In the past, gamers were often told that videogames were a waste of time and that they could never make any money off them.
However, times have changed; nowadays, streamers are treated like celebrities in their respective gaming communities.
Although this fame comes with its fair share of sweet perks, being a full-time streamer comes with a handful of downsides. One of the primary downsides is that hackers and cyber-attackers often target streamers.
There are several reasons why streamers are prime targets for hackers, ranging from the low-security standards of most streaming platforms to game-related vendettas.
If you’re an aspiring or professional streamer, you should consider making use of the following tips and tricks. Taking the time to implement the following recommendations could save you from dealing with a hacker-induced headache down the line.
Use a Fake Name
Many streamers like to use a persona while they’re recording content. Doing this makes the stream more entertaining and can potentially bring in a few additional donations.
However, the main reason why streamers do this is to preserve their anonymity. Using a fake name makes it difficult for hackers or cyber-attackers to gather personal data from social media or other pockets of the internet.
Download an Antivirus Program
Streamers need to download several types of software in order to both streams and play games simultaneously. Most of the time, streamers and casual gamers can download programs off the internet risk-free (as long as they’re downloading content from a reputable source).
However, if you download software from a suspicious or unreputable website, you can potentially expose your device to malicious software (malware).
Accidentally downloading malware can cause your device to perform sluggishly and put your personal data at risk (which can potentially lead to identity theft or fraud).
Additionally, falling victim to a hacker or cyber-attacker’s scheme doesn’t just impact your device’s performance and compromise your data; it also affects your reputation within the streaming community.
If you don’t want to deal with this hazardous software, you should consider downloading the best antivirus software from a reputable cybersecurity company, like Malwarebytes.
Malwarebytes and antivirus protection go hand-in-hand; their modern cybersecurity software uses state-of-the-art technology to track down malware and other cyber threats proactively.
This means that even if you do download malware onto your device, your cybersecurity software can help keep your data safe.
Create a Strong and Detailed Password
This may sound like a simple tip, but you’d be surprised by how little effort most people put into their passwords. Having a simple password makes it that much easier for hackers to infiltrate your streaming account and compromise your data.
While creating your new password, you should avoid adding the following details:
- Details related to you (birth year, last name, etc.)
- Your location (town, city, state, etc.)
- Hobbies or pastimes
Instead, it would be best if you considered the following recommendations:
- Use a random password generator
- Integrate upper and lowercase letters
- Create an acronym out of a common phrase or saying (ex. happy birthday to you = HBd2U)
These techniques are simple but deceivingly effective.
Whether you’re just getting into streaming or an up-and-coming star, you should consider using the security tips mentioned above.
