WoW Insiderhttp://wow.joystiq.comWoW Insiderhttp://wow.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gifWoW Insiderhttp://wow.joystiq.comen-usCopyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/WoW Insider ShowEvery week, the WoW Insider Show brings you news and views from the World of Warcraft and the site that covers it all, WoW Insider. We introduce a panel of rotating guests, including bloggers from WoW Insider and other WoW blogs, and many popular personalities from around the WoW community. From the live listener chat and polls during the show, to the emails direct from listeners (reach us at theshow@wow.com), right on to the "meat" of the show -- in-depth discussion of the most popular news and posts on WoW Insider -- the WoW Insider Show is a terrific source of news and entertainment about what's going on with Blizzard and their World of Warcraft. Listen live every Saturday at 3:30 pm Eastern on our Ustream page (http://www.ustream.tv/channel/wow-insider-show) or subscribe to the feed and let us know what you think by reviewing the show right here in iTunes.Diablo 3 bug sees trillions in gold duping, auction houses shutdownhttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/diablo-3-ah-bug-sees-trillions-in-gold-duping-auction-houses-sh/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/diablo-3-ah-bug-sees-trillions-in-gold-duping-auction-houses-sh/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/diablo-3-ah-bug-sees-trillions-in-gold-duping-auction-houses-sh/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Sure, we all like gold. But even the most gold hungry among us can see the problem with a bug that allowed players to accumulate trillions of in-game currency, which is exactly what happened with Diablo III's patch 1.0.8. As a result, the game's Auction House was taken down, and Blizzard is still debating what actions to take to correct the issue, but Lylirra posts on the official forums that roll backs won't be necessary.

Lylirra - Auction Houses Temporarily Offline -- Update
12:00 a.m. PDT: At this time (and after careful consideration), we've decided to not move forward with rolling back the servers. We feel that this is the best course of action given the nature of the dupe, how relatively few players used it, and the fact that its effects were fairly limited within the region. We've been able to successfully identify players who duplicated gold by using this specific bug, and are focusing on these accounts to make corrections. While this is a time-consuming and very detailed process, we believe it's the most appropriate choice given the circumstances. We know that some of you may disagree, but we feel that performing a full roll back would impact the community in an even greater way, as it would require significant downtime as well as revert the progress legitimate players have made since patch 1.0.8 was released this morning.

I know it would be a pretty big blow to lose character levels or gear acquired legitimately, so if they can go after the actual accounts that used the exploit and remove just their duplicated gold, that seems like the best option to me.

WoW InsiderDiablo 3 bug sees trillions in gold duping, auction houses shutdown originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 08 May 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Auction-HousebreakingbugDiablo-3Diablo-3-bugDiablo-IIIlylirraMatthew RossiWed, 08 May 2013 11:00:00 ESTBlizzard offers WoW and antivirus combo ... in South Africahttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/30/blizzard-offers-wow-and-antivirus-combo-in-south-africa/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/30/blizzard-offers-wow-and-antivirus-combo-in-south-africa/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/30/blizzard-offers-wow-and-antivirus-combo-in-south-africa/#commentsFiled under: ,

Good news! Antivirus maker Kapersky Lab teamed up with Blizzard Entertainment to offer bundle that includes WoW, Burning Crusade, Wrath of the Lich King, and Kaspersky Internet Security 2013. Basically, the package is a World of Warcraft Battle Chest plus antivirus package. We think this would be a great package for friends who haven't yet gotten into the game because computer security is awfully important to keeping your WoW account in your hands. Kapersky in particular is designed with gamers in mind with a "game mode" that postpones processor-gobbling scans to free up power for gameplay. The only thing that would make this package better would be if it also included an authenticator, so you really wouldn't have to worry about account security.

The only downside to this package? Currently it's only available in South Africa, where it sells for 399 Rand (or about $44). Perhaps if it's successful there, Blizzard will offer similar packages elsewhere, but for now, new players will need to purchase their game of choice and their antivirus software separately. And don't forget your authenticator!

