Have you had “that talk” with your kids yet? Well, not “that talk,” but nevertheless an important one. Along with everything we are facing in our lives (COVID-19, political issues, wildfires) this one is also important to address: Have you heard about hackers stealing kids’ gaming accounts?
Game account hackers:
Guess what? The bad guys are making hay by hacking into kids’ online video game accounts. Some video games have accounts with actual dollars attached to them that are being hacked, with the victim’s money gone forever. That’s usually because passwords have been compro-
mised. The quarantine-induced surge in gaming that began last spring, especially among children, has brought with it a surge in fraudsters looking for opportunity.
This might happen right under the noses of parents assum- ing kids are busy with homework, social media, and gaming activities. While you might not consider a video game hack to be as devastating as a bank account breach, let alone a home burglary, victims do lose personal property and funds as a result. DON’T assume your elementary, high school, and even college students are all savvy to the precautions of creating accounts and using strong passwords. Stolen passwords are the most common method of attack.
What to do, for kids AND parents alike:
■ Set up two-factor authentication. Two-FA, as it’s known, is an extra layer of security that requires an additional piece of information beyond a user name and password to login into an account. In many cases, it’s a text with a one-time code sent with each login attempt. While phone numbers can sometime be spoofed, this is still safer than not having two-factor turned on.
■ Create strong passwords. The primary reason accounts get stolen is they have weak passwords or use the same pass- word across different products. It’s also good to change passwords frequently. A password manager like LastPass. com can help. NEVER share account details. It’s very important not to share login information with friends, because they might be hackers in disguise. Check the URL when logging into a game on a PC or MAC. Hackers can set up identical-looking emails and web-sites to trick you into revealing your login credentials.
■ Start family-orientated exchanges and be vigilant in use of passwords, social media sites, requests for providing personal information, suspicious logos from companies asking to update your account profile. The list is only going to grow longer with the increased use and advances in technology, the bad guys getting smarter, and us taking our eye off the ball.
Kids and parents share technology:
So, we started off with a cautionary note about kids needing to follow some very important steps in protecting privacy to prevent loss of money and key personal data. BUT, isn’t this a family affair? It’s not just the kids who fall victim to hacking and scams. Another surprise: Our kids are adept at technology. They might be able to share things they are already doing, and teach us adults a thing or two, or three . . .
—Kent Wellbrock
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