Over the last several years, it has become apparent how rapid the growth of collegiate Esports has become. What was once considered a pastime of playing video games after school has become a growing varsity sport for many colleges nationwide.
Universities have also begun to heavily invest in arenas dedicated to Esports. For those athletes that never – in their wildest dreams – thought the day would come when gaming would be a significant collegiate sport, this is cause for celebration. For the universities who felt the same, this is uncharted territory that may bring some apprehension. However, after speaking with several league administrators at the collegiate and high school levels, however, that apprehension does not ever seem focused on one overlooked area: cybersecurity.
Granted, many organizations only have cybersecurity as a top priority once a breach occurs or new regulations make it a requirement. But the reality is that it’s necessary for today’s world of digital transformation. Collegiate Esports are relatively new and currently not regulated by the NCAA. However, independent conferences such as The National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE), which established collegiate Esports in 2016, were formed to govern the competitions and have seen exponential membership growth in the past several years. This fast-paced growth could prove to be a brand-new target for hackers and scammers who could access a wealth of personal information.
Game developers have already experienced numerous breaches. Roblox, Neopets and Bandai Namco have all encountered information security incidents. One recent breach in January 2023 impacted Riot Games, who were threatened with a $10 million ransom after their source code was stolen in a security breach. Hackers are skilled enough to break into the gaming developers themselves, who most likely do have cybersecurity as a focal point of their business. What could they do if they happened to breach one of the universities through students’ online gaming?
Not only could player data be stolen, but cybercriminals could seek to leverage that access to maneuver to other targets within the university. You could become a target if your university or conference is active in collegiate or high school Esports. Anytime one of your athletes logs on during a tournament from your facility or their dorm room, you are a target. If your school is hosting an Esports tournament, you are a target. Withum knows this and can assist in ensuring your university’s security and your athletes’. Don’t be the first great data breach in collegiate Esports history.
Authors: Michael Pahira, Team Leader, Professional Sports and Esports | [email protected] and Julie Tracy, Executive Cybersecurity Advisor | [email protected]
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For more information on this topic, please contact a member of Withum’s Esports Services Team.