WoW InsiderBlizzard offers WoW and antivirus combo ... in South Africa originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 30 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>antivirusbattle-chestkaperskykapersky-labworld-of-warcraft-battle-chestwowwow-antiviruswow-antivirus-combwow-battle-chestwow-combowow-kapersky-comboElizabeth HarperTue, 30 Apr 2013 20:00:00 ESTWatch out: Most game hacks are actually malwarehttp://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/16/watch-out-most-game-hacks-are-actually-malware/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/16/watch-out-most-game-hacks-are-actually-malware/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/04/16/watch-out-most-game-hacks-are-actually-malware/#commentsFiled under:

We know that all of our readers are swell guys and gals who would never cheat at World of Warcraft, but just in case you needed another reason to avoid that kind of thing, anti-virus maker AVG is reporting that 90% of game hacks contain malware. And beyond the fact that using a hack will get your account banned by Blizzard, malware has a good chance to steal your WoW account and other sensitive information -- like bank account information or credit card numbers.

We know it seems to take forever to grind for gold or levels sometimes, but if you see something offering to get you gold, levels, achievements, or anything else with the click of a button -- don't click! If these things sound too good to be true, they probably are. So instead, keep your account secure by avoiding hacks and being sure you only download addons from trusted sources. Your account, safe and secure, will thank you!

[Via The Escapist]

WoW InsiderWatch out: Most game hacks are actually malware originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>hacksmalwarewow-account-securitywow-cheatswow-hacksElizabeth HarperTue, 16 Apr 2013 13:00:00 ESTEver wonder what a game master does?http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/01/23/ever-wonder-what-a-game-master-does/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/01/23/ever-wonder-what-a-game-master-does/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/01/23/ever-wonder-what-a-game-master-does/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Well, Blizzard would like to tell you. And they've done so via the medium of clever video. Whatever your troubles in game are, the game masters are the ones who deal with them. The video explains the options you have to get the help you need, both in game and out of game. Whether it's phone support, web live chat, or in-game tickets, this video not only explains your options but gives a walk through of the typical tasks a Game Master undertakes in a day. There's even details on the various automated processes players can take advantage of to resolve issues faster than waiting for a GM.

So if you're curious, go take a gander at what, exactly, GM's do for you.

Mists of Pandaria is here! The level cap has been raised to 90, many players have returned to Azeroth, and pet battles are taking the world by storm. Keep an eye out for all of the latest news, and check out our comprehensive guide to Mists of Pandaria for everything you'll ever need to know.

WoW InsiderEver wonder what a game master does? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 23 Jan 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Customer-Service-VideosGame-MastersGMMatthew RossiWed, 23 Jan 2013 15:00:00 ESTAuthenticators temporarily unavailable from EU Blizzard online storehttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/12/18/authenticators-temporarily-unavailable-from-eu-blizzard-online-s/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/12/18/authenticators-temporarily-unavailable-from-eu-blizzard-online-s/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/12/18/authenticators-temporarily-unavailable-from-eu-blizzard-online-s/#commentsFiled under: , ,

From December 17th, players in Europe will no longer be able to order a physical Battle.net Authenticator from the Blizzard online store. CM Takralus broke it down for everyone playing in the EU realms. Why are authenticators going to be unavailable? Because the online store in Europe is being revamped.

Takralus - Battle.net Authenticators Temporarily Unavailable
From December 17 2012, physical products including Battle.net Authenticators will be temporarily unavailable on the Blizzard Online Store in Europe. This is in preparation for a revamp of the store which will take place during 2013. In the meantime, many items can be found on the US Blizzard Store.

Players wishing to acquire a Battle.net Authenticator have several options. The Battle.net Mobile Authenticator is available for many types of smartphone, and you can find out more about it here. For many people, this is the easiest and cheapest option!

If you prefer to have a physical Battle.net Authenticator, you can get hold of one from several sources including the online retailers and high-street stores listed here.
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I admit I don't know how reasonable it is to order an authenticator from the US store for players in Europe, so hopefully the store won't be down for long. It should be noted that Takralus specifically points out that physical products will be unavailable, so presumably you can still buy items like pets and mounts.

