The gaming industry went into full gear during the pandemic, as many people took up online gaming as their new hobby to escape the socially-distanced reality. Since then, the industry has never stopped growing. The world of online gaming has reached a staggering 3 billion, but there’s a hidden battle happening. Unfortunately, cybercriminals have identified the gaming industry as a juicy opportunity., and they’re not holding back when it comes to cyber attacks gaming.
Recent data proves just how determined they are…
Web application attacks surged by a shocking 167% in 2021 alone, putting the gaming sector right in the crosshairs of cyber threats. Fast forward to 2022, and gaming earned the unfortunate title of being the most targeted industry for Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. According to Kaspersky Lab, there was a 13% increase in malicious software attacks on games in the first half of 2022 compared with the first half of 2021.
With the industry booming, cybercriminals find the lure of a successful breach too tempting to resist. Continue reading as we shed light on cyber attacks gaming and provide practical tips for gamers to strengthen their gaming experiences.
Why gaming industry is the target
In today’s gaming universe, where adventures unfold at every click, a different kind of battle rages behind the scenes – a digital duel between cybercriminals and an industry that’s booming. The gaming landscape has exploded with millions of gamers from around the world immersing themselves in endless interactive experiences. Yet, the same popularity that fuels excitement has also drawn the attention of those with malicious intent.
So, why is the gaming industry a magnet for cyberattacks?
1. Think about it – there are millions of gamers, each with a digital fingerprint. Cybercriminals can exploit all the personal and sensitive information like names, locations, and payment details – leading to identity theft and other hacker attacks.
2. Gamers love to bend the rules, and that often means third-party programs, mods, and cheats. But these open the door to vulnerability, expanding the terrain where cybercriminals can strike.
3. In the gaming arena, victory isn’t just about glory – it’s about prize money, sometimes substantial. The competition is fierce, and some players resort to cyber attacks gaming, like DDoS strikes, to ensure they triumph over their rivals.
4. Gaming isn’t just about quests and levels; it’s also about gambling. This niche within the industry lures attackers, offering opportunities to manipulate bets, gain inside info, or snatch valuable banking data.
Even the most epic gaming quests are susceptible. Just ask CD Projekt Red, creators of “The Witcher” and “Cyberpunk.” Ransomware breached their digital fortress, revealing sensitive data and disrupting their creations, leading to chaos and financial loss.
From treasure hunters to disruptors, cybercriminals have set their sights on the gaming world. What follows are tales of common attacks and the strategies companies deploy to safeguard sensitive information.
DDoS attacks – Disrupting gaming
Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks pose a big threat to gaming. These attacks flood a network or server with too much traffic, jamming things up. Gamers can’t play, and chaos reigns. Attackers do it for cash, revenge, or just to mess with others.
DDoS attacks ramp up during holidays and game releases. In 2022, DDoS attacks on gaming sites with Imperva’s shield spiked in the second half. Remember Ubisoft? They sued attackers who used DDoS software to mess with “Rainbow Six Siege” matches, cheating and all.
Enter DDoS-for-hire, a hit in the gaming world. These easy-to-use services let anyone rent attack tools. No tech skills are needed. They are usually used to maximize outages, target against a specific game functionality or achieve victory by chaos, it’s all a click away.
Network DDoS attacks stay steady year-round, popular in DDoS-for-hire. Attackers go big with network attacks, causing maximum mayhem. In a gaming world of pixels, some battles are fought with bits.
Read more: DDoS Attack Protection: Here’s How to Protect Yourself Against DDoS
In-game phishing
In the immersive world of gaming, where pixels and play collide, a digital danger often lurks just out of sight. It’s called in-game phishing, a deceptive art that aims to steal more than just high scores. As players embark on epic quests and virtual battles, a different kind of battle wages behind the scenes—a battle for your personal data and security.
Gaming giant 2K faced a breach, sending malicious content to all players via chats. In-game phishing is a common threat, especially on older platforms with cross-site scripting risks.
