Virtual reality is a fun and cool thing to experience. Not only gamers but many non-gamers are now enjoying the vibe of VR. It will take you into a brand new 3D environment with the help of a headset and you will no longer exist in your real surroundings. Of course, you will be sitting, standing, or laying down at your place but with the immersion of virtual reality, you will be experiencing a new, dynamic situation. You will feel like you are there. However, it sounds really exciting, and happening, but does it have any drawbacks? I guess the most alarming one is the cyber security threats. You are exposed to a brand new 3D world and also share your data, personal space, and many more. Well, how these threats are arising, and what are the ways and how to stay safe? This one read has got all the answers so far. Let’s learn how to hop into VR metaverse while addressing its cybersecurity threats.
The Main Cyber Security Threats in VR
It’s not only you and your virtual world interacting with each other. There are external bodies that can enter this association and turn it into a negative one. Just imagine, you are using the headset to participate in the 3D world. In this, the headset is an IoT device and your appealing virtual reality is a software or metaverse product only. At the end of the day, many are watching and storing your data when you are experiencing VR. Take a look at the following cyber security concern of VR…
- Malware Attack: It’s the most common VR security issue. Viruses, worms, fileless malware, ransomware, DDoS attack, etc are different types of malware attacks. Cybercriminals trick a user when he is so indulged in a virtual world. They can send false emails, unwanted advertisements, and pop-ups, and sometimes the criminal can enter into the victim’s machine system and encrypt all the data and threaten the user. So, as your VR headset, and VR software, all are connected to a computer system and utilizing the internet, this cyber threat is a big issue.
- Access broken to certain services: Broken access control can be a major problem in VR services. Users may lose their private data because of it. Here cyber criminals can steal the data of users and use it in the application system. Most of the time, the URL duplicate, changing the URL, modifying, and seeing through another user’s data in the application system are known as common broken access.
- Technical attack: Phishing is a common type of technical attack you can face during your VR tour. How does it hinder your cyber security? Well, the cybercriminal can fool the user by sending different promotional emails, and spam and bind them to click on a website. Once the user clicks on the website, the hacker absorbs all credible data of the user like credit card number, user name, and password, and uses this data to enter the targeted website. Account deactivation scams, advance fee scams, etc are common ways to start phishing.
- spam emails: It is another kind of security check that you can face while dealing with any VR app. These unnecessary emails can pop up on your screen and derail you from your activity. Simply you will click on the links or website unmindfully and the hackers will read out your data.
- Sharing biometrics: One of the key points of VR is you share your biometrics while you are connected through a VR headset. How does it work? The headsets are simply capturing your facial pattern, and retinal information and this information can readily feed a malicious operating system. In this way, the operating system can use your biometrics for other purposes.
How to mitigate cyber security threats?
Well, no doubt VR is evolving too fast and so are its security issues. In modern times, data thieves are also becoming smarter and making their way to steal data very effortlessly. So, with growing business and to make the best of individual experience, we need to set some precautions against the cyber threats in the virtual world. Let’s see the remedies one by one:
- Beware of your headsets: As said before, it’s the most common way to be exposed to cyber criminals and they can readily take biometrics. Go with the best and trusted brands that offer cybersecurity even if they are pricey. In many cases, those cheap and attractive VR headsets are sold by cyber criminals and they integrate malware, and virus tools into your sets. This way they can easily filter out your data. Don’t rush. Do the best market research before buying your headset and keep a regular check on the devices.
- Regular update: It’s mandatory to tackle your arising threats. While using VR applications, and software, you must update to the newest version. It’s not about the newest features and trends to emerge in your experience, once you update your app performance, your security patches are also one step ahead and give support from malicious problems. Make sure your system is always top-notch at service and auto-updates to make your experience a better one.
- Data safety: You need to watch out for your connections, and data encryption to avoid the eye of hackers. It is better to look at your inbound and outbound connection and data encryption. Using different network systems for different devices can be helpful at some point. Because when the cybercriminal gets into one of your connections or devices, he can enter the other devices as well within no time. So, it’s better to use your VR devices or apps with an alternative network. In this way, you can protect the virtual system to some extent.
- Mimic the data and identity: It’s a fun process. When you enter the virtual world, you need to follow through several steps, like you need to share your real physical existence, and your identity, opening an account, allowing the system to record your body movements, etc. So, at this time you can use the VPN system to hide your IP address, and identity but still enjoy the VR software. Because in most cases, the hackers can attack your connection and locations to extract your data. So, VPN can be a great solution.
- Check on the VR content: Sometimes unnecessary Ads and VR content can be found in your system, make sure to avoid the ads and irrelevant VR content for your data security.
End Thought
The emerging metaverse is engulfing the digital era. You can’t notice a single sector that doesn’t benefit from the virtual reality formula. Perhaps, individual users and business appraisals must be careful about their data and must note down some hacks to avoid cyber security breaches. Therefore, don’t let your interactive entertainment or learning tool become a burden for you. Check on regular assessments of your VR software and devices to stay protected.