It’s easy to let cybersecurity fall by the wayside when you’re having fun gaming. However, as a gamer, you are a common target for cybercriminals who want to steal your in-game assets or bank details, so you should take the following steps to minimize the risk.
6
Set Up Two-Factor Authentication On All of Your Accounts
One thing you absolutely must do to boost the security of your gaming accounts is to enable two-factor (2FA) authentication whenever possible. As another layer of security, 2FA requires a secondary device and a password to confirm your identity. As a result, your accounts won’t be easy pickings for shady individuals.
Enabling 2FA on your various gaming accounts isn’t that complicated, but the process varies between the various platforms. The best option is to complete an internet search for “[gaming platform name] enable 2fa.” In most cases, you’ll turn the 2FA setting on, receive an authentication message, and complete the 2FA setup process.
5
Improve Your Password Game
Your password is vital even if we’re talking “merely” about your gaming accounts. It’s the first line of defense against all sorts of security threats, and you should make sure it’s impenetrable.
If you have multiple gaming accounts, you’ll have to create individual passwords. There’s a damaging myth that one strong password for all accounts is enough, but this will compromise each of your services if a hacker manages to compromise just one account.
So, how do you go about this task?
I use an online random password generator to create strong and unique passwords quickly. Naturally, the passwords you come up with this way will be impossible to remember as they’ll contain combinations of random uppercase and lowercase characters, so you should consider installing a password manager like Bitwaden or Proton Pass to store all these passwords. You can also make other easy changes to boost your password security.
4
Remove Any Payment Methods
Sure, having a payment method ready is convenient. Yet, are you willing to sacrifice your online security to save a few minutes it will take you to get your card and put in information manually?
Saving payment information on your gaming account (and any other accounts) is super risky, just the same as trusting your browser with your credit card information. Anything you put online can become a potential target for hackers, especially your debit or credit card. And while major gaming services are generally safe, you really don’t want to take unnecessary risks.
Plus, you will also save money as you’ll probably think twice before making any purchases. I don’t have enough space here to describe how often I’ve decided against purchasing a new game or a skin while trying to retrieve the credit card from my wallet.
3
Limit the Use of Private Information
Call me paranoid, but I never use any personally identifiable information in my gaming accounts, not even my name. It may seem like overkill, but cybercriminals can use the tiny bits of information in your username to piece together your profile and target you.
I try to extend this level of care and paranoia to everything I do in-game, so I avoid sharing any information with my friends while gaming. Over the years, I’ve made some solid connections through games, but I’ve always stuck to my rule of staying completely anonymous, and so should you.
2
Avoid Game Sharing With People You Don’t Know
Since more people purchase games digitally, game sharing is becoming increasingly popular as it allows you to share digital releases with friends. The key word here is friends; you should never share your games with anyone you don’t know personally.
Not much explanation is needed, but here goes. Not only can you lose access to your account, but if you have a saved payment method, someone could go on a huge shopping spree using your money. This can be particularly dangerous if you’re an Xbox gamer, as the shady scammer could potentially access your other Microsoft services.
1
Avoid Buying/Downloading Games From Shady Sources
Scouring repack sites with cracked software is akin to playing Russian roulette. You may win, but you may also give hackers free access to your device if you’re unlucky.
Pirating software isn’t the only risk. You have probably also run across websites that sell PlayStation, Xbox, or Steam license keys at very low prices. These can also be super dangerous, and if the malware threat wasn’t enough, you’re basically giving your money to thieves.
Related
You Don’t Need to Pirate Software: Here’s How I Find Affordable Alternatives
Software piracy is never the answer.
While I get the allure of purchasing a game for pennies from a shady site, I still recommend you either save up your money or wait a few months until the game goes on sale. This is hugely important when talking about indie games. The big gaming companies will survive the loss of 50 bucks, but indie developers need all the money they can get. In my personal opinion, it really feels dirty to try to save money instead of supporting indie devs who are actively revolutionizing the video game industry.
So, there you have it. You can use these tips to secure your gaming accounts and minimize your chances of becoming a victim of cybercrime. Though it may take a few minutes to create a bunch of new passwords or set up 2FA, the hassle is worth it for the peace of mind you’ll get when you fire up your next gaming session.
