Did you know that gaming account hacking has become a million-dollar business? Yup, demand for hacked accounts is on a high, and hackers have many different methods for getting in. The question is, should you worry about this? After all, you’ve never had your gaming account hacked in the past. Well, your house may not have been robbed in the past either, but you still lock the door, right?
After all of the time and effort put into your gaming journey, the last thing you’d want is to get hacked. The good news is, there’s always a way to protect yourself. To make sure you don’t become just another plain statistic in hacking reports, you need to be vigilant.
In this article, you’ll learn the most common methods hackers use to gain access to gaming accounts. You’ll also learn some of the most effective ways to avoid them, such as using a password generator or antivirus software.
How can hackers get into your gaming account?
Hackers have become super creative. They’ve figured out the smartest of ways to get into your accounts without you even seeing it coming. However, if you know what to look out for, you will see it coming. Here are some of the most common ways that hackers can access your accounts:
Brute force attacks
This is the type of attack you should be worried about if you use weak passwords. A brute force attack happens when a hacker tries a huge number of passwords simultaneously to get into your account. If your password is easy, the hacker will likely get it.
How to avoid brute force attacks?
- Keep your passwords complicated, different, and safe. Avoid using the same passwords for several accounts. Also, make sure all of your passwords have uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. The best way to ensure your passwords are safe is with a password generator like the one by NordPass. Hackers hate tools like these because they generate very complicated passwords and keep them all stored in an encrypted location.
- Set up two-factor authentication. With two-factor authentication, a hacker can’t access your account even if they manage to steal your login info.
Phishing
Phishing is when hackers send out forms from seemingly legitimate companies and ask for your sensitive data. For instance, you might get a letter from a fake bank or governmental institution asking for your social security number. As for gaming, you might receive a gaming login form that actually came from a hacker. This can result in you voluntarily giving away your login info.
How to avoid phishing attacks?
- Get to know recent phishing trends. Hackers keep thinking of new and unexpected phishing techniques. The best way to avoid these attacks is to know what to look out for, so read up.
- Don’t blindly give out your sensitive data. Only give out your sensitive data to platforms that you know are legit. Received an email, phone call, or pop-up asking for your login details? You might want to politely ignore.
Malware
There’s a lot of malware out there with the sole purpose of stealing your login info. Hackers might insert it into a link, email, website, or any other place you wouldn’t even suspect.
How to avoid malware?
- Be careful with what you download. Hackers may insert malware into seemingly innocent locations. There’s recently been a rise in malware-infected gaming cheat codes. There also might be malware in free software downloads, unknown emails, or pop-up windows.
- Use antivirus software. If you do end up clicking on a malicious link, antivirus software can help fight it. Antivirus software is able to instantly detect and clear any virus that enters your device.
If you use all or at least some of the measures mentioned above, hackers will likely move on to more vulnerable accounts and just leave you alone. To make sure you don’t get overwhelmed, start off with just a password generator. This alone will already give your gaming account a massive layer of protection.
Bottom line
So is your gaming account safe from hackers? Well, if you’re not taking any security measures, then it’s definitely not. Hackers are vicious, and with all of the brute force attacks, phishing scams, and malware aimed at obtaining your sensitive data, your gaming account can get hacked at any moment. Well, hackers may be smart, but so are you. By being careful and employing the right cybersecurity tools, you can easily protect yourself from hackers and calmly sit back and enjoy your game.
