Understanding IP Tracking in Online Gaming

Online gaming has evolved. Back then, dial-up connections and sprite-based dungeon crawlers were all the rage. Nowadays, it’s all about high-speed fiber internet and sprawling 3D worlds. While there are many genres out there, there’s no denying gaming as a whole has grown to become massive — full of exciting worlds to explore no matter where you look. However, as fun and relaxing as it can be to engage with others online and participate in these vast worlds, we aren’t excused from dangers.

When playing Call of Duty, Fortnite, World of Warcraft, or Minecraft — just to name a few behemoths — we often forget about our cybersecurity. But what if the person on the other side has ill purposes and wants to steal our personal information? What if they want to track our IPs to doxx us or send a SWAT team our way? These are the kinds of dangers online gamers could face.

To avoid having losses against these villainous individuals, gamers need to not only understand how IP tracking works but also equip themselves with the right tools. Join us as we tackle these topics and provide you with a way to protect your online privacy!

The Cybersecurity Risks of Online Gaming

We’ve already established that gaming as a whole is fun and relaxing. If not, there wouldn’t be millions around the world who enjoy partaking in this activity. Nevertheless, when online, it can be challenging to discern the intentions of the others we play with. Unknowingly, we may expose ourselves to people with shady purposes; scammers, fraudsters, and thieves are no strangers to the virtual world.

Considering this, it’s essential to protect ourselves and our loved ones (if you have kids or partners who love gaming) against the risks of hackers and information loss when gaming over the internet. No matter what kind of protection you have at the hardware or OS level, any time you connect online, you’re always vulnerable to privacy invasion.

Your IP: A Unique Identifier

The primary way how undesirables online can track us down is via our IP. This is a unique geographical identifier that allows us to connect to the internet. Others might be able to track and expose this number whenever we play games online.

The way it works is, there’s always a slew of data going back and forth whenever you connect with your games over the internet. To keep it in layman’s terms, every time you move your character, fire a bullet, swing your sword, or click a menu option, there is data moving to and from servers noting these changes. These servers also ensure that everyone on them is able to see the changes you make on your end. Normally, people on the other side shouldn’t be able to see your private information. However, hackers and fraudsters can often exploit weaknesses and vulnerabilities to gain access to this data.

Why Hiding Your IP Address While Gaming Is Paramount

Once cybercriminals obtain this data, they can easily pinpoint your physical location and maybe even dig more information on you through their crafty means. Not only that, but these nasty fellows could also stalk you or try to hurt you (or your loved ones) psychologically. Consider the following additional risks:

• Malware and DDoS Attacks: Cybercriminals could try to disrupt your connection with a DDoS attack or send malware your way to steal even more information or mess up your hardware. Hiding your IP allows you to sidestep these threats.
• Geo-Blocking: What if a game you want to access is only available in a certain region of the world because the publishers and developers deem it that way? No one wants to feel left out.
• Doxxing: This is when others reveal your personal information online. Gamers aren’t safe from this form of collective punishment by trolls and hackers.
• Swatting: When others know your IP and physical location, they can place an anonymous call to send a SWAT team to your doorstep. This has led to some truly unfortunate incidents in the past.

Proxies as a Protective Shield

Now that you know how crucial it is to safeguard your IP address, the first thing you will want to know next is how to protect it. Fear not because proxies are your most reliable tool in this situation. Unlike VPNs which can slow down your connection to a crawl, proxies mask your IP address through go-between servers. In essence, they process your requests on your behalf with a different IP address. All while keeping your original one under wraps.

Such an approach ensures the continued enjoyment of your gaming endeavors with nary a hit in performance. That’s right! The main advantage of proxies in this scenario is that their protective measures barely affect your connection speed. That way, you can continue having a blast with whichever game you decide to play online.

The Takeaway

So, there you have it. Next time you are farming gold online, pwning noobs on your favorite maps, or exploring your favorite massive open worlds with a thousand others, be conscious about your cybersecurity. The fact it hasn’t happened to you yet doesn’t mean you’re not at risk. What if your kid one day jumps on their Xbox only to find out that their IP has been compromised through xResolver? That’s a scenario you don’t want to find yourself in. Level up your gaming experience and that of your loved ones by keeping everyone safe through the use of reliable proxies.