Can Browser-Based Games Really Infect Your Computer?
While not as popular as they were during the Flash glory days, browser-based games are still great fun. Plus, they are the best if you’ve only got a few minutes to spare or don’t have the hardware to run more demanding titles.
Are such games dangerous, and what can you do about them? Here’s all the info you’ll need to safely game from your browser.
How Risky Are Browser-Based Games?
Real browser-based games found on legitimate websites like Newgrounds are much safer now than they were during their heyday.
On the one hand, adopting HTTPS means that traffic between you and the site is encrypted. Certification means you always know that you’re connected to the genuine website and reduces the risk of the site being injected with malware.
On the other hand, browser-based games now run on either HTML5 or WebGL, which receive automatic updates and are far safer than Flash ever was. Still, you may be at risk in other ways.
For example, hackers might buy ad space on a game hosting site and pass security checks with ads that look legitimate. They can then replace them with ads that contain malicious downloads or redirect you to harmful sites. The games themselves might be safe, but their environment isn’t.
While you can play most games freely, some hosting sites may support accounts to enable saving your progress or unlock extra features. If a site you sign up for ever suffers a data breach, all the info you provided may become exposed.
While rare, intentionally harmful browser-based games do exist. For example, a North Korean hacker group named Lazarus used a browser-based tank game to take advantage of a Chrome exploit that let them execute code and access sensitive information like cookies and victims’ passwords.
How to Stay Safe?
Browser-based gaming is generally safe if you use common sense and take some precautions.
Sticking to legitimate sites is the best thing you can do. They offer thousands of games catering to different tastes. Such sites also have a reputation to protect, and they invest in security more than obscure or sketchy alternatives.
Provide as little info as possible if you decide to create an account. Most importantly, make sure that it doesn’t have the same or a similar password as other accounts. That way, more important tools and services won’t be affected if there’s ever a breach.
You can use a Chrome password manager to ensure that all your credentials are unique and complex enough so that they’re impossible to guess.
Since ads are more problematic than games themselves nowadays, you can drastically reduce exposure to them by installing an ad blocker.
Finally, ensure that your browser is always up to date to patch exploits like the one Lazarus used when a fix is available.
Conclusion
Whether you’re nostalgic or want to squeeze some fun out of your lunch break, browser-based games remain a great option. Approach them responsibly, and you shouldn’t have any problems.