The online gaming industry is a major source of entertainment and innovation, with hundreds of millions of players across the globe. Gaming platforms have become more sophisticated and complex but face new cybersecurity challenges.
With the increasing use of cloud technologies and virtualized environments, although unlikely, cybercriminals can attack an online casino platform’s infrastructure or players’ devices. Thankfully, reputable game providers are proactive in implementing security controls as part of their business operations to protect both their business assets and users’ data from intrusion.
Data breaches can happen
Cyberattacks can happen at any time, and they come in many forms. Data breaches can be targeted or opportunistic; cyber-attacks can be carried out by individuals, groups, or even governments. Cyber-attackers may further their objectives by using malware to spread the virus across the network. This creates an even more invasive threat that could take down large systems such as those used by hospitals, airports, or power companies.
Cybersecurity is not just about protecting yourself but also protecting others from attacks on shared resources, such as internet servers and cloud storage services.
Cyberattackers can bypass security defenses
Cyberattackers are continuously finding new ways to bypass security defenses. Attackers often find new ways to exploit vulnerabilities in software, or they can use sophisticated techniques, such as phishing and social engineering, to trick users into giving up their credentials.
For example, cybercriminals can create fake login pages that look identical to legitimate ones and ask users for their usernames or passwords. Users may enter this information without realizing that they’re not logging into the authentic site because they lack awareness of the potential risk of entering sensitive information on a website that appears legitimate but is actually illegitimate (or “phishing”). This is why it’s important for companies who develop games to provide clear instructions on how consumers should handle these issues.
Home security controls for your devices
Security controls are essential for a secure gaming platform. Here are some you can use on your device to keep your data safe:
- Firewalls: A firewall is a hardware or software barrier that monitors, filters, or blocks incoming and outgoing network traffic to protect the network from malicious attacks.
- Intrusion prevention systems (IPS): An IPS prevents malicious traffic from entering or leaving your network by using signatures to identify and block malformed packets before they can cause harm.
- Anti-virus software: Antivirus software provides real-time protection from viruses, worms, spyware, Trojan horses, rootkits, and other forms of malware designed to steal information from your computer or otherwise keep you from accessing valuable resources on the internet.
What players should expect from gaming platforms
Players are passionate about their favorite games, but they’re also concerned about the safety of their personal information and the fairness of their gameplay experience. This means that companies need to be able to provide the following:
- A trusted environment where players can feel safe when they play online
- The assurance that no one has tampered with the game code or accounts
- Guarantees that data privacy rules will be followed
Game platforms must be more proactive in implementing security as it is part of the user’s expectation and experience. Users expect that their data is safe and secure. Security is not just about protecting your business assets but also the user’s data. The user’s trust is important for the business, so you need to make sure that they are aware of any security breaches or hacks which may occur on your platform.
Closing Thoughts
Gaming platform providers must take security seriously for their business and the players who rely on them to protect them.
When you think about the factors contributing to a successful gaming platform, security is one of the most important. A secure gaming experience is critical for players—it’s one of the reasons why they’ll choose your platform in the first place. In fact, a secure environment is what makes them want to stick around and keep playing games on your system.
Your players expect their data to be protected and secured at all times; this includes personal information like credit card information and gameplay data like character stats or achievements earned by playing games on your platform.