Mists of Pandaria is here! The level cap has been raised to 90, many players have returned to Azeroth, and pet battles are taking the world by storm. Keep an eye out for all of the latest news, and check out our comprehensive guide to Mists of Pandaria for everything you'll ever need to know.

WoW InsiderAuthenticators temporarily unavailable from EU Blizzard online store originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 18 Dec 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>authenticatorBlizzardBlizzard.storeEUEuropeMatthew RossiTue, 18 Dec 2012 17:00:00 ESTBreakfast Topic: When was the last time you changed your WoW password?http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/11/23/breakfast-topic-when-was-the-last-time-you-changed-your-wow-pas/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/11/23/breakfast-topic-when-was-the-last-time-you-changed-your-wow-pas/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/11/23/breakfast-topic-when-was-the-last-time-you-changed-your-wow-pas/#commentsFiled under: ,

Breakfast Topic When was the last time you changed your WoW password
Hey there -- Mom here! I know you're busy trying to hide the fact that you licked your plate to get all the stuff that was stuck in the gravy. (We see that little dab on your jaw there, just so you know.) I also know that the reason you keep jumping up to offer refilling people's drink is because you're actually mooching off tiny slivers of pie when nobody's watching ... But even on a holiday, it's my duty as a mother to remind you that you need to change your account password regularly.

It might be true that I don't practice what I preach quite as often as I should. (I didn't say it is true. But it could happen.) So my breakfast questions to you this morning are threefold: How long has it been since you changed your account password? Do you follow any set schedule or password schema for keeping your password up to date? And do you use an authenticator and any other security measures to keep your WoW account safe?

View Poll


WoW InsiderBreakfast Topic: When was the last time you changed your WoW password? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 23 Nov 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>featuredgame-discussiongamer-discussionpasswordsecurityworld-of-warcraft-discussionworld-of-warcraft-topicswow-discussionwow-hot-topicswow-issueswow-topicsLisa PoissoFri, 23 Nov 2012 08:00:00 ESTWhy Blizzard isn't opening a gold shophttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/11/07/why-blizzard-isnt-opening-a-gold-shop/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/11/07/why-blizzard-isnt-opening-a-gold-shop/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/11/07/why-blizzard-isnt-opening-a-gold-shop/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Last year, Blizzard started an experiment with the Guardian Cub, a pet store purchase that could be bought and sold in game with gold as well, since it was Bind on Equip. At the time, a lot of WoW players (including us) saw this as an experimental foray into Blizzard finding ways to allow people to get extra gold using real life money without directly selling gold. In part, that was because Blizzard came right out and admitted that's what it was. Since that time, we've seen no new Blizzard Store purchases that were BoE in this fashion.

Since then, we've heard a lot of complaints about botters who use hacked accounts to not only steal all the gold said account possesses, but also then use it as a farming bot for as long as they can keep hold of it. Some players are even suggesting that Blizzard should simply sell gold itself, cutting out the middleman and putting gold sellers out of business. Why isn't this a good idea?

Continue reading Why Blizzard isn't opening a gold shop

WoW InsiderWhy Blizzard isn't opening a gold shop originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 07 Nov 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Account-TheftBottersBottingGoldGold-SellingGold-Storemists-of-pandariaVanerasMatthew RossiWed, 07 Nov 2012 16:00:00 ESTBlizzard increases security with SMS Protecthttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/09/13/blizzard-increases-security-with-sms-protect/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/09/13/blizzard-increases-security-with-sms-protect/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/09/13/blizzard-increases-security-with-sms-protect/#commentsFiled under:

If you're concerned about account security, there's a new feature Blizzard want you to know about. They've been reminding us all about this feature via the forums, and have posted this informative, if somewhat bizarre video to tell us all about it.

The new feature, introduced a few months back, is Battle.net SMS Protect. It's a free service, as long as your mobile phone service provider doesn't charge you to receive text messages, in which case text messages would be charged at the usual rate. SMS Protect cannot use any type of messaging other than text messaging, and doesn't require a smartphone to work -- all your phone needs is the ability to receive SMS text messages, making this a nice feature for those players who don't have smartphones.

