Protecting against DDoS attacks when gaming

Gaming has always been beloved by many. The early days of Nintendo and SEGA saw many gaming fans develop their skills, both in arcades and at home. Today, computer game playing is more advanced than slotting in a disk or cartridge, so most games are played online. All you need – is a proper internet connection, and you can log in at home or on the bus.

But some risks come with online gaming. One of those is a DDoS attack. Here, we look at DDoS and how to protect yourself from an attack while gaming.    

The rise of online gaming

Thanks to fast-paced technological advancements, online gaming has become increasingly popular. Everything from gameplay to graphics to multiplayer is more detailed than ever before.

Cutting-edge tech allows players worldwide to connect, compete, and collaborate. In minutes, you can download the latest releases and play against people in other continents and time zones.

As well as this being an enjoyable hobby, this is becoming a way of life for many. Some are even turning gaming into a career. Personalities, including PewDiePie and Fernanfloo, have made a living from their YouTube channels.

There are different types of personalities to look out for, depending on your gaming type. For instance, there are gamers known for their Esports credentials. PewDiePie, meanwhile, carved a career doing comedic walkthroughs of popular games.

Understanding DDoS for gaming

Whether you are gaming for fun or you want to follow in the footsteps of some of your favourite personalities, you must know the risks. Online gaming can leave you open to a data breach. Hackers are becoming savvier and are finding more advanced ways to tap into systems and steal information.

One of the major things to look out for is a DDoS attack. DDoS – or distributed denial-of-service – is a malicious attack that aims to overwhelm a single server. It is done by bots (also known as zombies) sending too many requests to a server. They attack from several compromised computers and other devices.

Bots are controlled by a single source, referred to as the attacker. The attacker gets the bots to jam a server with many fake login attempts.

Servers unprepared for this type of attack can be overwhelmed quickly and easily. These attacks can spoof individual IP addresses. This causes the server to crash and stops gamers from being able to connect to their game.

How to protect yourself from DDoS attacks

There are several ways to protect yourself from a DDoS attack. One of these is to hide your IP address. This will prevent the attacker from being able to see your IP and spoof it.

Additionally, be careful about the information you share online. Even if you know and trust your fellow gamers, it’s possible for your feed to be intercepted and data to be hacked into.

Also, make sure you use strong passwords and regularly change them to make it difficult for hackers to access your information. Double check you have security measures in place, such as two-factor authentication. Aim to avoid any suspicious links, too.

Are you a gamer? How do you protect yourself online?