Apart from the adrenaline rush of conquering tough game challenges or virtual-slamming an annoying opponent, MMORPGs (Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games) also offer unique opportunities for players from around the world to bond across different continents, time zones, cultures and gender barriers.
It’s a fast-paced, high-adrenaline environment that is geared towards competition, learning, upskilling, and teamwork. It’s an intoxicating experience, made especially attractive by the prolonged semi-isolation imposed by the CoVID pandemic.
But there’s a red flag on the horizon: the looming threat of data theft.
Players range from expert computer users to Ordinary Joe’s and Joeline’s with an itch to experiment. They get thrown together in situations that can be highly conducive to risky online behavior. It’s easy to become careless about computer- and internet safety and become a cybercrime victim.
WHAT RISKS DO GAMERS FACE?
Apart from (the usual) threat of malware and other damage to your computer, gamers also operate in an environment where it’s easy for unsuspecting users to fall prey to data theft.
It’s human nature to trust the teammates you “see” every day for months or even years. Teams share stories about outrageous weekend exploits, have online rum parties, celebrate the births of children, over-share on juicy relationship details, and continuously drop bits of personal information into team chats.
When you combine complete trust with inadequate computer security in an online environment, you’re gonna get pwnd.
Gaming Is The Ultimate Social Engineering And Phishing Environment
Most games have in-game team chats, but teams also use other chat channels such as Skype or WhatsApp where team members often mention private information such as their location, address, real name, employment information, marriage and family details, daily activities, life events, and lifestyle. It’s child’s play for bad actors to compile a complete personal profile of their potential victims.
Team members also routinely share documents and links, which makes them vulnerable to phishing attempts. Gamers trust mail from team members and could easily click a compromising link, especially links that supposedly lead to secret websites containing cheats, tricks, bots, exploits, deep insight into other players’ accounts, the gaming environment, maps, or player locations.
What Can They Do With Your Username And Password?
It’s sheer agony to log into a pillaged account. Hackers steal virtual goods to sell to other gamers for real-world cash. Virtual goods can be transferred to other players via in-game exploits or account transfers, and are routinely sold on Amazon, e-Bay, Craigslist, and private gaming forums.
When they gain access to your account they own your settings and user data, which often includes credit card details and other precise, sensitive personal information. After locking you out of your prestigious, high-value account, they’ll wipe out your credit card and sell your virtual assets. They’ll use your RL private information – which you’ve been cheerfully providing in team chat – to “prove” ownership of the account and allay suspicions until they’re done.
Real-Life Identity Theft
Adding insult to injury, the hacker can use your information to impersonate you in real-life and can cause massive damage to your credit- and public profile. Highly focused, tenacious perpetrators will use the personal information they gained in-game to hack your social media accounts or email, which can be used to lure your friends and family into the same trap.
Such information is often sold on the dark web and may pop up in unexpected places on the internet months later. It’s best to keep tabs on your personal internet profile, to identify any unusual activities that may be the result of data theft on gaming sites. Head over to Nuwber, one of just a few people-search sites with the ability to research your social media activities, to periodically obtain a complete overview of your internet profile.
8 TIPS TO PROTECT YOUR DATA AGAINST EXTERNAL THREATS
One of the reasons for the popularity of MMORPGs is that you don’t need special computer skills to be an excellent player. Therefore, many gamers are just “ordinary” computer users who are as vulnerable to cybercrime as everyone else.
These tips can protect most users from a variety of internet-related security issues, and it’s a great idea to promote the precautions to everyone you know.
- Keep your computer updated.
- Pay for a good antivirus and anti-spyware program.
- Secure your router or WiFi access point.
- Use a VPN
- Disable your webcam. If it’s a major part of team chat, tape it shut when you’re done.
- Use strong passwords and change them often.
- Use a privacy-focused web browser and clear cookies regularly.
- Never download software from unknown websites, even from those recommended by teammates.
8 TIPS TO PROTECT YOUR DATA AGAINST THREATS FROM WITHIN
- Treat emails or links dropped into chat channels as possible phishing lures.
- Use a separate email address for all gaming activities. Never use your work mail.
- Don’t integrate Facebook or other social media platforms with your gaming profile. If you can’t resist the special bonus offers or group discussions, create a special gaming profile, and exclude all contacts from your “real” account.
- Be discreet. Don’t overshare. Protect your personal information.
- Don’t share or use joint accounts.
- Don’t share your login details.
- Trusted team members may offer to set you up with gaming “extras” and direct you to malicious websites for downloads containing Trojans, worms, spyware, key-loggers, or malware to control your computer or conscript your device into their army of zombie computers.
- Be strong. Resist. Don’t use external scripts or “little helpers” to give you an edge. It’s grossly unfair towards other players and poses an extreme danger to your data.
SOME FINAL ADVICE
When you spend months or years of your online life with a small group of trusties, it can be distressing to see a teammate suffer from real-life upheavals. Complete blow-outs can occur when the pressure-cooker gaming environment meets a messy real life, and may even result in a Good Guy changing into a Bad Guy.
In-game disputes sometimes spill over into the real-life world. Avoid the awkward position of wishing you’d been more discreet!