In our previous blog in our game development series, 5 ways to keep your online multiplayer fair, we looked into tips on keeping your online multiplayer game safe from cheating. But cheating and modding are a small part of what should be monitored when you put your game online. Hackers can get into your game and break it just for sport or fun, so it’s essential to stay alert. Here are a few things to keep in mind when setting up your security systems.
Be prepared
It doesn’t matter how big or small your game is – it will most likely get hacked, and very quickly too. Even if you’re serving a handful of players at the beginning, statistically, it’s safe to assume one of them will try and break the game. That’s why you need to consider safeguarding your game’s assets as soon as possible – don’t leave it for later!
When working with your game hosting provider, investigate their possibilities of implementing third-party security tools you’re using for your game. Or, even better, work with a provider that offers their own tools to keep your game safe. Suppose security measures you want to take are fully compatible with your game’s entire online ecosystem. In that case, you can rest assured that chances of your game tanking under the crushing weight of online attacks are low. When they happen, you’ll be ready to act.
Assume the worst to make the best of it
There are countless types of attacks that can be carried out on an online game, and not all of them can be stopped. When push comes to shove, make sure you have a comprehensive plan B – whether it’s to protect your players’ data, your game’s integrity, or to keep it playable.
Remember to always follow the guidelines included in your safety tools – they are especially crucial when it comes to highly sensitive user data, and the tiniest leak can bring absolutely devastating consequences.
We have previously discussed numerous ways to keep your game online, and for a good reason too. An unplayable game will be deserted by players faster than you’d expect. Not everyone has the time or the patience to stick around while you’re fighting off attacks. You won’t avoid them, but you definitely can minimize them.
Monitor and protect
With that in mind, it’s essential to stay on your toes. We have previously mentioned how monitoring tools can improve gaming experiences for the players, but it’s also crucial for you to use them for protection against attacks.
With Distributed Denial of Service attack or DDoS, hackers will bombard your game with incredibly high amounts of data to basically create a traffic jam that will render your game unavailable. With intelligent monitoring and alerting, it’s easier to recognize DDoS attack patterns in time and act accordingly. When choosing a game hosting provider, check if they offer you tools and support related to security.
“With huge Cloud providers, if you get attacked, you won’t get any help,” says Stefan Ideler, Chief Technology Officer at i3D.net. “They might offer you some sort of a firewall, but that’s it. If your game is shut down due to increased traffic from, for example, a DDoS attack, you’re on your own.”
If you’re looking for a game hosting provider that will also help you keep your game safe and playable, i3D.net’s Game Hosting Platform includes a state-of-the-art anti-DDoS solution, GLAD, that filters and monitors all incoming and outgoing traffic while keeping the latency low and the connection stable. With automatic blocking, filtering, and numerous possibilities for custom solutions & enhancements, GLAD helps you fight the attacks from the very beginning.
Congratulations on your game!
You have made it! You successfully deployed your game online, you have gathered a few loyal players, and now you have the means to keep them safe and happy while playing your online game. All of those elements can seem trivial or obvious, but careful, thorough planning cannot be replaced by automating every aspect of the process. Sometimes, you need to prepare yourself mentally and challenge your worldview or expectations to make sure you consider every possible road your game might go down.
But your journey does not stop here! If you want to stay in the know about game hosting, networking, and server solutions, as well as what the future hold for us – make sure to visit our blog and follow us on social media for more tips and tricks. Stay safe and keep on playing, player!
