Top Threats for Online Gamers & How to Avoid Them
It’s a bit of a sad situation when you have to watch your back while having a good time, but that’s exactly the case with online gaming. Anything you do online has associated security risks, but online gaming has its own set of threats. In this post, we’re going to explore the top threats for online gamers and how to avoid them.Follow my blog with Bloglovin
Ransomware
This is a type of malware that’s especially malicious. Ransomware programs will block access to game items, game files, or configuration files. And here comes the ransom part. The program requires that you pay real money to have those items and files restored. In essence, this malware holds your games ransom until you pay up or remove the malware. Look out for ransomware on the more popular games because hackers are trying to target as many people as possible. Games that store data in the cloud are less likely to be impacted by these attacks.
Fake Game Crack Programs
This is a way that hackers are getting their targets to install malware on their own systems. So, let’s say you really want to play MineCraft but don’t have the money to buy it. You can find a “game crack” program to allow you access to the game without actually paying. But the problem with this one is that these game crack programs are usually loaded up with malware. And after all the money you’ll spend to restore your system (and possibly your identity), you’ll see that it’s much cheaper just to buy the game in the first place.
“Join My Team” Scams
This social scam is quite malicious, so it’s important to keep your guard up while gaming. If someone is trying to run this scam on you, you’ll get a chat message from a random “gamer” while you’re playing. They’ll compliment you on your gaming skills and invite you to their team. But here’s the catch… in order to join their team, you have to download an application onto your computer – no exceptions. And, as you might have guessed by now, that application will contain malware.
Phony Apps
This attempt is becoming increasingly common as people play more games on their smartphones. To avoid this threat, be sure to download your games from reputable sources only. This means looking on the Play Store or iTunes. If you see something you want to try elsewhere, go back to find the app on the official Apple or Google marketplace. And, unfortunately, when you download apps to get points in a game, those might contain malware too. Even if the game you’re playing is legit, they use third-party providers for their reward programs, so they can’t be held liable for any damage.
When you really look at all the threats out there, the world seems like a scary place. But the bottom line is that you must be sure you’re taking security precautions when downloading anything. And always use excellent anti-virus and anti-malware program on your system. This should catch the majority of threats out there.