The Importance of Network Security for Gaming Enthusiasts

Gaming is the largest entertainment industry worldwide. This large and growing industry where money and data are exchanged online is a draw for criminals.

Gamers tend to trust gaming networks with sensitive personal information, enabling them to spend real money or cryptocurrencies in exchange for in-game valuables. Both types of data are precious and lead hackers to steal them. Some hackers may attempt to find and exploit security vulnerabilities to hinder gameplay. These service interruptions cause damage to a game or a company's reputation, costing them financially.

Gaming companies are not the only victims of the increasing cyberattacks. The gaming community is an emerging cyber threat surface, with threat actors pretending as players and gaining access to their victims' devices and personal info. Gamers might be facing a cybersecurity estimation in the not-too-distant future, with criminals increasingly circling corporate and individual prey.

The Importance of Network Security for Gamers

Gamers often spend a lot of time and money to set up their online identity, making it a valuable entity that must be protected. Even if a game does not pay out real money, imaginary assets in multiplayer online games can often be sold for cash. Gamers increasingly expect gaming companies to protect their identities and, therefore, their support. A breach of this trust can cause irreparable damage to customer loyalty. A robust cybersecurity approach is the answer to a secure and trustworthy system.

Protecting Your Gaming Network from Cyber Threats

The cyber threats facing the gaming network come in different forms.

In-game cheats and mods are one of the hacking methods that criminals use. A game mod is a game hack that combines cheating software into the game itself. While this is possible for any game, this type of cyber threat is most common for small compact game clients like mobile games. Mods are sold to users for profit to give them an edge in the game. Especially in massively multiplayer online (MMO) games, the actions taken by mods will affect and frustrate legitimate users who may quit the game, leaving their subscriptions.

Phishing scams attempt to gain personal information or payments. The attacker will send a message pretending as a trusted individual or service requesting personal information. Once collected, data can be sold or used for ransom demands.

A distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack aims to overcome regular server traffic, slowing or blocking legitimate connections. These attacks can be directed against game servers, blocking connections for many users, or targeted against personal devices disrupting a single user.

In today's world, each individual must be aware of cyberattack risks. In doing so, they can remain conscious and adopt the necessary security measures.

First, you should use strong and unique credentials for gaming to protect your data privacy. Using the same password for all accounts is a bad cyber practice. This makes you an easy target for hacking through credential-stuffing attacks. Use strong passwords and two-factor authentication (2FA) to secure your gaming accounts.

Secondly, you should look out for pirated gaming sources. Get your games from confirmed sources as far as possible. Try resisting the wish to get games at lower prices through unauthorized ways. The attackers may be phishing you into downloading ransomware. Moreover, you could also be giving way to piracy by doing so.

Thirdly, if you think the virtual world is better than reality, think again. You can't quickly trust someone you come across on a gaming platform. So, beware of any links or offers of obtaining coins or in-game money.

Fourthly, look out for phishing scams. Scam e-mails from threat actors disguising themselves as gaming companies are not a new trick. So, make sure you know how to control scam e-mails. Check if the company has an official website, and refrain from providing personal data via e-mail.

Lastly, it would help if you used a security solution. Trustable security solutions like firewall protection can help detect unlicensed programs and even block phishing attacks. Make sure to allow your security solution while you play. Do not turn it off just so the game consumes fewer resources.

Gaming Products, Wifi Routers, Network Security

To protect yourself while gaming, you should use the proper security solution. This solution should have comprehensive security features such as intrusion prevention, VPN, application control, malware analysis, URL filtering, and IP reputation services. Sonic Wall appliances such as SonicWall NSA 3700 Network Security/Firewall(02-SSC-4326) will provide the perimeter from advanced threats without becoming a bottleneck.

WatchGuard appliances such as WatchGuard Firebox T80 with 1-yr Total Security Suite (US) (WGT80641-US) allow blazing-fast performance and the ability to deliver complete UTM protection at over 630 Mbps. Customizing your port configuration with expansion modules for integrated fiber connectivity enables network security.

You can protect your software against cyber threats with system-on-a-chip acceleration and industry-leading secure SD-WAN in a simple, affordable, and easy-to-deploy solution through Fortinet FortiGate FG-71F-BDL-950-36 Network Security/Firewall Appliance. It enables Fortinet and Fabric-ready partners' products to provide broader visibility, integrated end-to-end control, threat intelligence sharing, and automated remediation.

Another security device to protect your data is Cisco Firepower 1150 NGFW Appliance, 1U (FPR1150-NGFW-K9). Unlike many competing firewalls, Firepower supports performance while performing threat inspection. Beyond manageability and performance, only Cisco arranges a comprehensive and open platform approach to security. Cisco's security platform future-proofs your security investment and simplifies network control, inspection, and visibility.

Besides, you can obtain The Zyxel ZyWALL ATP200/500/800 as an Advanced Threat Protection Firewall Series dedicated to small and medium businesses, empowered by cloud intelligence to level up network protection, especially in tackling unknown threats. The ZyWALL ATP Firewall Series assists with all Zyxel security services, including Web security, Application Security, and Malware blockers.

Personal data is precious. Bad actors will attempt different ways to acquire this data to sell directly or use it for nefarious purposes. Security should be built into the development process and infrastructure creation. Users should be informed about how to keep their data secure. If you are a gaming enthusiast, get one of our security appliances, and play your game without thinking about cyber-attacks or malware installations.