Conference:  Global AppSec San Francisco 2022

Authors: Adarsh Nair, Greeshma M R

2022-11-17

Metaverse is the concept where rather than just viewing digital content, users can immerse themselves in a space where digital and physical worlds merge. Because of advances in digital technology, we are opening ourselves up to the possibility of being in a universe that is infinite. To mould this virtual environment in this new era of digital inquiry, it is necessary to make use of technology that focusses on privacy. However, just as there are some inherent risks and security issues with the Internet as it exists today, there will be risks that will need to be addressed as we move forward into a world of digital connection. Cybercriminals, obviously, are going to be a part of the metaverse and attempts to steal people's personal information and identities will be made. Identity thefts, unauthorized data collection, ransomware attacks, social engineering attacks, impact on mental health and perceptions, increase in deepfakes and so on, are few of the risks that this paper present. Identity theft could become even more prevalent in the metaverse unless strong security measures are enacted. It already runs as a multibillion-dollar industry, with the number of cases increasing by more than 50% from 2020's figures. Hackers can utilize virtual reality headsets and controllers to steal personal information, such as fingerprints and iris scanning, as well as facial geometries, from people who use them. Ransomware attackers could deny you access to your bank accounts or other critical platforms.The metaverse requires us to give up more personal information than we are used to — more than we currently do while using the internet — and this greatly raises the risk.People can be psychologically manipulated into revealing private information through social engineering. Hackers wishing to sell personal information on the Dark Web could potentially profit from the vast amounts of personal data that will be stored in the metaverse. Since metaverse is an immersive experience, the manipulated, disturbing visual content potentially spread by malicious elements can have higher impact than those consumed via the current web. People's perception of the actual world can be affected by the foundational technologies in virtual and augmented reality, according to a study by Stanford University researchers. Creating deepfakes of your metaverse avatar could be more plausible, which are a threat to the society that thrives on information consumption.As we move toward a world where nearly everything is done digitally, the risks of digital interaction will also increase. Passwords and usernames are no longer sufficient to prevent cyberattacks when viewed from a metaverse perspective. A comprehensive authentication solution can promise a more secure interaction and guarantee better user experience.