Best Ways To Stay Safe While Playing Online

With over 3 billion people annually playing online games, it is becoming one of the most ubiquitous forms of entertainment in the world. Part of its success is due to the vast range of options that gaming offers, the options range from multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs) to picking numbers at lotteryoffice.com.au, to battle royale and extraction shooters. If you're a gamer, you could play online in pretty much any way you can conceive of. But with so much traffic on gaming websites and platforms, there comes an increased risk of danger.

The potential to be targeted by hackers, scammers, and other forms of cybercriminals is a very real possibility for gamers, but there are a number of ways that gamers can stay safe when playing online. Let's take a closer look at some simple ways that you can stay safer while gaming online, whatever your game of choice.

Only Play On Digitally Secure Websites and Platforms

One of the most crucial things you can do to keep yourself safe as a gamer is to only play on platforms and websites that are secure. This is a good rule of thumb for pretty much anything you do on the internet, especially if it involves any money or sensitive details changing hands.

If a website has a small padlock symbol at the beginning of the URL bar, then it's using Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption. This protection stops any of the information that you share with the website from being intercepted by a third party.

Other than looking for the SSL symbol, you should expect most gaming platforms and websites to have a few other layers of security as well. Things like two-factor authentication (2FA), advanced firewalls and other forms of data encryption should all be employed, but can be a little harder to notice as a player.

When you are looking to start playing at a new website or on a new platform, take a little bit of time to examine their security credentials and see if they go into much depth about what sort of security they are using. If they don't display any information about their security measures, maybe you should reconsider gaming at that particular place.

Keep it Secret, Keep it Safe

A good rule of thumb for many interactions online is: Don't share more information about yourself than you need to. While in some circumstances you have to provide some information to a website for sign-up purposes or to verify your identity, after that, be wary of giving more, or even of giving that same information again.

For instance, after you have signed up and logged in through a verified portal and you are engaging with other gamers and platform users, there is no reason you should need to share your real name or other details with them. While it might seem a little cloak-and-dagger, it's totally normal for people to use pseudonyms and monikers while gaming online.

As an addendum to this advice, you should be wary of following links that are posted in in-game chats or even in emails that are associated with the game or platform. Unless these can verifiably be identified as coming from an official source, these links could easily be part of a phishing attempt.

Have Strong Password Practices

We're sure you've been told this ad nauseam, but good advice bears repeating. Up your password game. Use unique passwords and use strong passwords. If you use the same password on the platform you use to pick lottery numbers, as well as your favourite gaming platform and every other online account you have, and that password is breached, then everything you have is on the table.

Most platforms will have some basic password advice available when you create one, but good rules of thumb are to use a mixture of letters, numbers, special characters and upper and lower case. You can use password manager software if you wish, but writing them down physically is also perfectly viable. Someone who is going to breach your digital accounts is unlikely to be the same sort of person who would break into your home.

Being Up to Date is Being Secure

A common way for hackers and cybercriminals to breach digital security is through systems that have lapsed or missed an update or two. It doesn't matter what sort of device or system you game on; when it has updates, they should be a priority.

System developers often close loopholes and push security features through updates, so the more up-to-date your software is, the less likely that someone will easily be able to breach your digital security.

If you are particularly worried, you can also purchase some specific antivirus software. Some modern brands of antivirus software are designed specifically to protect gamers against some common threats that they might face.

Final Thoughts

Playing online should be a source of fun and joy, not stress. The best way to remove the stress of potential cyber threats and stay safe when gaming is to follow some simple best practices. Play on secure platforms, don't give away unnecessary personal information, use strong passwords and keep your software up to date.

A little prevention goes a long way towards staying safe online and being able to enjoy your gaming time worry-free.