Ahead of the upcoming Comic Con Middle East happening in Abu Dhabi, Kaspersky reminds of cyberthreats associated with gaming.
While the gaming world may initially appear friendly and welcoming, it is not without its risks – making cybersecurity just as essential here as in any other digital space. Although the games themselves are generally secure, they often attract scammers and cyber attackers looking to exploit players. The dangers associated with gaming range from malware infections to identity theft, and cybercriminals are constantly exploring new hacking and social engineering techniques to reach their goals. Even official gaming platforms don’t guarantee safety anymore: in February 2025 a game bundled with malware was discovered on Steam, which is one of the most popular gaming platforms.
Kaspersky has prepared recommendations for players that will help contribute to a substantial improvement of game security without sacrificing high PC performance.
- While it doesn’t guarantee 100% safety, it’s still much safer to buy games only from official sites/stores and wait for sales on those sites. It’s a much safer way to save money than buying from illegal stores or downloading pirated software. The probability of account loss and direct financial theft is much higher with pirated software as it’s regularly used by cybercrooks to find new victims.
- Beware of phishing campaigns that might take the form of fake notification emails from gaming services or direct messages from unfamiliar gamers. Criminals use these tactics to lure you to fake websites and steal your Steam, Discord or other credentials. They might also distribute malware disguised as a game mod or other attractive items. So, triple check the website’s address and avoid unfamiliar sites, and remember that offers that sound too good to be true — are.
- Make sure your computer is always protected by cybersecurity software. There is no need to “disable your antivirus/internet security/firewall” to play. Modern security solutions, like Kaspersky Premium, have a special “gaming mode” which allows you to play without FPS (Frames Per Second) reduction, influence on PC’s performance or any distractions. If any game mod or utility requires you to disable your security, it’s a huge red flag.
Kaspersky is participating in Comic Con festival which is taking place at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi on April 18-20, bringing the ultimate gaming experience to the visitors at its booth, with exclusive giveaways and activations.
Within a special offer, everyone purchasing Kaspersky Premium until the end of April will get 20% off with the promo code COMIC20.
