Best Practices in online video gaming

How?

1. Only install software or updates from game-related official sources;
2. Apply the same rule to all downloadable content (DLC) in the game;
3. Verify the veracity of the source of game-related offers;
4. Keep your device and game software up to date;
5. Do not click on links shared by other players;
6. Never share personal and/or sensitive information with other players;
7. Delete all personal information from disused equipment;
8. Use temporary cards or digital wallets as means of payment
9. Set a strong, unique game password and change it regularly;
10. If possible, use multiple factor authentication when logging into games;
11. Do not use social media accounts to log into games;
12. Authorize game app access only to necessary features.

What goes right when you act right

• You protect your personal data, your assets, and the use of your identity.

Why be careful

Online video games are a means for threat actors to distribute malicious software through illegal products that compromise users' systems. They are also tools for identity theft from players in order to capture personal data or attack their reputation. Due to the social nature of these games and the interactions they promote, often between strangers, they are a platform for phishing attacks and fraud that may involve payment in exchange for in-game benefits.

Did you know?

The practice of playing online games as entertainment may involve some risks that you need to be aware of. One of the major ones is the installation of malicious software distributed through illegal downloadable products and content that users choose to install from piracy or fraudulent websites. This malicious software can allow outsiders to access personal data or control devices.
Identity theft is another risk. It can occur in relation to avatars used in a gaming context. Ironically, the consequences can be as negative as when such theft occurs in relation to the player's real identity, as the player is recognised in the virtual world through that avatar, thus suffering reputational damage, or giving access to sensitive information such as credit card data for instance.
There are cyber-attacks on online games carried out automatically that allow obtaining free services within the game, devaluing those benefits for other players and distorting the competition conditions. Some games are also targets of DDoS attacks, phishing campaigns, botnets and various types of fraud. Some Apps are malicious or, under the guise of being free, misuse user data.
Cyberbullying is another risk. Some players take advantage of the virtual space to harass others, harassing them in ways similar to what would happen if this harassment were carried out to the user's real identity. One of the challenges is to improve techniques for identifying minors to avoid abuse directed at this age group.
One of the activities that has grown most in this context are live streamings, in which players broadcast their games live via streaming, creating an audience that sometimes follows them with some loyalty. In these moments, it is important to be careful not to share personal details or sensitive information, such as, for example, the address, family names, identification numbers, or images of your private space.

Data 

• The Covid-19 pandemic has increased sales of such games significantly: 52.9% growth for digital games and 155% for consoles. (gamesindustry.biz)
• The online video game platform Steam recorded a peak in users on 4 April 2020, coinciding with the Covid-19 confinement in several countries. (steamdb.info)
• In April 2020, the pandemic brought a 54% increase (compared to January) in antivirus blocks on attempts to access malicious websites related to video games, as well as websites promoting phishing with the same theme, by 40% (compared to February). The games whose name is most used are Minecraft, Counter-Strike and The Witcher 3. (Kaspersky in securelist.com)