As a parent, you probably have worked to keep your kids safe as they use connected devices such as mobile phones and computers. How much screen time is right for each child and how to keep kids safe from strangers online are common considerations, but did you know your video game console might house hidden risks?

Your PlayStation, Xbox or other device is connected to the internet, and that alone can open up some risks for malware or identity theft. But if you or your kids are streaming video games or communicating with others in real-time digital landscapes on consoles or computers, those risks can go up.

Find out more about the threat of identity theft when it comes to video games and video game streaming. Then, learn about how you can work to safeguard your family with practical tips and privacy protection measures.

The Hidden Threat in Video Games

Dr. Robert D'Ovidio, an associate professor at Drexel University, said in a Bureau of Justice Assistance podcast interview that online video game worlds are "ripe environments for identity theft," among other potential crimes

But how do these virtual make-believe worlds end up with the ability to impact your real-world wallet or put your child's identity at risk? Here are just a few ways videos game streaming and online gaming can contain hidden risks.

The Device Is Connected

Any device that you connect to the internet from your home network creates a potential path for cyber criminals to enter your private digital domain. Video game data streams over the same home network that your television streaming, mobile devices and home computers use. That means the path used for video game connections and communication may be the same path used when you enter banking passwords and manage your accounts.

Yes, it's a bit more complex than that, but the truth is that an unprotected device connected to your network leaves a potentially vulnerable link. And hackers are always looking for the weak link they can exploit.

You May Have Entered Payment Data

Cyber criminals don't have to breach your home network to get access to your personal or financial information, though. Chances are that if someone in your home is streaming video games, you entered payment data at some point to purchase games, in-app options or expansion packs.

That information may have been stored with your device or on the payment server of the company in question — especially if you chose to make your payment method available for future purchases to support convenience.

If the video game data service is breached, that puts your information at risk.

Video Games May Include Downloads

Downloads themselves are fine — chances are your latest business or home productivity software came in a download format rather than the old-school CD version. But what sometimes comes with downloads is not okay — malicious worms, spyware and other programs like to hitch a ride on seemingly legitimate software.

When malicious downloads come along with your game downloads, they can infect your computer. If you're gaming from a console on your network, they might be able to move to other devices on the network or at least gather data from those devices.

Some negative consequences of these dirty downloads can include impacts to home network traffic (which can mean your streaming and computing capabilities are diminished), breaches of your network security and the ability for cyber criminals to gather any data you have housed on connected devices.

Scammers Might Target Child Players

Finally, one of the benefits of online video game streaming is that you can take part in a community of players. Players communicate via headsets or typing as they play, often enjoying gaming with existing friends or making new ones.

The downside is that video gaming can be fairly anonymous. You don't know who is on the other end, and it could be a hacker. According to the 2019 Data Breach Industry Forecast, hackers and scammers are posing increasingly as legitimate gamers to ferret out personal data from players. And child players who may not know better could innocently reveal information that allows hackers to steal their identity or the identities of their parents.

Video Games and Identity Theft: A Known Problem

Identity theft risk is such a known problem in the video game world that some companies take proactive approaches to security. Industry leader EA, for example, was alerted by cybersecurity firms of the vulnerability of its Origin gaming software in 2019.

Cybersecurity firms that do this kind of work act as sort of "legal hackers," attempting to get into the client system by hook or crook just as cyber criminals might. By doing so, they expose any vulnerabilities in the system and whether hackers might be able to access sensitive company or client data.

The results of the work on the EA Origin system found vulnerabilities that could have put the data of 300 million registered users at risk.

How Parents Can Enforce Privacy Protections

Parents don't have to cut off the Wi-Fi and kill the video game fun to protect their children's information or their own, though. You can take a number of steps to reduce your risk of identity theft when someone in your home is playing video games online.

1. Only buy or download from official sites

Start your protection measures at the beginning by only buying or downloading items or games from reputable sources. It might be tempting to buy a pricey game from a site that offers a major discount or even says the game is free. However, in many of those cases, the site may not be legitimate at all. Cyber criminals could be using those sites to gather payment information and other data about people that can then be used for identity theft.

2. Use strong authentication measures

Once you have a game or system set up, always use strong log-in measures. That means setting up a password that can't easily be guessed. Don't use someone in the family's name or date of birth, for example, or even a combination of family names.

Instead, use a long string of random letters, numbers and special characters — extra points if you use both uppercase and lowercase letters. You should also change your password regularly — a good rule of thumb is to change all your passwords every 90 days.

Yes, this can cause a bit of hassle for the family, but it's worth everyone having to learn a new password a few times a year to keep your data safe.

3. Consider using VPN connections for video game and other streaming

A VPN is a virtual private network. Some benefits for using this type of service for streaming in general and video gaming specifically can include:

• Keeping your IP address hidden so people can't track your gaming activity back to your computer or network

• Helping to increase security if someone is gaming online via a public Wi-Fi network

• Masking online activity so that advertisers and hackers can't follow you across the web to gather information about your online habits that might be used to target you

4. Talk to your kids about online safety

The most robust security measures don't keep your information safe if someone volunteers it. If your kids — including teenagers — don't truly understand the risks of being in online environments, they may inadvertently share information about themselves or you that can make it easier for criminals to perpetrate identity theft.

Your kids will probably know not to read your credit card number over an internet connection to someone they don't know. But sharing their names, addresses, birthdays or other information can have negative consequences.

Talk to your kids about online safety risks and what they should and shouldn't share. And if your kids are streaming video games, don't be afraid to listen in sometimes or keep age-appropriate supervision in place to help keep everyone safe.

5. Monitor your credit reports and accounts

No matter who you are and what steps you take to keep identity thieves at bay, there's at least a small chance that your identity or financial information can be stolen. By proactively monitoring your credit reports and accounts, you can catch that type of fraud sooner rather than later, which can make a big difference in how much you lose and what the recovery time is.

For example, if you catch and report fraudulent charges to your bank immediately, there's less chance you'll be liable for any of those amounts. And it's much easier to unravel fraud on your credit report if it hasn't set up house and developed a long history.