Happy Cybersecurity Awareness Month!
Hello everyone, and welcome to the 9th edition of the EA Forums Online Security Newsletter.
It’s October Cybersecurity Awareness Month. We’ll revisit key topics from previous editions to refresh our knowledge and prepare for this month’s optional challenge. Staying secure is essential and should be a priority in every online interaction or purchase.
As usual, if you share your experiences or take a quiz, you’ll receive a unique badge on the forums as a token of participation.
Now is a good time to introduce this month’s additional, optional challenge. Since October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, let’s promote online security even more: talk about online safety with your family and those most vulnerable, like your grandparents or kids. Exchange experiences with friends and share the tips you use every day. You can use the information in this newsletter or other resources (check the InfoHub). And, most importantly…
Stay safe!
Cybersecurity Awareness Month
Downloading games
Download apps and games only from official stores. Check reviews and ratings, and review requested permissions. Keep your operating system and apps updated, use antivirus software, and avoid illegal “cracked” versions, which often carry malware.
Keeping your account secure
Use strong, unique passwords and a password manager. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA), such as Google Authenticator (biometric options are often supported). Watch for phishing: verify senders, avoid suspicious links or attachments, and never share personal information. Secure your email, the gateway to many accounts, by enabling two-factor authentication (2FA), monitoring activity, and using encryption for sensitive messages.
Biometrics security
Biometrics (fingerprints, facial recognition, voice) and passkeys use on-device cryptography to reduce or replace passwords. They resist phishing, brute-force attacks, and password theft while enabling faster logins. Devices store encrypted templates, not raw fingerprint or face images, helping protect security and privacy even if a device is compromised.
Online purchases
Buy games and currency from official stores or verified sellers; avoid offers that seem too good to be true. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on your accounts and use trusted payment methods (e.g., PayPal, Google Pay) with buyer protection. Keep your system and antivirus up to date. Be wary of social engineering: double-check links, verify senders, and remember that legitimate support will not contact you through unofficial channels.
Password creation psychology
People often prioritize convenience over security, opting for simple or familiar passwords (such as birthdays, names, or team names), reusing them, or following predictable patterns. To strengthen security, use passphrases with unrelated words, employ mnemonics, store unique and complex passwords in a password manager, and update them periodically.
Psychology of phishing
Phishing exploits the principles of urgency, authority, curiosity, rewards, and social proof. Counter it by pausing when a message sparks excitement or panic, verifying claims via official channels (not embedded links), checking sender details and branding, and treating unsolicited gifts or windfalls as suspicious. If a message seems to come from a friend but feels off, confirm through a separate, trusted channel. In short: slow down, verify independently, and think before you click.
Security vulnerabilities
A security vulnerability is a flaw that attackers can exploit to steal data, disrupt services, or gain unauthorized access, distinct from cheating, which manipulates in-game mechanics. If you discover a vulnerability in an EA game or service, report it via the Security Vulnerability Submission form on the EA Security website. Include the product, platform, version, discovery time, impact, reproduction steps, and any supporting evidence. EA evaluates reports using CVSS and a four-tier severity scale (Critical, Important, Moderate, Low), alongside the STRIDE model. Cheating or account issues should be reported via in-game tools or EA account support, not through this form.
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