INFORMATION THREATS AND METHODS OF ENSURING SECURITY IN MODERN ONLINE GAMES

Abstract

The article provides a comprehensive analysis of modern approaches to organizing cybersecurity at enterprises, which allowed not only to systematize existing concepts of information security management, but also to identify key trends, contradictions and problematic aspects in the field of technical information protection. Particular attention is paid to the relationship between organizational and technological components of cyber protection, since it is their inconsistency that often causes critical vulnerabilities in corporate systems. It has been established that traditional means of protection, focused mainly on preventive measures - in particular, antivirus solutions, firewalls, access control systems - are no longer able to provide a full level of cyber resilience in the conditions of dynamic development of cyber threats, the growth of the role of social engineering and the spread of targeted attacks. This indicates the need to transition from reactive models of cyber protection to proactive strategies, in which the identification of potential risks precedes their implementation. The importance of ethical hacking as a tool for actively identifying vulnerabilities in information systems before they can be exploited by attackers is substantiated. Ethical hacking allows an enterprise to assess the real level of security of its information assets in conditions as close to real-world as possible, which makes it one of the most effective means of independent security auditing. Based on the analysis, it is proven that the integration of offensive security testing methods with technical protection tools creates a synergistic effect, which allows for a deeper understanding of the system's weaknesses, increases the speed of response to potential threats, and makes the risk management process more flexible and adaptive. The interaction of offensive practices with monitoring tools (IDS/IPS, SIEM), cryptographic systems, and backup tools contributes to the formation of a closed information protection cycle. The developed conceptual model for integrating ethical hacking into the technical information protection system demonstrates the possibility of combining preventive, detection, and reactive mechanisms in a single cycle of continuous improvement of cyber protection. This approach is based on the principles of dynamic adaptation, where the results of penetration tests directly affect the configuration and development of technical protection tools. As a result, a system is formed that is capable of self-learning and constant updating in accordance with new attack vectors. This ensures not only an increase in the level of cyber resilience, but also optimization of the use of enterprise resources, since preventive threat detection is much cheaper than eliminating the consequences of incidents. The expected benefits of implementing an integrated approach are a significant increase in the level of trust in the enterprise's information infrastructure, increased reputational stability in the market, reduction of risks of unauthorized access and data loss. In addition, this approach contributes to the improvement of internal security audit processes, the formation of a unified corporate information risk management policy and the development of a culture of responsible attitude to cyber security issues at all levels of the organizational structure. It is also important that the integration of ethical hacking stimulates staff training, promotes the development of internal security expertise and creates the prerequisites for long-term improvement of the enterprise's competitiveness in the digital environment.