A Cybersecurity Guide For Esports Players And Fans

Esports is one of the fastest-growing industries. Its nature attracts a large pool of players, fans and audience from all over the world. But these people are not the only ones eyeing the industry; cybercriminals have their eyes keen on e-sporting.

We will discuss the main cyber threats surrounding esports and ways in which players and fans can protect themselves.

3 Cyber Risks Faced By Esports Players And Fans

DDoS attacks

This attack interrupts your internet service; it makes you unable to play, follow or participate in an esport. DDoS attacks are common in games that are highly competitive and can lead to loss of resources.

Extortion through ransomware attacks

Here, attackers exploit security vulnerabilities to spread malware that enables them to access and lock user profiles. They then deny you access and demand that you pay a certain ransom, or that you suffer a total data loss.

Data leakages

Some games and gaming sites have security holes which make user data vulnerable to cyber-attacks. This means that signing up with some of these esports platforms may leave your data exposed; your data might fall into the wrong hands, therefore, putting your privacy at risk.

3 Ways For Players And Fans To Stay Safe

Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN)

With a VPN for online gaming, you enjoy uninterrupted gaming time with reduced pings and free from DDoS attacks.

You also get an additional security layer because VPNs secure all the traffic sent or received from your device. This allows you to use public WIFI without having to worry about hackers or snoopers.

Use a password management tool

Another way to stay safe is by setting passwords that are hard to guess and to encrypt them further using a password management tool. Check out some of the best password managers here.

This tool helps you to set strong passwords and auto-fills them with each login. It is therefore difficult for hackers to steal passwords or access your gaming accounts.

Use whitelisted gaming sites

Esports is fun for both players and fans, but it should not be at the expense of your privacy. Go for whitelisted gaming platforms that do not expose you to data leakages or intrusion on your privacy.

If a site does not assure your privacy, do not even sign up let alone participate.

Final thoughts

The primary requirement for safe internet use is remaining vigilant all the time. This rule still applies in esports. If it does not seem right, do not do it. Do not disclose more information than necessary, and if it appears too good to be true, avoid it.