Some people consider online gaming toxic, because of its many competitive aspects. When insults and harassments come into play, it’s not just fun and games. Bullying can come in many forms: a player may be the victim of a cyberbully. This can make a person might not want to play games online anymore. Hackers target players that are shyer on the online area and perform poor gaming. And online gaming is thought to be toxic because of this reason.
If you are a victim of cyberbullying, it might be a good idea to reconsider your privacy online. There are plenty of online services that can protect your identity, thus you can safely play your favorite games, without being worried that someone might steal your identity.
There are a few privacy issues that are linked to gaming. The important thing is to be aware of what you share online. Your name, home address, phone number, email, credit card number – this is personal information and should never be posted online. Be careful how much details you give about yourself to other players online. When gaming, it might feel like you’re chatting with your best friend, but behind the screen, a hacker might hide. This increases the chances of becoming a victim of online cyberattack.
Generally, the hacker who tries to steal your information could use it against you. They might try to blackmail you, just to obtain money or other personal belongings from you. So, if you are a gamer, it goes without saying that you should never reveal your real name online.
If you choose to use a VPN, you might get lucky: VPNs provide solutions for people who are attacked online. Using a gaming VPN will protect you even better, as you could entirely avoid the effects of DDoS attacks.
What are DDoS attacks?
A DDoS attack is the attempt to interrupt the network of a computer. When it comes to gaming, a DDoS attack will weaken the connection between your network and the game’s server. If you are not accessing the game’s servers correctly, then you might experience delays, so this gives the hacker the opportunity to take out the competition.
DDoS attacks – How do they work?
Since there are plenty of services on the internet, this makes all of us engage in all kinds of activities online, such as shopping, gaming, working, streaming, learning, and so on. But since people started to use the online services, some threats started to lurk around. Many online services started to improve their security methods, but cybercriminals and hackers also leveled up.
Most people consider cyberattacks as a financial threat, but it’s not just that. In the gaming world, players face many challenges and attacks, and one of the threats is DDoS attacks (distributed denial of service). This type of cyberattack may not allow you to connect to the internet, like you normally would do. Hackers use multiple forms of systems to crash your computer with unwanted requests.
They use a network of malicious computers to create botnets. These attacks target businesses, but they personally attack and target you when you are gaming online. This mostly happens when others have your IP address.
So, you might consider getting the best VPN for gamers. VPN provides DDoS protection for gamers. When you connect to a VPN server, your data is encrypted through a tunnel, and your real IP address is hidden. So, when connecting to a gaming platform and someone tries to attack you, they won’t see your IP address, because the VPN server directs you to another VPN server. VPNs are 100% effective when it comes to DDoS attacks. But beware, if a hacker already knows your IP address, a VPN won’t be able to protect you.
When choosing a gaming VPN, you should consider the following:
- The multiple VPN servers in many locations
- The speed of your connection
- The IP addresses
What are the most recommended VPNs for DDoS protection?
- NordVPN
- ExpressVPN
- Surf Shark
DDoS doesn’t just affect your privacy online, but it can interfere with your security on gaming platforms. There isn’t a way to stop these online attacks, but a VPN can prevent them. The above VPNs are the best for gamers out there who want to keep them protected while they’re on the gaming platforms.
Avoiding online gaming risks
Online gaming is perhaps the most popular form of entertainment nowadays. People spend most of their time on social media, attending all kinds of activities. But online gaming changed how people interact with each other. Experts say that spending too much time online can be dangerous. And if you don’t do it with proper attention, it’s even more alarming.
Although gaming has become really entertaining over the years, the threats haven’t stopped from showing up. It’s an especially easy place to get scammed. Since adults and children alike have started to frequently play games online, predators think to manipulate even more their victims. It’s important to warn everyone you know about these online scams.
Some scams trick people into thinking that their gaming username and password have expired. So, they try to obtain the “expired” username and password to create new ones. Other hackers will try to convince you to do things that require you to make financial transactions. That’s when VPNs come into play, providing users with protection and security online. Without proper self-discipline, online gaming can easily become a dangerous activity. It’s not always the gamer’s fault – cyberbullying and scams are behaviors that are beyond a player’s control.
The Bottom Line
DDoS attacks are dangerous attempts that can cause internet interruption. If you are dealing with persistent DDoS attacks, then consider using a VPN service. This will mask your IP address online from other users, so any DDoS attacks will be sent to the VPN provider.