Online gaming is an excellent way to spend your free time. Not only do you get to play your favorite online game, but you get to meet new virtual friends or hang out with your old pals. However, this accessibility comes with a price, because recently hackers have been attacking online gamers.
Most online games require some of your identification and information before you get to play them. For popular games like Apex Legends, Hades, or Call of Duty, this is just a harmless SOP. However, for hackers and scammers, accessing your information is a pot of gold. And when they get a hold of your information, who knows the limits of the nefarious activities they can use with it.
Thus, protecting your data and information is a necessity. Why be troubled by anxiety when you can secure these right here and right now. Take a look at these online gaming tips you can do to keep off the lurking online criminals.
Do Not Share Your Personal Information
To protect your information, the very first thing you must do is to keep them by yourself. Under no circumstances must you share your passwords and other vital information, especially with the people you meet online.
Refrain from using your real name or birthday when making your username. More so, it would be best if you also avoid divulging information to group chats or streams like your address, phone number, or birthday.
Enable 2-Step Verification
Many gaming platforms and games use 2-step Verification when players log in to their respective accounts. This allows you to have an additional barrier from hackers because they have to obtain a unique code generated and sent to you via email or phone. Needless to say], you must also never share your OTP with other people.
As part of the 2-step verification process, you must also use a password that’s not easy to crack. If you’re using generic passwords like the combination of your birthday or your name, then it’s time to change them right away.
Avoid Downloading From Shady Sources
The internet is full of shady sources, and that’s a fact. So, if you’re a fan of downloading cheat codes or pirate games from dubious sources, then you better quit it right away. You might be thinking that you’re making your gaming life easier, but you’re actually putting yourself at risk.
These shady sources are mostly connected to sites used by online phishers and hackers to steal your information and identity. So, think twice before you download that pirate game or get that cheat code.
Use a VPN
Another great way to protect yourself from malicious people on the internet is by using a virtual private network or VPN. When you’re using a VPN, your online data is channeled to a heavily encrypted private network. This means that hackers will find it challenging to track your IP address and steal your valuable information.
Use Trustworthy Antivirus Software
Free yourself from the worries of online scamming and hacking by downloading antivirus software. Antivirus software is made to secure you from threats posed by malware, virus, spyware, and the like. With this, you’re putting an additional wall of protection against online criminals.
What’s great is that some software is dedicated to gamers specifically as it not only protects you from online threats but boosts your computer’s performance as well.
Takeaway
With the recent breach in Electronic Arts (EA), it’s just natural to be worried about your data being in the hands of the wrong people. And in cases like this, prevention is always better than cure. You will find it extremely difficult to contain leaked information; that’s why you must do everything it takes for your data to be secured.
This goes the same with avid gamers worldwide. As you use your information to play your favorite games, you must also be wary of the potential risks. After all, you can’t fully enjoy a game when your data and information are at risk.