Online gaming versus security risks
Online gaming is fun and when played safely can contribute to a child’s development and socialisation. However, there is also a multitude of dangers hiding within the shadows that parents need to be cognisant of.
With more young people at home gaming, more are now vulnerable to cyber threats, making the industry more attractive to hackers. In this blog, we'll dive into how you can help keep kids best secure online when gaming.
Life has become much more remote for many people, and many of us have taken up gaming as a hobby. With more young people at home gaming, more are now vulnerable to cyber threats, making the industry more attractive to hackers. In this blog, we'll dive into how you can help keep kids best secure online when gaming.
Cyberattacks vary, ranging from stealing company secrets for ransom or auctioning on the dark web to copying personal details of consumers and employees. When a hacker successfully takes possession of gamers’ personal information, that gamer is at risk of identity fraud, theft and ransomware attacks. Inevitably, the younger the gamer, the more vuleranble they are to falling victim to a cyberattack.
Here are some top tips to help kids avoid gaming scams.
1. Vary your passwords
The best way to ensure you protect yourself online when signing up for different websites and services is to use a different password for every account you make. While this might feel like a hassle or a chore, there is no better way to protect yourself from the fallout of a data leak. If your passwords are all unique, then having one leaked will not compromise the security of your other accounts. Plenty of password storage systems allow you to use different passwords without remembering them all.
2. Use a second email address
Another way to nullify the effects of having your data leaked is to use a second email address for specific things, such as having separate emails for gaming, online shopping, and banking. By segregating your online accounts into different categorised email accounts, you will protect yourself from having all of your online accounts compromised by your linked details.
3. Hide your location
Your IP address can roughly reveal your location. If you want to ensure that this information is kept secret in a data breach, you can opt to use a VPN when gaming and setting up related accounts. This means that the IP address the company that has been hacked had on record will be incorrect. Using a VPN for gaming is easy if you play games on a PC. If you game on a PlayStation, Xbox or any other console, the simplest way would be to set it up via your router. This will change the IP address settings for all devices on your Wi-Fi but keep your location hidden.
Ultimately, limiting time and encouraging an open relationship with your kids is key to help keeping them safe online. To better educate yourself and your children, visit Digital Matters - a free online learning platform developed to transform online safety education.