Account Takeover Attacks - It's time to up your game against clickbots in gaming industry

In the world of digital advertising and publishing in the gaming industry, the battle against clickbots is more crucial than ever. In this fast-paced arena, the term 'clickbots' has become synonymous with the ominous threat of account takeover attacks. These adversaries exploit the vulnerabilities in gaming platforms to compromise user accounts, wreaking havoc on the gaming ecosystem.

According to sources, 21% of gamers were hacked in 2022. While the numbers are on the rise simultaneously with the growth of the industry, account takeover attacks are a serious cause of concern which require immediate attention to avoid losing the faith of future and current gamers. In this blog, we will dive deep into the intricate realm of account takeover attacks, cracking their execution, impact, and most importantly, the strategies to safeguard your gaming assets.

What is an account takeover attack?

Account Takeover (ATO) attacks are those in which a malicious actor obtains unauthorized access to a user’s gaming account – that includes usernames, passwords and e-mail addresses. Once obtained, this sensitive information can be used to pose as a real gamer and cash in loyalty points, make in-app purchases and carry out similar actions that can financially cripple the gamer. Let’s understand how these attacks occur.

1. Credential Cracking : Attackers employ brute-force attacks to crack weak or reused passwords. They systematically try different combinations until they gain access to an account. Once inside, they take control and can even change the credentials, effectively locking the genuine user out.
2. Phishing and Social Engineering : Attackers utilize sophisticated phishing techniques, posing as legitimate gaming services or offering enticing rewards. Unsuspecting users are tricked into revealing their credentials, which are then harvested by the attackers.
3. Botnet Infiltration : Some attackers employ botnets, networks of compromised devices, to execute account takeover attacks. These botnets distribute the load of login attempts, making it harder to detect and prevent unauthorized access.
4. Third-party Data Breaches : Hackers often capitalize on data breaches from unrelated platforms where users may have used the same login credentials for gaming accounts. This practice, known as credential stuffing, is a common avenue for clickbots to infiltrate gaming accounts.

With multiple alternatives in place, fraudsters can cause havoc to the easy-going life of a gamer. However, among gamers, this serious threat also impacts gaming advertisers and publishers to a huge extent. Wondering how? Scroll down to understand.

How does it impact advertisers and publishers?

1. Revenue drain- Advertisers can suffer financial losses when clickbots, after gaining control of the user’s account, generate fake clicks and interactions, depleting ad budgets without reaching genuine users. This not only wastes resources but also diminishes the ROI of advertising campaigns.
2. User trust erosion- Gamers who fall victim to account takeovers may lose trust in the gaming platform, affecting user retention rates and brand reputation. Since advertisers and publishers rely on user trust to drive engagement and revenue, this eroded trust may make them lose out on valuable leads.
   
3. Content tampering- Publishers are at risk of having their gaming content manipulated or compromised by clickbots. This can lead to negative player experiences, loss of player engagement, and decreased ad impressions.
   
4. Regulatory concerns- Account takeover attacks may lead to violations of data protection regulations, exposing advertisers and publishers to legal consequences and financial penalties.
   

How to protect against such schemes and their consequences?

Now that we've explored the ins and outs of account takeover attacks, it's time to equip yourself with strategies to defend against these malicious clickbots.

1. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)- It is always advisable to encourage or require users to enable MFA for their gaming accounts. This adds an extra layer of security, making it significantly more challenging for bots and fraudsters to gain unauthorized access.
2. Behavioural Analytics- From the beginning, utilize advanced analytics tools to monitor user behaviour. Unusual login patterns or suspicious activities can trigger alerts, allowing you to take swift action against account takeover attempts.
   
3. IP Blocking and rate limiting- Implement IP blocking and rate limiting to restrict the number of login attempts from a single IP address. This can help mitigate brute force attacks and botnet infiltration.
   
4. Continuous monitoring- With the help of ad fraud mitigation solutions from companies like ClearTrust, you can employ real-time monitoring solutions that can detect unusual activities, such as multiple login attempts from different locations within a short timeframe.