-in malware in fake copies of Minecraft, Grand Theft Auto, and The Sims. Even if you use a legal copy of the software, you may fall prey to a malicious game-related tool, crack, or mod.
How Does Your VPN Work To Protect You
It's tough to escape the camaraderie built into long-time gaming friendships. We all sometimes overshare about relationships or day-to-day events. We need all the help we can get to protect our privacy in environments where we drop our barriers.
● Protect your personal information by protecting your internet connection. Secure your router or WiFi access point. Next-generation VPNs are becoming more sophisticated in blocking malware and malicious websites.
● Use a privacy-focused web browser with a tracker blocker and clear cookies obsessively - it makes for faster gaming!
● Set up a separate email address for all your gaming activities. You should specifically never use your work email address!
● Use a password manager to create strong passwords and change them often. Never connect your social media or Gmail credentials to a gaming account for a convenient login. If you do, you only need to log in once without protecting a VPN, and all the info becomes exposed!
● Keep social media platforms separate from your gaming profile, or create a special gaming profile on social media. Exclude all gamer contacts from your “real” account.
● Disable your webcam. If it’s a major part of the game or team chat, tape it shut when you’re done.
Conclusion
It has become almost unthinkable to even just read the news without the ad-blocking and privacy protection capabilities of a VPN. Like an antivirus, a VPN has become a basic minimum safety mechanism for everyone using the internet.
