Hackers have their sights set on Games

Gamers will be a major target for hackers this year, according to Australian computer security experts, with console users and players of online PC games such as World of Warcraft at risk of attack.

The warning follows Microsoft's admission that phone-support staff had been tricked into giving account details of some Xbox Live customers to unauthorised callers.

Some online users have complained of hijacked accounts and being charged for purchases they haven't made.

With online features now ubiquitous in today's games consoles, MacLeonard Starkey, security analyst for Australia's Computer Emergency Response Team (Auscert), says hackers will soon begin to exploit any security vulnerabilities on gaming machines. "I haven't see any malicious code that is specifically designed to run on a PlayStation 3 or an Xbox but I would expect (it) is not very far away at all."

Stefana Muller, director of product management at security software maker CA 1, also believes consoles are now a target, expecting and expects attacks on gaming payment systems and more benign "proof-of-concept" hacks.