Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2024 - how to stay safe as a PC gamer

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month which means now is the ideal time to think about your cyber hygiene and how well protected you are when gaming online. It may not seem it, but you’re exposed to a number of threats even if your primary exposure to the internet is through games.

Your experience of the best PC games (and especially the best browser games) is going to be significantly diminished if they end up exposing you to a cyber security threat. Especially when you consider the risk viruses pose to your gaming PC, which most gamers will have spent a hefty price on.

Operating within the framework of the likes of Call of Duty: Warzone, or League of Legends, may give you the illusion that you’re completely safe – however, hackers and other malicious individuals can still find ways to exploit you. With that in mind, we’ve got some products to recommend to keep you safe online, and a list of dangers to be conscious of.

Cybersecurity Month Humble Bundle

This month, Humble Bundle has launched the Cybersecurity Month Mega Bundle. It is filled with 22 books on different aspects of cybersecurity, ranging from cloud security, to cyber risk assessments, and even identifying security risks in supply chains.

It may be geared more towards professionals, but it’s a veritable treasure trove of information that is well worth having for anyone who wants to make sure their setup is adequately protected. In total, these books would usually cost $1,176 / £882.51, but you’re getting them at $25 / £18.78, which is a 97% discount.

What are the dangers that gamers face online?

Gamers are vulnerable to several cybersecurity-related risks, both when gaming online, and when engaging with the broader community across the internet. Here are some of the biggest risks to be aware of:

Malware and viruses

If you see games available at prices that don’t seem believable or are told that you’ve won some expensive gear through contests you don’t remember entering, it’s probably too good to be true. Meanwhile, unofficial hacks and mods can also house malware, so be very careful about what you are downloading and be sure you have an antivirus installed to carefully scan any downloads for malicious software.

Accounts being stolen

Another common danger of gaming online is having your accounts hacked and stolen, which happens far more often than you might think. Usually, the culprit is a weak password that’s easy to guess or having one username and password that you use for every site. If this happens, hackers can potentially gain access to your bank details, or then use your details to access other, more sensitive accounts. Strong, unique passwords and password management software can help you avoid this.

Spyware schemes

While most people will download games directly from Steam, or buy Steam codes through legitimate sites like Fanatical and Humble, there are some websites that’ll lump you with spyware. This will give them the ability to see what you’re doing on your device, stealing loads of sensitive data from you in the process. Stick to well-known, respected sites to avoid this.

Cross-site scripting

While you can trust the best browser games even after they’ve been around for years, there are others that won’t be so reliable. Older sites typically pose a higher risk to cybersecurity than newer ones as they often have insecure methods in place to process login credentials. If you know your payment details or other sensitive pieces of information, are attached to old accounts that you never use anymore, it could be worth your time to go back and delete them.

Phishing emails and links

You most likely like to think that you’re savvy enough to spot a phishing link or email when it pops up but it’s important not to assume that’s the case. Scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated about how they target people online – particularly gamers – so being mindful of the risk is vital for online security. For example, you could receive an email telling you that that is an issue with your Game Pass Ultimate account and you need to confirm your payment details in order to keep access to the games, but you should always look closely at the email address that sent you something, and the URL you’re going to click on.

What are the best ways to protect yourself when gaming online?

The good news is that there are various methods of enhancing your cybersecurity online, including VPNs and antivirus software. Here are our recommendations for each one and how they help:

Incorporate good antivirus software

If you don’t have a good antivirus in place on your PC, you’re leaving yourself and your device vulnerable to a whole host of online threats. All the best antivirus software will detect and remove viruses from your PC, as well as protecting against a wide range of other types of malicious software.

We recommend McAffee as a great antivirus solution. It is so confident in its ability to keep your device virus-free that in the unexpected case that you do get one, an expert will be sent to your house to remove it. Meanwhile, it can be used on unlimited devices (protecting your whole household) and is compatible with just about everything.

Use a VPN

Though VPNs are primarily focused on protecting your privacy, this ties in closely with your overall sense of cybersecurity. VPNs allow you to connect to the internet through a server elsewhere in the world. Not only can this help to protect you from DDoS attacks from players who are upset that you beat them, but it can also protect you from malicious parties who might try and use public wi-fi to steal your data or infect your device through it.

Our top recommendation for the best gaming VPN is ExpressVPN. Not only does it use something called the TrustedServer system (which makes it impossible for its servers to write any of your data), but it has connection points across over 105 countries. This is a fantastic selection and its use of the Lightway protocol gives you a fast and speedy experience (good enough to use as the best Warzone VPN).

If you’d rather spend a little less on a VPN (without compromising on security), you may find our best cheap VPN guide useful. Or, for all the best deals, check out our VPN deals guide.