In 2020, it is anticipated that there will be roughly 932 million online gamers, with a global market worth $21.1 billion. This amount reflects a 20 percent increase. The coronavirus epidemic, which spread to practically every corner of the globe, definitely encouraged this trend.
Such expansion is not without its own set of difficulties. The question of security is undoubtedly one of them. As the industry grows and outperforms other main entertainment industries, the pressure on IT developers to offer high-quality, dependable solutions for gamers grows as well.
Continue reading to learn more about cyber assaults that have impacted the gaming industry, as well as steps you can take to protect your console without slowing down your internet connection.
The biggest cyber attacks in gaming history
In 2012, the hacking collective Lulzsec orchestrated an attack against Riot Games, the firm behind games like League of Legends. Marc Merrill, co-founder and co-chairman of the company, issued a statement in response to the attacks.
He confirmed that the crooks were able to gain access to some of the gamers’ account information, including names, email addresses, passwords, dates of birth, and some security question answers. Capcom, the creators of Street Fighter, was the target of a ransomware assault in 2020.
Data of some former and current workers, as well as certain corporate data, was stolen, according to the company. It was later discovered that the attack had been far more serious. An estimated 350,000 customers and business partners’ personal information was also exposed.
However, one of the most high-profile assaults occurred in 2014, affecting a number of providers and platforms. Microsoft’s Xbox Live and Sony’s PlayStation Network both experienced service problems and were forced to go offline.
At the time, Sony said it was dealing with a “large scale” distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack. They also claimed to have had serious problems three years before. The network was offline for more than three weeks at the time, compromising the data of millions of subscribers.
What is a DDoS attack?
A DDoS assault occurs when multiple computers attempt to overload a server, website, or network, causing it to go down and deny service to its normal customers. The hackers discover a flaw in one computer system and utilise it to investigate additional potential weak spots elsewhere.
Multiple devices may be impacted by DDoS assaults because they may be utilised to redirect malicious traffic to the principal target and, as a result, experience service disruptions.
How can you protect your console?
It’s easy to forget that your gaming accounts save a lot of sensitive personal information, like your name, email address, and credit or debit card information. As a result, it’s critical that you take the necessary precautions to safeguard your console. You risk losing your data, your identity, and possibly your money if you don’t take precautions.
Here are a few things you can do to beef up your security:
- Use a virtual private network (VPN): Connecting to the internet through a VPN on your PlayStation – https://nordvpn.com/download/playstation/, Xbox, or any other console provides a secure connection — an encrypted tunnel between your device and the game server. Hackers will be unable to intercept your information, determine your IP address, or violate your privacy as a result.
There’s also no need to be concerned that using a VPN would degrade the quality of your connection. The top internet service providers provide strong security without losing speed. - Do not use public Wi-Fi to access your accounts: These networks are not nearly as secure as private networks. You could unknowingly make it easier for someone looking for flaws in those connections to gain access.
- Update your passwords on a regular basis: While having a single password for everything is more convenient, it also makes you more vulnerable to a cyber assault. Change your login credentials on a regular basis, rather than reusing old favourites. Use strong passwords with a mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols.
- Two-factor authentication should be implemented:
Even if a potential criminal obtains your password, two-factor authentication makes it more difficult for them to gain access to your accounts. As a result, two-factor authentication should be enabled on all of your devices and accounts.