Online games: weak password protection expose players to hacking attacks

Online games are a simple and relaxing way to enjoy after a busy day of work.

Online gaming has quickly become a highly profitable industry, and players often leave online accounts vulnerable to attack attempts and jeopardize their progress, personal data and, possibly, money, show a research made by Kaspersky Lab.

Creativity, a very varied number of games, and especially the passion of young people around the world for online games, are all the trumps that contribute to the success of creators and programmers behind this niche.

There are a lot of categories of games: shooters, dressing, racing, friv games, multiplayer, etc.

It is estimated that global gaming audience on online platforms such as Steam, PlayStation Network and Xbox Live is between 2.2 million and 2.6 million and continues to grow. This turns the industry into a clear target for cyber criminals who seek to create malfunctions in online operations and gain access to data such as passwords or bank card information.

Taking into account that half of the users practice regularly online gaming, cyber criminals can choose from a wide range of potential targets. Gaming has become an important part of the lives of many people, and users are playing games when they are bored, alone, or is a way of socializing with friends. Successful attacks can be very troublesome for people affected.

Apart from the fact that their data can be stolen, persons whose accounts have been hacked may lose access to their favorite games (temporary or permanent) for which they spent many hours building their profile and wasting the money they are likely to be invested in the game.

The research also shows that instead of being a activity done only at home, gaming has become a part of users' daily lives, indicating that almost a third (27%) of users regularly use a smartphone for online gaming. Even if the devices are not necessarily safe, the risks are even higher given that nearly a quarter (23%) of people use public Wi-Fi networks to enter gaming accounts, and 56% say they do not take additional safety measures when using public networks. This danger is even greater if we think that only 5% of users mentioned gaming accounts among require complex passwords.

In addition, as many online profiles are linked, victims can easily lose access to different accounts - such as email or social media. If amateur gamblers are unpleasant, professionals may even be more seriously affected, including losing potential revenue.

"Personal information are a treasure available online. Cybercriminals have more opportunities than ever to grab the user's personal data with the aim of selling them on the black digital market," says Andrei Mochola, Head of Consumer Business at Kaspersky Lab.

"Online gamers - both amateur and professional - are rightly worried that their accounts might be hacked or could not be accessed if they forget their passwords. This is the main problem that users face day by day, and many choose either the less secure option to use the same password for all of their accounts, or simple passwords that are easy to guess for offenders. However, only through appropriate precautions and by using powerful and unique passwords the users will be sure they have protected accounts. "

In conclusion, it is advisable to pay attention to the security of your account.