Akamai: Securing games is like a Battle Royale

[Carding Forum]

How players and developers deal with cyber threats in the virtual world.

The video game industry, one of the most influential in the modern world, is facing an unprecedented increase in cyber threats. According to a new report by Akamai cybersecurity researcher Tricia Howard, the number of application-level attacks (Layer 7 DDoS) has increased by 94% over the past year.

Cybersecurity in the gaming industry​

Key statistics: * 94% growth in Layer 7 DDoS attacks over the year • More than 25 billion attacks per month (4 out of 18 months) * 94% increase in attacks on web applications from 2023 to 2024 Unique threats: • "Internal threats" from players and from the network • "Troublemakers" attack streamers • Malware distribution through game chats Record Bot requests (January 2024): 147 billion Output: The gaming industry is facing growing cyber threats. It is necessary to strengthen security measures on the part of both developers and players.
Between January 2023 and June 2024, Akamai recorded more than 25 billion attacks in four of the 18 months. This highlights the unique vulnerability of the gaming industry, where cyber threats can come from both players and developers.

Unique threats in the world of games​

The gaming industry occupies a unique position in the field of cybersecurity. Players have a high level of technical awareness, which creates additional risks for both them and developers. In this environment, an "internal threat" can come from both the network and the game itself.
One of the characteristic features of threats in the gaming industry is the activity of so-called "troublemakers". They can attack streamers or use players trust to spread malware through in-game chats.

Attack statistics​

Over the past 18 months, there has been a significant increase in attacks on games. For example, the number of Layer 7 DDoS attacks increased by 94% compared to the previous year. Four months (June, August and December 2023, as well as May 2024) were a record number of such attacks, exceeding 25 billion per month. The Asia-Pacific and Japan (APJ) region led the way in the number of attacks, with 186 billion attacks during this period.

Bots and their impact​

Bot requests also showed a significant increase, especially in January and June, due to major sales such as the Steam Summer Sale and Winter Sale. In January 2024, a record number of bot requests was recorded-147 billion.

Threats to web applications​

The number of attacks on web applications increased by 94% from the first quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024. Particular attention is drawn to attacks on web firewalls( WAFs), which showed an increase of 504% in June 2024 compared to last year. Among traditional web attacks, SQL injection (SQLi) was the most common, with more than 700 million attacks during this period.

Conclusion​

The gaming industry continues to grow and develop, attracting both ordinary users and malicious users. In this regard, development companies and players themselves should pay more attention to cybersecurity issues in order to protect their data and assets in the digital world.
The video game sector remains under the intense scrutiny of both cybercriminals and security professionals, and its future depends on its ability to adapt to new threats and challenges.

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