Best Ways to Secure Your Game Consoles - Online Gaming Safety

A few years ago, gaming consoles were the safest gadgets for kids since they were averse to cybersecurity risks. Today, the ability of these consoles to connect to the internet had introduced yet another device you need to protect against cyber threats.

Over the years, gaming consoles have evolved to become some of the most fun devices you can own. Apart from giving you access to the best games on the market, new-age gaming consoles can also be used as streaming devices for movies and TV shows, recording devices where you can record your games, and even share games. The possibilities are endless with consoles.

The ability of gaming consoles to be used for different services means that they have to be connected to the internet more often than not. This connectivity comes with some risks to the user, like hacking, phishing, and data loss. In 2011, the PlayStation network hack put more than 70 million user details at risk.

Learning about the potential risks you face when using your console can go a long way in ensuring you remain protected. Here are some common gaming console security risks and how you can remain protected.

Gaming Consoles Security Risks

DDoS Attacks

DDoS attacks or distributed denial of service attacks are a common type of hack used by cyber criminals to overload a web service, website, or network by flooding it with a lot of traffic in one go. This causes the server to crash and cripple the service. This makes DDoS attacks some of the most used cybersecurity threats on gaming consoles. 

Hackers mainly target online gaming services such as Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, Steam, and Nintendo Switch Online to gain access to user data. A DDoS attack caused the 2011 attack on the PlayStation Network.

While DDoS attacks can be annoying to players, they are rarely used to compromise player data and are intended to harm a gaming company’s reputation.

 

Spoofed Websites

Spoofing websites are popularly used to spread malware in the gaming industry. This is one of the most dangerous types of attack since it is meant to steal player credentials to gain access to their legitimate gaming profile.

In a typical spoofing scam, a player is lured to clicking on a link for free in-play goodies. They are redirected to a fake website that looks similar to their gaming website, where they enter their credential to log in to their accounts. The hacker uses these credentials to access the player’s account on the actual website and takes over the account or steals inventory.

Spoofing websites are also commonly used to access a player’s personal identification information like credit card details, real name, and address.

 

Keyloggers And Brute Force Attacks

Brute force attacks and keyloggers attacks are also prevalent in the gaming industry. Attackers use specific social engineering attacks based on player behaviors to infiltrate their consoles and accounts. While most breaches can be attained by simply combining different login details, brute force and keylogging techniques are the most used methods.

In a brute force attack, hackers use a large password library tool to try to crack the combinations on a console or gaming account, while a keylogging attempt requires the use of hacking software to track and record keypad strokes to get a password.  

The aim of keylogging and brute force attacks is to access a player’s account to steal inventory and sometimes credit card details that can be used to buy more inventory. This inventory is then sold in the black gaming market for real money.  

Best Ways for Gamers to Protect Themselves

 

Use A VPN

Investing in a gaming VPN is highly recommended if you want to enhance the security of your gaming account. Apart from protecting your account from online hackers and spies, a Virtual Private Network (VPN) can also improve your gaming and streaming speeds.

With it, you can conceal your actual geographical location to access streaming services and games not available in your country. It also helps to protect your internet connection and prevent information leaks.

 

Use Two-Factor Authentication For Your Gaming Account

All major gaming consoles come with a two-factor authentication option in the settings. With 2FA, you get an extra layer of protection since you need to provide an additional set of number codes to confirm your identity whenever you want to log into your gaming account. Even with a compromised password, a hacker cannot access your account without the authentication code.

 

Invest in a password manager

Your password is the first line of defense for your gaming console account against hackers and intruders. The best way to ensure your password is unique and hard to crack is by using a password manager application. This program creates strong passwords for all your accounts and saves the passwords safely away from your browser.  

With a password manager, you can avoid using the same password for multiple accounts since you no longer need to memorize your login details.

Conclusion

Taking time to learn about the gaming console cybersecurity scams is the best way to ensure you remain safe while gaming. Taking heed of the information in this article can go a long way in ensuring you stay safe even as you game and stream online using your console.

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