Increasingly, we conduct most of our daily lives online, whether it's shopping, communicating, or, of course, playing casino games. Despite the fact that computers and mobile devices are incredibly useful and powerful tools, there is a common security risk that all internet-connected objects face.
Yahoo, Facebook, LinkedIn, Equifax, and other major companies have all suffered data breaches in recent years, exposing the personal information of millions of people all across the globe. This kind of attack is so common that it proves that even the largest companies in the field are safe from cybercriminals.
In this article, we will provide our readers with some useful information on how to protect their casino accounts from unauthorised access. These guidelines will assist you in maintaining the security of any online account, whether it's your email or Neopets account.
Pick a reliable gambling establishment?
This will affect every part of your experience at any online casino, and is thus maybe the most crucial factor in ensuring a good player experience. When it comes to matters of safety, this component takes on an even greater significance.
For first-time gamblers, vetting potential casinos could feel like an insurmountable task. How can I avoid certain things? Fortunately, there are a plethora of tools available to assist with the decision-making process.
If you want the scoop on a casino, reading reviews online is a great place to start. We at RightCasino are proud to provide our users with honest and unbiased casino evaluations, but we realise that there are plenty of other options out there. All the necessary information about a casino, including as its licencing information and acceptable payment methods, should be provided in a good review.
User forums are an additional place to look for details. If you notice a trend of rude behaviour or subpar service, make note of it. Keep in mind that even the finest restaurants can have off days and deliver subpar cuisine; the same is true for casinos and their employees. While isolated transgressions aren't cause for concern, recurring problems affecting multiple players suggests that something is amiss.
Reading the casino's terms and conditions is a smart move if you want to learn more about what they have to offer. Those who aren't members should be able to find them near the bottom of the casino's website. In fact, we are wary of the casino if they appear to have taken significant efforts to conceal the terms and conditions.
Safeguarding player information should be the top priority for any respectable casino. Try to choose a casino that encrypts all of its communications with SSL. This is the most advanced encryption method currently available and is used by institutions such as governments and banks to safeguard sensitive information.
Establish a robust password plan
For their own nefarious purposes or to sell it for a high price, hackers exploit stolen user data to support their livelihood. It is evident that these so-called "black-hat" hackers are very skilled when even large organisations are targeted.
By requiring a strong password, you make it more difficult for account thieves to gain access to your account. "Password123" is so last century. With what are known as brute force attacks, hackers can easily crack such a common password. The term "brute force attack" refers to the practice of repeatedly trying to guess a password or username, typically using an automated script. A script won't take long to hit the correct combination with such a simple password.
When it comes to establishing the ideal password, security specialists LastPass have a few recommendations. Here they are:
Passwords, birthdates, or other easily-guessed information should not be used.
To increase the password's complexity, use uppercase letters, numbers, and punctuation marks (if allowed by the casino site).
Longer passwords are more secure and more difficult to guess.
Maintain secure password practices
Your lengthy password for the casino account is now ready and waiting. Right now, you're feeling quite secure because you made sure not to write it down anyplace that prying eyes may find it. How else can this be resolved?
To keep your fantastic password fantastic, you can do a few things. The first one is to... alter it. We don’t mean right away but it’s a good idea to change the password on any online account every so often. Continue using the same guidelines (a lengthy phrase that includes letters, numbers, and symbols, etc.) and update your password every few months to increase security.
We need to revisit the topic of data breaches. For example, let's pretend that the password you used to access your casino account was "Jackp0t2000." The world is perfect as it is. But now there is news of a data breach over at Twitter or some other site where you have an account. Are you sure your casino account is secure? Well, it should be assuming you didn’t use the same password to secure your account at the hacked site.
Hackers target large businesses on the (correct) assumption that many users will secure several accounts with the same email and password combination. If you used ‘Jackp0t2000’ to secure multiple accounts, suddenly all those accounts are vulnerable to misuse. The answer is to use different passwords for each site or account. This can be a headache but there are some reliable password manager programs out there that can make this less stressful.
Another way to ramp up your security is to ensure that your devices are completely safe. If your phone or laptop gets stolen, you will have to handle not just the loss of the device but the exposure of any passwords saved on it. Lock your phone with a fingerprint or passcode and lock your computer with a password as well. By putting more obstacles in the way of would-be thieves, you will buy yourself enough time to minimise the damage.
Two-factor authentication is also another way to keep your online accounts safe, particularly when it comes to email. After you type in your password, you will have to add another piece of the puzzle so to speak, to unlock your account. This could be a code sent to your phone or a USB token that only you have access to. This is a great way to secure your online activities when using a public computer or one that is not yours.
In conclusion
Keeping your data safe is of utmost importance and players must take responsibility for their data. While breaches may be out of our control, we can do a lot to minimise the damage and inconvenience caused if a site we frequent falls victim to such an attack.
Casino players in particular should be vigilant about their security practices as having your account hacked is not just an intrusive inconvenience but could also mean a loss of one’s winnings. Not a happy prospect for any player!
The thought of being hacked is not a pleasant one but with password best practice in play, you are doing the best thing possible to keep your casino account safe.
