Gamers Are Being Hacked - Are You One of Them?

More than half of gamers have had their gaming accounts hacked, a recent survey shows. Cybercriminals are systematically targeting the gaming community to get their hands on games accounts, credit card information and valuable in-game assets. How to protect yourself? Trust no one!

These shocking numbers were revealed in the recent Esports: Hacked report by DreamHack and Akamai.  By talking with over 1200 players, it became clear just how big a problem hacking and hijacking attempts in the world of online gaming is. 52 % of gamers have been hacked, and over 6 % believe that they might have been hacked.

Why target gamers? Well, the gaming community is big and thriving. Gaming in itself is a way of life. So while players are putting time and effort into leveling up in their favorite games and collecting rare in-game assets, they are also becoming interesting targets for cybercriminals.

Valuable in-game assets are being stolen and traded on the black market on a daily basis. This is a massive problem, and as respondents also point out in the survey, 8 out of 10 regular esport contestants have come across hacked accounts and assets being sold online.

In a perfect world, gamers should be able to feel safe doing what they do best - playing games and competing online. However, with the constant rise of cyberthreats targeting player accounts, it is becoming increasingly important to take measures to protect oneself.

How to protect yourself - trust no one!

• Use a secure password - and do not use the same password on multiple platforms
• Make sure to use the security features provided by the gaming companies - like multi-factor verification
• Do not click on any suspicious links sent across through in-game chats, by email or on other platforms or forums online.
• Do not leave your login credentials with anyone asking for them in a chat; this is most likely an in-game phishing attempt

DreamHack and Akamai are determined to raise awareness around cyberthreats facing esports and online gaming. Watch this space to keep updated with the latest news and guides on how to protect yourself from cyberattacks!

(If you want more stats on the current state of cyberattacks facing the gaming community, you can download the full Esports: Hacked report here)

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