If you’re a gamer and use the same password for all platforms you game on– your personal information may be at risk.
In fact, threats to gaming accounts rose by 167% in 2022 alone, while Riot Games have warned about cyberattacks that stole their code sources.
Let’s delve into why it’s vital to up your security game, why strong passwords are a must, and how hackers and other cybercriminals operate when trying to steal information.
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Strong And Weak Passwords: What’s The Difference?
So, what makes a password strong? What makes it weak? Let’s look at some examples:
- Weak passwords can be something like this: “password123”; “12345678”; or “gaming account.” Your name, phone number, and address are also weak passwords.
- Strong passwords, on the other hand, look like this: “F1r3&Ic3!W0rld”; “N3v3rG0nn@G1v3Y0uUp”; “M0n$terSl@yer123.”
The problem with weak passwords is that they’re relatively easy to guess. They aren’t complex enough to deter hackers. These include commonly used number sequences, like 123, and words like “password.” They are susceptible to both dictionary-based attacks and brute-force ones.
Strong passwords, however, include special characters, random numbers, and a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters. They’re a lot harder to crack! With these, you significantly reduce the risk of getting hacked and losing important information to cybercriminals.
How Do Hackers Guess Different Passwords?
There are different methods when it comes to infecting other people’s laptops and devices, and hackers know them all. Here’s an example:
Imagine a gamer who’s an avid fan of certain game franchises. The password they use might be “Son1cFan1”, and it does look like a strong one, doesn’t it? It mixes characters with numbers and letters.
Hackers, however, know a thing or two about being fans of something, and they might try to guess passwords with words relating to the fandom and other personal information.
For example, they could try variations such as “M@ri0Fan2” or “MarioFanatic1” in their hacking attempts.
If you use easily guessable words, your account is at risk.
Fortunately, it’s easy to combat this: don’t use something easy to guess or that you personally like and post about on social media. Don’t use well-known terms in the gaming fandom.
Try to disconnect your password from your interests and personal information as much as possible.
What Happens When Somebody Guesses The Password?
A successful cyberattack always brings on a degree of damage, even if you catch it on time. These are just some of the things that can happen:
Compromised account
Hackers can steal your identity or engage in malicious behavior, such as taking your financial information from the platform and using it for something else.
In-game theft
Cybercriminals can steal in-game assets even, like currency or items that aren’t easy to get by playing for just a few hours. These things can be sold or stolen from you, leaving you worse for wear.
Social engineering attacks
When hackers get control of your account, they can pose as you and scam others. This can damage your community’s reputation and bring on many negative consequences for your fellow in-game buddies.
Identity theft
It’s worth delving into this especially. If you have personal and, most importantly, financial information on your gaming platform, hackers can sell it to the dark web, freeze your accounts, ask for ransom, and even expose you to fraud.
Compromised security in other platforms
This is why using the same password for different accounts can be dangerous. If cybercriminals guess it on one, they can try with another. The potential losses can be significant.
How To Build A Strong Gaming Password
We have some tips on account protection and gamins passwords that might help you navigate the world online safely:
- Never use the same password twice: yes, it would be easier to do so, but remember that hackers kind of count on this. If one account is compromised, you don’t have to let them get to the others.
- Create complex passwords: follow all the tips, such as lower and uppercase letters, numbers, and special characters. The more complexity you put into a password, the more it becomes a challenge for criminals.
- Make it lengthy: yes, the minimum is 8 characters, but consider getting to 12 at the very least. Longer passwords aren’t as easy to guess as short ones since the combinations tend to be endless.
- Get a password manager: this software creates unique passwords for you, and it saves you time by keeping it safe from prying eyes. Normally, this kind of program also auto-fills passwords when necessary.
- Turn on the two-factor authentication: this is a security measure that everyone should adopt. 2FA protects the account and makes it virtually impossible for hackers to get into it since the code to enter the account gets sent to your phone directly.
- Get extra security measures: a Virtual Private Network, or VPN for short, can encrypt your connection and disorient cybercriminals. It takes seconds to install, and you may be able to find some discounted offers, such as a Black Friday VPN Deal.
To sum up
Securing the accounts has to be one of the priorities when it comes to enjoying the world of gaming.
If you use unique passwords and make them strong, people won’t be able to access them and sell or steal your data.
Remember never to use words that can be easily guessed, add complexity, make them longer than you’d normally do, and enable 2FA for all your gaming accounts that allow for this feature.
This will allow you to enjoy all the gaming adventures you want without sacrificing your peace in the meantime.
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