Online gaming is captivating and entertaining and provides countless hours of quality entertainment. Gamers can and will dedicate their time to mastering one or several online games, collecting rare items, leveling up their characters, and even storing funds and payment details in their accounts for in-game purchases or placing bets on gambling games.
That time and investment are valuable, so it’s no wonder many malicious individuals aim to steal your hard-earned in-game rewards. Thankfully, there are several steps you can take to greatly enhance your online security. Keeping your account safe ensures continuous and enjoyable gaming sessions, and here’s how you can do it:
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Method 1: A hard-to-crack password
Your first line of defense against an unlawful breach of your account is your password. Even without you doing anything, third-party hackers can try to break into your account by cracking your password. Keyloggers help them, but sophisticated software and algorithms today do the job much better. By using a strong password, you can make hackers use more resources or give up before they even try.
Simple steps like making your password 12 characters or longer (the longer, the better), using upper and lower case letters, symbols like “£,$,%,^,&”, enabling two-factor authorization, and crafting different and unique passwords for each gaming account will make it near-impenetrable.
Method 2: Visit trusty sites
What makes a site trustworthy? If your future gaming site has been on the net for a long time, that means it survived the test of time. Suspicious places can pop over overnight, but reputable sites have established themselves over the years, proving they are legitimate and trustworthy. Sites that use SSL standards and HTTPS protocols are a good start, especially if you are going to be sharing personal and/or financial information on the site.
If you’re looking for a gambling site, the first essential thing to check with a new casino site is whether it is licensed and approved by any authority to know if it is a legitimate platform. Although licensing isn’t everything about safety, if a game has been certified as fair by an official gambling government agency, you can trust it and play it (source: https://www.business2community.com/kr/gambling/casino-site).
Also remember that trust is built over time, so always visit places that aim to inspire trust and don’t raise any red flags, as malicious software can be hidden in their links. Online reviews and user comments can help you identify legitimate gaming sites as the word of foul play quickly spreads.
Method 3: Mindful actions
Apart from concrete methods, you can always trust your gut instinct. If some site offers you a gaming advantage or a fast way to reach your gaming goals, it’s usually too good to be true. Phishing and hacking techniques rely on human error and for you to make a mistake in judgment. One wrong click can lead to your gaming account being compromised, as hacking scripts, keyloggers, and phishing techniques are hidden in suspicious links.
But by listening to your better judgment, avoiding something that looks suspicious, and not following links shared by strangers, you can keep your gaming account safe. If some advantage or proposition seems too good to be true, it probably is, and it’s best to ignore it. Only click on links when you’re already on a trusted site.
Method 4: Credit over Debit card
Aside from your in-game items, account, and achievements being stolen, you can also suffer financial damage should a third-party gain access to your account. Gaming online sometimes requires your credit card info for various in-game purchases, and would-be hackers aim for that info as their ultimate prize. Financial scams are hard to pull out on credit cards, as they have more layers of protection than debit cards.
So, if you wish to access premium features on gaming platforms, which often require payments, it’s best to use a credit card. Even in the unlikely case that your account gets compromised, the attacker will have a hard time using your credit card. Some gambling sites also accept cryptocurrencies, which many feel are safer than card, and won’t allow any malicious users to track down your address.
Method 5: Use a VPN
Most passwords and account information are very personal. You can keep such confidential info for yourself and avoid oversharing online, but you can also cover yourself in a blanket of anonymity with a VPN. Any VPN you use will obscure the data your PC sends, masking your browsing habits and your IP address.
You can appear as if you’re playing from a different country or make it seem like you’re visiting random places. Without a reliable pattern to trace, attackers can’t pinpoint your location and data, making their job impossible.
Method 6: Helpful software
Just as there is malicious software used in phishing techniques, there is also protective and helpful software to keep your account secure. Old, abandoned, and discontinued software has no backup from its developers, and its code is probably cracked and unsafe. By setting your updates to automatic, you are ensuring you have the latest available version, with the newest layers of protection.
Devs who update and keep their programs with the latest security features are one step ahead of attackers. This is especially true for anti-virus programs, which can even retroactively detect if there are malicious programs on your device.
