The video game industry is currently facing a significant challenge in the form of cyberosis, as highlighted in a new report by Akamai Cybersecurity. The report reveals that Layer 7 DDOS attacks in the industry have surged by 94% over the past year, with more than 25 billion attacks per month recorded in four out of the last 18 months.
This rise in cyber attacks poses a critical threat to the game industry, with key vulnerabilities identified as “internal threats” from players and the network, as well as attacks from “calm violators” targeting streamers and spreading malicious software through gaming chat channels.
Akamai’s data from January 2023 to June 2024 shows a worrying trend of increasing attacks on games, with the Asia-Pacific region and Japan (APJ) experiencing the highest number of attacks. Additionally, bot requests have seen a notable spike during major sales events like the Steam Summer Sale and Winter Sale, reaching a record high of 147 billion requests in January 2024.
Furthermore, the report highlights a 94% increase in attacks on web applications from the first quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024, with web-firewalls (WAF) facing a staggering 504% increase in attacks in June 2024 compared to the previous year. SQL-injection attacks were identified as the most common traditional web attack, with over 700 million instances recorded during this period.
In conclusion, the gaming industry must prioritize strengthening cybersecurity measures to mitigate the growing threat of cyberosis, which poses risks from both players and developers. With the unique technical awareness of players creating additional vulnerabilities, a comprehensive approach to security is crucial for safeguarding the industry’s future.