Online gaming has made it possible for friends to play together without having to share the same physical space. More than that, it has sparked the creation of dozens of communities, paved the way for a billion-dollar industry known as “esports,” and has made player-vs-player (PVP) battles on your favorite games that much more epic. However, where there is data being transferred online, there are potential security risks involved. We’re going to share our best Xbox security tips, so you can claim victory in your game and with your privacy.
A brief history of online gaming
Before getting to the Xbox security tips, let’s dive into how Xbox set the precedent for modern online gaming.
Without the innovations made in the 1970s and 80s, online gaming would not be possible today. In the 70s, the U.S. Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET) began laying the framework for the first public computer network. The Atari gaming console was released inspiring the development of countless companies and exploding the popularity of multiplayer gaming. Dungeons and Dragons introduced the modern format for role-playing games (RPGs), and the creation of the joystick revolutionized how we play.
The 80s brought personal computers, the internet itself, and a lot of awkward development in the gaming industry through the 90s. But in 2002, Microsoft (the owner of Xbox) changed the landscape. A few consoles like the Nintendo GameCube and PlayStation 2 were already able to connect to the internet, but Xbox was responsible for streamlining online gaming by introducing Xbox Live. This was a huge hit with Halo players (a popular first-person shooter game), and ushered in many years of online multiplayer success that would later be emulated by legendary companies like Sony and Nintendo to this day.
Currently, Xbox only holds about 15% market share in the video game console market, behind Playstation with 85%. This is down dramatically from just two years ago when Xbox held about 42% of the market, meaning there are still millions of monthly active users with Xbox, about 120 million to be exact. This article is for those players and their parents, although a lot of our tips are applicable to any gamer on any console.
What are the risks of online gaming?
A simple fact about the internet is that hackers are everywhere, even on your gaming console if you’re not careful. Since Xbox Live and other online gaming services require a login, the risk of having your account compromised is ever-present. This could be detrimental if you have a payment method linked to your account. The nature of online gaming invites the prospect of talking to strangers that can manipulate you into giving certain details away or send unwanted mature messages to harass you.
In the modern day, data collection by third parties is rampant throughout anything that has an internet connection. Apps downloaded to your Xbox may be able to collect data on your habits and pass them on to others for the sake of advertising. Especially if you are a parent, online gaming may seem out of your league. But it’s important to understand the risks and communicate them with your child, and know how to implement parental controls when necessary to avoid any drama with unwanted strangers and third parties.
See also: How To Stop DDoS Attacks On Xbox
Steps you can take to secure your Xbox account
You’ll want to acquaint yourself with the Xbox privacy settings, which will help you secure all aspects of your account. First, click the Xbox button on your controller to open the Guide on the left-hand side. From there, navigate to the Profile & system menu on the top right of the Guide (it is indicated by your chosen profile picture). Scroll down and select Settings. This will redirect you to the General tab in your settings. Navigate to the Account tab, which will reveal a panel on the right with a few different options related to privacy settings.
Sign-in, security & PIN
This is your most basic panel of security measures that can be taken on your Xbox account. Your sign-in methods range from “magically” fast, without any passkey barriers, to “locked down,” requiring your Microsoft account password to merely sign in.
This menu also allows you to set a PIN number, which may become your best friend. You can customize your preferences for when this 6-digit code is needed, including signing in, changing settings, or making purchases. This is an especially excellent resource for parents.
Keep in mind that Xbox users with a Kinect system may be automatically signed in by simply being in the room (your face will be detected). Your preferences may vary depending on who you share your system with.
Privacy & online safety
Now we’re onto the online portion of our Xbox security tips, most applicable to those who are subscribed to a Live account. When you first click the option, you will see four prompts: Xbox privacy, App privacy, Manage safety, and Data collection.
Xbox privacy – This is where you can customize details about your online status, profile, history, friends/clubs, sharing, and buying/downloading.
For parents, you can choose from three defaults: child, teen, and adult. Each of them has preset preferences that Microsoft recommends for each age group. For example, children need permission from a parent to add friends, and friends will only see a watered-down version of their profile and their gamertag (account username). Teens are allowed to add friends freely, and those friends will be able to see their full profile including their name and history. Adults will have their profiles and real name public for everyone.
There is also a host of customizable options related to online multiplayer gaming, including but not limited to joining games, playing with non-friends, voice/invites/video/live streaming, and sharing. Enabling the strictest options on each prompt may render some of your games unplayable, so be wise and choose what is best for your playing style.
App privacy – Just like your smartphone or laptop, your Xbox needs permission to share access to certain things like your microphone, camera, and location. Here is where you can decide what your apps are allowed to use.
As previously mentioned, advertising is a big part of data collection. Under the General tab, you will see a prompt for all apps to use your advertising ID. This is where third parties could get ahold of your data, along with a few other areas that may leave you vulnerable.
From this section, you will be able to view Microsoft’s Privacy Statement in which they mention that they work with third parties, incoming and outgoing, to curate your experience. We would call this a red flag. They also explicitly mention that you have a choice on whether or not to participate in those practices. We recommend that you don’t.
