New Webroot Survey Reveals PC Gaming Vulnerable Against Online Threats

Nearly Half of Gamers Have Experienced Malware Attacks, with Trojans, Phishing and Rootkits Ranked Among the Highest Infections

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Webroot

Jul 30, 2014, 08:00 ET

BROOMFIELD, Colo., July 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study on security and PC gamers, conducted by Webroot, the market leader in cloud-based, real-time Internet threat detection, details the security perspective of players on their gaming systems. The study indicates that many gamers either disable their security or remove it altogether, thereby sacrificing protection to maximize system performance and leaving themselves vulnerable to gaming-focused malware and cyber-attacks. The study also provides guidelines for protecting online gaming credentials, and other personal information against cybercriminals.

Key findings from the Webroot PC Gamer Security Study include:

Nearly half of gamers have experienced an online attack, with 55 percent of the attacks resulting in slow-down in system performance and impacted browser behavior.
35 percent of PC gamers have either no security or just rely on free diagnostics or clean up tools.
Trojans, phishing and rootkits ranked top attacks against PC gamers.
"Effectiveness" and "does not slow down system performance" ranked as the most important security program characteristics for gamers considering a security solution.
"Proven performance results" was identified as the top influencer when trying a security program, above "recommendation from a pro gamer" or "free trial," indicating that gamers require proven protection that will allow systems to run at the speed modern gaming demands.
Web forums and fellow gamers are top sources to get information about Internet security.

The new report is based on survey responses gathered from more than 1,200 gamers during the E3 2014 Conference. It concluded that while a third of gamers do not use a security program – citing gameplay, slowdown and too many alerts and interruptions as key factors – 47 percent have experienced a malware attack. While running a gaming system without traditional antivirus security can improve gameplay performance, it exposes gamers to higher risk of security threats, including phishing attacks, malware and identity theft.

"We understand the high expectations that gamers have of their systems, and the frustration they have had with traditional antivirus programs. But the desire for performance can't be at the expense of protection – there's too much to lose," said Mike Malloy, executive vice president of products and strategy at Webroot. "We believe by following some basic best practices and using a cloud-based security program that is very light on system resources, such as Webroot SecureAnywhere Gamer Edition, PC users don't have to choose between performance and protection."

What can gamers do?
To protect against cybercriminals who are targeting gamers to gain access to their online gaming credentials, and other personal information that can be exploited for profit, Webroot recommends gamers:

Install a cloud-based anti-malware program. This next generation of PC security does not rely on local threat signatures so it provides dramatically superior system performance compared to traditional antivirus software.
Keep antivirus software up-to-date. The previously mentioned cloud-based anti-malware technology is one of the best ways to ensure protection is always current as it does not need threat signature updates.
Use browser-based URL filtering. Warns users before they access a malicious or undesirable website.
Deploy anti-phishing detection. Online gaming credentials are frequently targeted by cybercriminals who can exploit the information for profit.
Avoid free public Wi-Fi. Stick to secure networks whenever you're gaming on the go.

About Webroot
Webroot is the market leader in cloud-based, real-time Internet threat detection for consumers, businesses and enterprises. We have revolutionized Internet security to protect all the ways users connect online. Webroot delivers real-time advanced Internet threat protection to customers through its BrightCloud® security intelligence platform, and its SecureAnywhere™ suite of security products for endpoints, mobile devices and corporate networks. Over 7 million consumers, 1.5 million business users, and 1.3 million mobile users are protected by Webroot. Market-leading security companies, including Palo Alto Networks, F5, Cisco, RSA, NetCitadel, GateProtect, Microsoft and others choose Webroot to provide advanced Internet threat protection for their products and services. Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Colorado, Webroot is the largest privately held internet security company in the United States – operating globally across North America, Europe and the Asia Pacific region. For more information on our products and services, visit www.webroot.com.

© 2014 Webroot Inc. All rights reserved. Webroot, SecureAnywhere, Webroot SecureAnywhere and BrightCloud are trademarks or registered trademarks of Webroot Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.

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SOURCE Webroot