Many PlayStation owners see their PSN account as a nuisance needed to manage their libraries, play games, and buy new ones. The account holds a lot of sensitive info, including your birthdate, full name, and address. You’ll need to provide a payment method, too.
All of this makes PSN accounts invaluable sources of information for hackers to try and compromise. In this article, we’ll show you how to secure your PSN account and make sure it stays that way.
Enhance Your Password Security
Having a compromised password is the worst thing that can happen to your PSN account. Not only does that let someone else play any game in your library, but it also gives them access to your personal information. The payment details you associate with the account are the most damning since they can use them to make unauthorized purchases.
Your PSN account password needs to be strong and unique. Strong means it has to be long and use more than just letters and numbers. It’s equally important not to make it something a hacker could easily guess. So stuff like popular quotes or info about you that someone could get their hands on are out.
Your best bet is to start relying on a trusted password manager. Specifically for your PSN account, it can create a password that fits the criteria above. You can auto-fill the password field in the login form if you use the account through a computer or mobile app.
More importantly, a password manager can store and bring all your other account credentials up to snuff. Being able to replace as many weak passwords as needed and replace them with highly resistant ones ensures no two accounts share the same login details.
That’s a huge step up in your general level of cybersecurity. Data breaches happen all the time, and there are more of them each year. A hacker who gets a login for a random account you might have even forgotten about this way could try to log in to your other accounts with the same info. Far too many people lose multiple accounts this way. A password manager prevents that.
Once you’ve created a secure password, you’ll want to maximize its effect. Enable it during login and checkout so only you can use the account and authorize purchases.
Tie Up Loose Ends with 2SV
While a proper password is an effective security measure, it’s not flawless. You might accidentally disclose it or write the info down and expose it that way. You’ll want to err on the side of caution and set up 2-step verification or 2SV.
It’s simple – once 2SV is on, your user ID and password are no longer enough to log into your PSN account. That second step takes the form of a verification code that PlayStation will send to your phone. You can log in only once you’ve entered that code.
2SV is also an effective alarm that warns you about unauthorized logins. You’ll get notifications about suspicious activity through the app and via the email address linked to your account. Such takeover attempts will fail if the attacker doesn’t have physical access to your phone, which is highly unlikely. Even so, these notifications should prompt you to change your PSN account password immediately.
Sharing is Caring?
You only have complete control of your accounts if no one else knows their details. Setting up a family account is the easiest way to let other adults and children enjoy all the games you’ve collected. It should go without saying but don’t share your ID and password with anyone else. As tempting as it might be to let a friend experience a game you own, it’s best to invite them over instead.
You’ll want to pay attention to how your kids or younger siblings use the console. They might not understand the worth of money yet and rack up a hefty bill on skins or other purchases. Setting up parental controls will keep them from draining your bank account while limiting playtime to a healthy amount.
Don’t Fall for Scams
The PlayStation is the world’s leading console brand, which naturally attracts both positive and negative attention alike. There’s a thriving black market for PSN accounts, and hackers stoop low to trick people out of theirs. Becoming wise to their tricks is the only way not to get duped.
Phishing emails are the most common method of illegal account acquisition. They usually look like official correspondence from PlayStation that claims there’s a problem with your PSN account. Inside is a link that leads to a copy of the login page. Instead of logging you in, the form captures and steals your details. PlayStation will never ask you to provide account information, so you can safely write those off as scams.
Another way to get to your login info is through sketchy websites. They’ll offer deals that sound too good to be true, like heavily discounted PS5 consoles or games. Such sites might not ask for your PSN login specifically, but they’ll gladly steal your payment information just the same.
Go the Extra Mile with a VPN
For all the joy it brings, gaming comes with unpleasant experiences. Someone you meet online could go to great lengths to compromise your account or expose your identity. Your IP address can tell them a lot, which is why you’ll want to hide it with a virtual private network.
A VPN improves security and anonymity by enforcing your regular internet connection with a layer of tamper-proof encryption. It can also connect to servers in almost any corner of the world, so anyone who wants to track your activities can keep on guessing.
Since you can bypass geo-restrictions, VPNs are also convenient for when you want to start preloading and playing games as early as possible. If you don’t know anything about VPNs and how to choose a reliable one from the sea of providers, make sure to check the VPN comparison table on Reddit.
Conclusion
Losing your PSN account can be a scary – and costly – experience. Luckily, following our tips will make it virtually impossible to hack or steal.