Cyberattacks have hit the gaming accounts of around 75% Indian gamers surveyed, as attackers tricked them to download malware on their devices, according to a Norton report.
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The 2021 Norton Cyber Safety Insights Report: Special Release – Gaming & Cybercrime also highlighted that in India, around 56% of respondents were willing to exploit a loophole or bug in a game to give themselves a competitive advantage.
They may even hack into the account of a friend, family member, or romantic partner to stay ahead in the game, the report said.
"With online gaming, come concerns including hidden fees and in-game currency, characters, or other items being lost or stolen, as our survey showed to be the case for over half of respondents," said Ritesh Chopra, Director, Sales and Field Marketing, India & SAARC Countries, NortonLifeLock.
The most common forms of cyberattacks detected were malicious software on a gaming device and unauthorised access to an online gaming account.
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Gamers have been tricked into compromising their personal security, either by downloading malware onto a gaming device or by sharing account information online.
Of those who experienced a cyberattack, more than 81% reported that they were financially impacted and lost around ₹8000 on average.
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The research was conducted globally by The Harris Poll on behalf of NortonLifeLock among 5,327 adults aged more than 18 who currently play online games. The survey was conducted on August 24 through September 14, 2021 in India, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Seven hundred and three Indian adults participated in the survey.
