Cybersecurity Snapshots - Hackers Are Targeting Gamers
By aekwall
Gaming is very popular, with an estimated 3.09 billion active video gamers worldwide. This number is expected to keep increasing, and by the end of 2024, there are expected to be 3.32 billion gamers worldwide. The rising popularity of gaming has drawn cyber criminals into targeting players' login credentials and personal information.
During a recent study, researchers at Beyond Identity asked 1000 US gamers to share their experiences with cybersecurity. The researchers noted that getting hacked while playing a video game is a common event, with two-thirds of survey respondents, all of whom play daily or almost every day, having experienced it at least once. The researchers found that while almost half (46%) of PC gamers had never experienced a hack or a scam, Xbox users (87%) were the most likely to be targeted, with nearly one-quarter of these users getting hacked or scammed six or more times. Similarly, 67% of mobile users had been hacked when playing a video game. PlayStation and Nintendo console users fared little better, with 62% and 61%, respectively, experiencing one or more hacking attempts.
During the recent study, the researchers also found that while over half (53%) of the gamers who were victims of a cyberattack reported that their email was compromised there were more alarming consequences for others. Nearly half reported their phone number (48%), payment data (45%), or financial accounts (43%) were compromised, with a further 38% saying that compromises to their social media account access resulted in them being locked out. The researchers asked the participants to evaluate how much money they'd lost from being hacked while playing video games, and the average value of compromised data reported by gamers was $330.
During the study, gamers reported employing various strategies to protect their gaming accounts. Using multiple-character passwords and thinking twice before clicking links or downloading files were the top actions utilized by gamers. That said, 48% of those who depended solely on multiple-character passwords alone had been hacked while gaming. Other extra precautions gamers said they took include using antivirus software, keeping software up-to-date, enabling two-factor authentication, using different passwords for each account, and using a VPN while gaming. The researchers noted that worryingly, more than half of gamers confirm that the pursuit of cheat codes was more important to them than cybersecurity while gaming. The problem is that hackers attach malware to cheat codes, so the researchers advise gamers to think twice about chasing down cheat codes to boost their performance. Even though 55% of gamers said they were aware of phishing techniques used to trick users into disclosing sensitive information on a spoofed web page, a staggering 60% of those surveyed had fallen victim to scams from email senders disguised as gaming companies.
Gaming companies need to recognize the critical role they play in protecting their applications and users. The researchers noted that security starts with the authentication strategies employed, so providing more secure and phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication is now a must-have in gaming companies’ security toolkit. Additionally, the researchers noted that using certified FIDO passwordless cryptographic approaches that accelerate access while raising security ensures a level of trust in the devices. The researchers said that gamers should consistently keep their software, device firmware, and firewalls up-to-date and use at least two factors for authentication. The researchers believe that most importantly, gamers should always exercise caution when clicking links in emails or downloading files, and be hyper-aware of the risks associated with cheat codes.
To see previous articles, please visit the Cybersecurity Snapshots Archive.