Manage safety – Fortunately, this section can help you enjoy your multiplayer experience with a bit more customization, specifically for a chat. From here you can decide if you want an unfiltered, mature/medium, or friendly/blocked moderation experience.
These options are, thankfully, specific. You can make the differentiation between the text and media hidden in received messages and message requests, as well as add an option to view hidden content on the fly. One of these options is related to links sent through chat, which can carry potentially unwanted software (PUAs) and mature/disturbing imagery.
Opening unknown links while using Xbox Live is a huge security risk. Links sent by hackers could easily and irreversibly infect your console. Not all malware is blatantly visible. It could be collecting data from you without your permission, be used to orchestrate attacks or mine bitcoin, and weaken overall your experience by making your console laggy or unresponsive. We do not recommend an unfiltered experience with links.
Data collection – Most modern devices with an internet connection give you the option to send diagnostic data to the company for troubleshooting and performance purposes.
Please be aware that although this is different from your advertising ID, experts have expressed surprise at how much personal data is actually collected for diagnostics like your email and IP address. There is always a risk that your personal information may be published in crash reports, and therefore we recommend opting out of this as well.
Payment & billing
It is imperative to know where your payment information lives on your Xbox and how to access it/remove it.
Anyone who accesses your account, via the console or desktop, may have access to your payment information and may be able to copy details, download paid content, or send gifts to their personal account.
Always be sure to remove payment methods from your Xbox account while they are not in use, and we highly recommend adding a PIN for extra security.
Family settings
Here is just another panel that will allow you to change your sign-in settings and PIN, as well as a few optimized controls for parents. You will be able to make choices about family roles and establish where children need to obtain permission. These permissions are also related to making new profiles, formatting the system, accessing content, etc.
It will also allow you to set more specific preferences about web browsing, as Microsoft Edge comes pre-downloaded on the latest models of the Xbox. Just like any device, a web browser may open the door for unwanted changes to be made to your console by visiting the wrong websites. That’s why we recommend that your children are using Edge with restrictions and that you talk to your teen about general online safety.
While there are settings on your Xbox that protect you from having your data tracked, all of these settings may not translate onto Edge. This means that certain websites you visit may still be able to collect data and create cookies. You will need to turn your console off, unplug it for at least 30 seconds, plug it into the power source again, and wait another minute before turning it back on in order to clear your cache.
That’s not all. When downloading a game, or simply accessing your Xbox, you may be prompted to install security updates onto your system. Although these updates may be time-consuming, it behooves you to go through with them as they are designed to patch security issues found in old versions of the operating system (OS) or game. We recommend that you avoid using Xbox Live to play outdated games because it may put you at increased risk for security exploits.
How to set up a VPN on your Xbox
Microsoft has implemented a rather impressive panel of hyper-specific security measures you can take to experience more peace while gaming. But nothing will protect you as strongly as a VPN, and that’s why you’ve reached one of the most important Xbox security tips in this article. Unfortunately, you cannot directly install a VPN on Xbox devices, but you can still use one through these methods.
Using a VPN through the ethernet
You can use this method with a Mac or a PC. You will need to purchase an ethernet cable with the correct ports, but you will also have much more customizability as you will be able to control the VPN through your desktop.
For PC – First, physically connect your PC to your Xbox with the cable. Then go to Control Panel > Network and Internet. Navigate to the left-hand sidebar and select Mobile Hotspot. Turn that on, and at the bottom, disable Power saving. Then in the same menu navigate to Status > Change Adapter Options. Ethernet should appear; right-click that and select Properties, navigate to the Sharing tab, and make sure that Allow other users to connect through this computer’s internet connection is ticked. Then under Home Networking Connection, select your VPN. Then turn on your Xbox and navigate to Settings > Network settings > Test Network Connection. You should now see that your Xbox is connected to your VPN server.
For Mac – First, physically connect your Mac to your Xbox with the cable and run your VPN. Then go to System Preferences > Sharing > Internet Sharing. Make sure the Share your connection from the dropdown is set to Wi-Fi. Then in the To computers using the menu, choose Ethernet. Then next to Internet Sharing on the left, tick the box, and the indicator at the top should switch to green. Then turn on your Xbox and navigate to Settings > Network settings > Test Network Connection. You should now see that your Xbox is connected to your VPN server.
Using a VPN VPN Router
To extend VPN benefits to your entire network, including your Xbox, you can set up a VPN router. Be warned, however, the manual setup is complex and varies from router to router. Therefore, manual VPN router setups are only recommended for experts.
Fortunately, you can avoid the complexity of a manual VPN router setup by purchasing a pre-configured VPN router. These VPN routers are ready to use straight out of the box, and will help secure your whole home network, Xbox included. This is the best way to seamlessly connect your Xbox to a VPN without any extra steps on the console. We still recommend connecting to a VPN server before any sessions online.
Overall, the Xbox is already well-equipped with security features that can make your gaming experience easier and safer. Especially for parents, there is a myriad of options available to help your children enjoy their console without your constant supervision. Regardless of that, using a VPN is always the best way to be safe while online in general, but especially when you may be connecting with strangers and to unsecured servers.