Online gaming in all forms is a lot of fun. But, you are going to be providing some personal and financial data in a lot of cases. As gaming is a big business, hackers are always looking for ways to turn a profit.
This means that there’s always someone on the lookout to steal credit card or other payment details or even taking over an account if they can. But there are some ways to keep yourself safe, and we’re going to cover them here.
Use these simple tips to secure your online gaming and protect your data:
Keep your software up-to-date
While always getting software update messages can be annoying, there’s a reason for them. Most technology devices, be it your phone or your laptop, have regular updates. This means that your software is updated to properly protect you at all times. If you’re online a lot, you should update any operating systems immediately as this will help boost your online security.
Avoid unsecured Wi-Fi networks
It can be tempting to use Wi-Fi that you find out and about to access your favourite games or online casino. However, doing so can severely compromise your online security. Many airports, coffee shops and hotels offer free Wi-Fi, and while this can be good for some online gaming on the go, it’s not secure as it’s public. This means that as soon as you enter any payment details or even your password, it’s a lot easier for someone to get hold of it.
And, with your banking or financial details, they can make purchases via your credit card. With this in mind, if you’re planning on playing any online game, make sure you have a VPN if using a public network, or only use a trusted, password-protected network.
Choosing your password
Now, across all accounts you may have, even those not linked to games, and gaming, you need a username and password. Choosing and using the same password across multiple accounts is never a good idea as it makes it far easier for hackers to steal your personal information.
If they can break into one account, then they can get into more of them if this is the method you choose to use. As such, make sure that you create strong passwords combining letters, numbers and symbols. It makes it harder to crack, and you can use password managers to keep track of passwords so that you don’t have to remember all of them.
Added security layers
Online accounts for gaming and casinos also tend to offer additional security features for their players. This is two-factor authentication and is something you should look out for. When you turn it on to use it, you’ll need to enter your password, wait for a verification code via your email, app or text, and then use that code in the log in page.
This ensures that you’re really the only person using that account. It has the added bonus of meaning that you can see if someone else tries to access your account. If you get a notification for a code, and you didn’t do it, someone is trying to get into your account.
Click carefully
While there are often some great features, adverts or obstacles that can help you get a new game feature or weapon quickly, it’s not always a good idea. Cheats, mod programs and even custom content makes gaming more interesting, but can be problematic.
When you download files to your device, you could get caught by phishing attacks, or simply download harmful files. Both of these can infect your device with malware, stealing your information or slowing its operations down. As such, it’s advisable not to click on any strange links or provide your username or password anywhere except for your log-in page.
Hackers will try to pretend to be someone you trust or even know, and even offer deals that seem great in an attempt to get your details. Often this can be through chat rooms, emails or messages in-game. Don’t be fooled, and protect yourself more effectively.
There are more ways to stay safe while gaming online. Avoid pirated games, set strong privacy controls, and share as little personal information as possible.
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