Metaverse is becoming a faster growing platform for users. According to a recent survey, many companies and brands are entering the digital reality industry. In addition, it was noted that there was a great increase in the interest of consumers in the metaverse.
However, the more interest in the metaverse increases, the more potential risks become possible. A report by cybersecurity company Kaspersky suggested that cyberattacks and scams in the metaverse will increase further next year.
The risks and threats to the Metaverse range from scams to identity thefts.
To better understand the dangers and risks users may face by stepping into digital reality, Cointelegraph spoke with Andrew Newman, chief technology officer and co-founder of cybersecurity company ReasonLabs and former architect of Microsoft’s Windows Defender anti-malware software.
According to Newman, the first concept users need to understand is that metaverse identity will likely be users’ digital identity.
“As our real lives and digital identities continue to intermingle, identity thefts in the metaverse will continue to increase.”
However, Newman underlined that avatar scams are already occurring on platforms like Roblox. The example given by Newman was that the hacker might try to convince a user that they need to access their avatar for various reasons in order to steal their digital identity.
Although it is common to face threats of theft of digital identities as they connect to metaverse avatars of money or digital assets, these threats are expected to increase. Newman also warned users that they are increasingly paying for avatars:
“We need to make sure that we protect our identity and digital assets in the metaverse just as we protect our physical assets.”
The amount of real value users can hold and the various types of digital assets continue to expand endlessly. This plays a huge role in promoting the expansion of digital reality and that cyber attacks and theft will only become more sophisticated.
On the other hand, there is a lot of promise for transparency and security in blockchain and emerging technologies. However, Newman underlined that users should still be careful.
“We cannot assume that our funds will not be subject to thefts because they are in the metaverse rather than traditional banking networks.”
Moreover, the metaverse is designed to engage many young children and teenagers, as well as offering many opportunities in many business worlds. However, it becomes easier to defraud or exploit younger user accounts that spend time in the metaverse.
Metaverse platforms such as Minecraft, Fortnite, and Roblox generally appeal to younger age groups. Often, minors fail to grasp the importance of cybersecurity or digital footprints. Newman said that young users have been exposed to cyber attacks many times before.
Currently, many major Web3 developers such as Chainlink continue to work on new security protocols for users in digital reality. Developers inside and outside the industry, on the other hand, want to create a global metaverse policy to address a list of growing concerns.