How safe are casinos as far as your deposits are concerned? Are they vulnerable to hacking?
The quick answer is they are mostly safe. While it is true that hackers will stop at nothing, you have to understand that casinos were built by highly organised institutions that invested a lot of money on cybersecurity. Despite this, players have a responsibility to keep their data safe.
Casino payment systems like the ones used in Bitcoincasinosonly.com are not vulnerable to hack attacks, but your own systems are. Today, we will discuss some of the technologies used in the casino industry, and also provide you with some tips to prevent you from getting hacked.
Payment Systems Are Safe Because of the 128-Bit Encryption
128-bit encryption is a technique where your data or file is jumbled. Once this is jumbled, a key is required to unlock the proper sequence of that file, and thus a computer or program will be able to read and use it.
The 128-bit means that this key is made up of a string of 16 random characters. Each character is worth 8 bit, and this is why it is called 128-bit (8 bits per character X 16 characters). These characters must be in the proper order for it to be useful.
Imagine that you placed a document inside a vault that is indestructible. The only way you can open that vault is by using a code. This code is made of 128 numbers and characters, and they must be used in the proper order before you can open that vault.
The 128-bit encryption technology works in a similar fashion. Logically, it is unbreakable. All banks and financial institutions use it because it will take a massive amount of computing power before someone can hack into it. The only way a hacker can get into it is by brute force, which means that he has to try all possible combinations to find the key.
The number speaks for itself and experts said that a 128-bit key would take 500 billion years to crack even with the most advanced software. Yes, that is billions of years.
The 128-bit key encryption has been around since 2001. This is not the only encryption technology available, as there are modern security systems that use 256-bit and even 2,048-bit.
Although more advanced, 256-bit and 2,048-bit encryption methods are not required by casinos and financial institutions. The organisations that use these advanced encryption keys are the military.
Payment Systems Are Safe Because of the SSL Technology
SSL stands for Secure Socket Layer. It is one of the most important security component of any online business, and casinos use this to ensure that their websites are safe.
If you have ever gone to a safe website, like online BTC casinos, you would have noticed that the URL starts with HTTPS. The letter “S” means that it is secure and that it has been issued what is called SSL Certificate.
The certificate is what establishes trust among computers. Browsers like Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and Edge look for this SSL Certificate. Without this, they will warn the user that the site he is trying to access is not safe. The SSL technology has a padlock icon, which you can see just beside the URL to the left.
Now, SSL Certificates have two keys. One is a public key, and the other is a private key. These keys must work together to create an encrypted connection. The certificate has its own identification, and the computer browsers will look for this identification code.
Without this, the browser is going to flag the website as unsafe. You can only get a certificate from a Certificate Authority. The Certificate Authority has the public key, while your own server has the private key.
The casino server and the Certificate Authority servers will talk, and if the keys match, then the website is deemed secure.
Think of it this way:
- Certificate Authority has data files that have the public key;
- Casino servers have the private key;
- Only these two keys can bind together to create a secure connection;
- Once they bind, all the data that passes through that website is encrypted; only these two keys can decrypt them.
Here is an example:
- You input credit card data in the best Bitcoin gambling sites to make a deposit;
- Since you are in the casino site’s domain, that credit card info is locked with the casino’s public key;
- That credit card info is now encrypted with the public key;
- Only the private key can decrypt that jumble credit card info;
- The private key is with the casino’s servers;
- Only the casino has the key to unlock the transaction.
See, if a hacker intercepts the data transfer between you and the casino, the only thing that he get is a jumbled code. Again, the hacker needs brute force to unlock this code, and it can take him 500 billion years to do it.
Tips to Keep Yourself Safe from Hack Attacks
While casinos are safe, players can do things that can compromise their safety, and this is why they become victims of online hacking and fraud.
Here are some tips to keep your information private:
- Check for SSL – always check the URL of a casino if it is safe; if there is no padlock on the URL, it is not a safe casino.
- Do not install software – the only software you have to install is the casino software; do not install anything else; hackers use software to record your keyboard strokes, and this is how they learn your password and access your casino account.
- Do not store passwords – never write your password on a piece of paper; never store them on your phone.
- Lock your PC and phone – make sure you create a password for your PC and phone; even if it gets lost, hackers cannot open it.
- Protect your privacy – do not input passwords when people are looking; you never know who you can trust.
- Be wary of emails – hackers often send emails pretending to be legit emails from a casino; they would tell you that you must click your account because it was compromised; never do this. The moment you click on that link and supply your password, the hacker already have your password, and you are susceptible to attacks.
Always practice caution and use reasonable judgment. If you receive a phone call or an email, never trust it unless you requested for it. Do not give your password to a customer service support representative.
Financial institutions, even those that are used by casinos, will never ask for it. Always remember: your password is yours and yours alone. It is never meant to be shared with anybody.
Summary
Casinos are a great target for hacking, as there is a lot of financial transactions that go on in there every second. Can the hackers succeed? If they have 500 billion years and a powerful computer, yes they can.
The trick here is to secure yourself. Do not share your passwords and do not store them anywhere. Not on your wallet and certainly not on your phone or a piece of paper. Do not install programs you do not know and stay away from websites that do not have SSL Certificates.
As always, err on the side of caution. Do not be too trusting. Do your due diligence and investigation. Casino payment systems are not vulnerable to hacking, but you are.