Moreover, Neopets was breached, exposing 69 million players’ Personally Identifiable Information (PII). Stolen data included names, emails, birthdates, and more, leaving players exposed.
Bandai Namco, behind Tekken and PacMan, fell victim to ransomware. Player data was at risk, prompting an investigation into the scale of the breach. With huge gaming profits and stored PII, security is paramount. Protecting data across the lifecycle is vital to curb the impact of these breaches.
Social Engineering
In the world of gaming, where challenges abound, a new kind of battle is taking place—one you might not see coming. It’s called social engineering, a sneaky strategy that tricks people into revealing sensitive information.
This clever manipulation has led to over 323,000 complaints of attacks in 2021 alone, tripling from 2019. The shift to remote work and a surge in gaming culture has opened doors to heightened risks in the gaming industry.
A chilling instance of this tactic unfolded at Rockstar, a gaming powerhouse. A network breach paved the way for an attacker to infiltrate Rockstar’s internal Slack channel, posing as an IT team member. The outcome – Access to login credentials and the release of 90 early GTA VI development videos.
PCGamer reported this leak as “startling,” underscoring the impact. The alleged culprit, a 17-year-old hacker nicknamed Teapot, showcased the risks posed by young gamers wielding advanced tech. The incident echoes the danger of social engineering and the rise of tech-savvy attackers within the gaming industry.
Dangers of online gaming
The world of online gaming is packed with thrills, but hidden among the excitement are serious risks:
- Malware and viruses
Searching for free versions or cheat codes can lead to downloading harmful software. Even legal downloads might carry risks, allowing hackers to nab your personal info.
- Identity theft
Chatting with fellow gamers can turn dangerous. Cybercriminals may extract sensitive details like names, numbers, and addresses.
- Account takeover
Using the same login everywhere is a no-no. If hacked, all your accounts are up for grabs. Sometimes hackers use brute force attacks – this involves using automated scripts to try to break into your account using credentials they have stolen from other sources.
- Swatting and doxing
If hackers get hold of your personal details, they could publish your home address or phone number online – an act known as doxing. The purpose of doxing is to punish, intimidate, or humiliate the target.
Even worse, there have been game-related examples of swatting – which is when criminals send law enforcement to your address by reporting a fake emergency in an attempt to intimidate you.
- Spyware
Gamers can sometimes be targeted through spyware schemes, especially if they are dealing with untrustworthy gaming sites. At times, they might hit you with spyware, recording your actions to sell to others.
- Data Breaches
Hackers target game publishers, stealing code, personal data, and login info. The massive breach example was Zynga, which exposed the login information of players of Draw Something and Words With Friends. Over 172 million accounts were affected, making it one of the most significant data breaches of all time.
Read more: Don’t Get Steamed, and Protect Yourself from the Latest Steam Scams
Protecting yourself during cyber attacks gaming
To game safely, follow these savvy strategies:
- Always opt for a strong password, make sure to use a mix of characters, avoid obvious info, and consider a password manager like PureKeep.
- It’s advisable to enable multi-factor authentication when logging in to your game. These extra steps add extra layers of security.
- Don’t include identifying information in your gaming usernames – such as your name, date of birth, or location – and avoid sharing personal details on gaming forums.
- Whether it’s games, add-ons, or cheats, using unofficial sources can bring viruses and game malware to your device. Stick to trustworthy download sites to maximize game security.
- Make sure you update your devices and software regularly. Keeping things up-to-date guarantees you have the latest security patches to tackle cyber threats.
- If you play games on a desktop computer, concealing your location is important to protect your identity. When you use a virtual private network like PureVPN, your computer can appear to be somewhere else in the world, preventing attackers from finding your location. With PureVPN on your side, players from all over the world can have increased protection and security against cyber attacks and cyberbullying.
Read more: Get the Best VPN for Gaming that Enhanced Security
Gaming is fun, but safety comes first. For the latest cyber attacks and trends in gaming stay connected to PureVPN Blog.
