Gaming is one of the biggest industries in the world. Some people who don’t even think of themselves as gamers definitely are – even trying to find hidden words on a grid or pushing the candies into a line count as online gaming!
Playing is now super convenient. Some of us remember when we needed to buy games on disc and install them if we wanted to play (this could take ages). Even when the world of gaming went online there were a lot of examples of internet connections taking forever to download a game.
People can even play games within their Netflix app now as part of the subscription – no download, everything is streamed in real-time.
Every online activity should be thought about in detail and this includes playing games. Taking a relaxed attitude to this can sometimes have consequences and people also enjoy peace of mind when they know that they are playing without sharing things that are personal or could give away info. There is a bit of etiquette to learn and ways that people can ensure their privacy.
Use 2FA and VPNs
Along with more accessible games we also have much more accessible tools nowadays.
People who are using one of the top gaming laptops on the market to play their games will have no trouble running a VPN in the background and this serves as a sort of cloaking device – it doesn’t show details to those who want to intercept them and can even make it look like players are logging in from somewhere else entirely. Lots of laptops come with promotions and deals that allow somebody to get set up with a VPN provider on their device.
2FA is not something that will be installed on a device, instead it just provides people with a chance to add an extra layer of security. 2FA needs users to input a code sent to their phone or email whenever they log in. Even if someone gains access to a username and password they would still need this secondary code and this comes straight to a phone.
Lots of platforms including Steam support this and enabling it on any account that contains information or purchases can help prevent unauthorized access. The few extra seconds it takes to use 2FA are worth it in the long run – it significantly reduces the likelihood of a breach and lets people game in peace.
Password Health
It’s amazing that in the modern times we live in some people still don’t know how to handle passwords properly. Passwords that are easy to guess, like “password123” or “gamer1992” make it simpler for programs to break into accounts. It’s recommended to use a combination of symbols and unusual characters to create a strong password. Some people also don’t use real words and choose instead to make up random words or names as part of the password which can make it hard to guess. Avoid using easily accessible information like birthdays or names.
Using the same password across multiple platforms is another thing to avoid – changing your password for each account is a way to ensure even if you lose the details or they are leaked it is not going to be any easier to get into the other accounts. People also need to change their passwords regularly – lots of people suffer from something called password fatigue and reuse the same sorts of passwords time and time again but this isn’t the best practice.
Password managers have become commonplace now. These are apps that are usually secured by things like Face ID and help people manage their passwords even if they have a lot of them. iCloud Keychain is a feature now built into most Apple devices which means that users of these can remember their passwords with ease (they don’t even have to type them in).
Download From Trusted Sources
One big problem is potentially downloading from places that a player doesn’t recognize or know. The gaming community is full of mods (modifications) and cheats and some of them modernize or enhance gameplay. However, downloading unverified files from a place you don’t know is less than ideal.
Sticking to reputable sources for game modifications is the safest option – Steam has a good community and Xbox also puts a lot of time and resources into checking the materials published on their site and protecting users from theft and solicitation. Official modding communities or platforms such as Steam Workshop often vet their content to ensure it’s safe. Anything from an unknown source should be approached with caution, as the risks may far outweigh the benefits.
Conclusion
Gaming can be totally safe and secure and it is super easy to make sure that a few precautions are in place to keep everybody confident as they play their favorite games. Sticking to reputable downloads and using VPNs and 2FA can be a big step in the right direction.