There have been mixed reports on whether it works with prepaid mobile phones, but where it hasn't been working that's usually because carriers don't allow the receipt of SMS text messages.

SMS Protect is not designed to replace the authenticator, either the phone authenticator or the physical authenticator. Rather, it is an alert system, designed to warn you about suspicious activity on your account, and allow you to perform certain actions with your phone. Hit the break for more information!

Continue reading Blizzard increases security with SMS Protect

WoW InsiderBlizzard increases security with SMS Protect originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 13 Sep 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>authenticationauthenticatorbattle.netbattle.net-accountfeaturedSMSSMS-Protecttext-messagewow-account-hackingwow-account-securitywow-accountsOlivia GraceThu, 13 Sep 2012 21:00:00 ESTNorth American players may now update their security questionshttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/08/15/north-american-players-may-now-update-their-security-questions/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/08/15/north-american-players-may-now-update-their-security-questions/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/08/15/north-american-players-may-now-update-their-security-questions/#commentsFiled under: ,

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As an update to the security breach last week, players on North American realms will now be prompted to change their security question and answer when logging in to their Battle.net accounts. The security breach included no financial information; however, answers to personal security questions were compromised, as well as some information related to Mobile Authenticators.

In addition to the security question update, players may now also update their Mobile Authenticators as well. Please note, this is only in regards to North American accounts; players in Europe need to do neither of these things. And remember, if you are a North American player and have not changed the password on your account, doing so is an excellent idea.


Nethaera
As a precaution following our recent security update, players on North American servers please take a moment to visit Battle.net account management, where you will be prompted to change your security question as well as update your Mobile Authenticator. There you'll also find helpful tips and an FAQ, as well as instructions on how to add additional layers of security to your account, including the Battle.net Authenticator or the Mobile Authenticator for those that aren't already using one.

WoW InsiderNorth American players may now update their security questions originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 15 Aug 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>accountaccount-securityblizzard-hackedblizzard-hackingblizzard-securitybreakinghackedhackingmobile-authenticatorpasswordsecuritysecurity-breachsecurity-questionsecurity-updateAnne StickneyWed, 15 Aug 2012 21:00:00 ESTBlizzard security breach, no evidence that financial data was compromisedhttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/08/09/blizzard-security-breach-no-evidence-that-financial-data-was-co/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/08/09/blizzard-security-breach-no-evidence-that-financial-data-was-co/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/08/09/blizzard-security-breach-no-evidence-that-financial-data-was-co/#commentsFiled under: ,

Important security update from Blizzard
Mike Morhaime, the president of Blizzard Entertainment, reported today in a blog post posted on the official Blizzard website that a list of email addresses for Battle.net users, answers to security questions, and information relating to the Mobile and Dial-in Authenticator program were illegally accessed by outsiders. The security hole has been closed, but Blizzard is officially recommending that all Battle.net users change their passwords immediately. In the coming days, players will be prompted to automatically change their security questions and update their mobile authenticator software. A FAQ is available here.

The full post is below.

Mike Morhaime
Players and Friends,

Even when you are in the business of fun, not every week ends up being fun. This week, our security team found an unauthorized and illegal access into our internal network here at Blizzard. We quickly took steps to close off this access and began working with law enforcement and security experts to investigate what happened.

At this time, we've found no evidence that financial information such as credit cards, billing addresses, or real names were compromised. Our investigation is ongoing, but so far nothing suggests that these pieces of information have been accessed.

Some data was illegally accessed, including a list of email addresses for global Battle.net users, outside of China. For players on North American servers (which generally includes players from North America, Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia) the answer to the personal security question, and information relating to Mobile and Dial-In Authenticators were also accessed. Based on what we currently know, this information alone is NOT enough for anyone to gain access to Battle.net accounts.

We also know that cryptographically scrambled versions of Battle.net passwords (not actual passwords) for players on North American servers were taken. We use Secure Remote Password protocol (SRP) to protect these passwords, which is designed to make it extremely difficult to extract the actual password, and also means that each password would have to be deciphered individually. As a precaution, however, we recommend that players on North American servers change their password. Please click this link to change your password. Moreover, if you have used the same or similar passwords for other purposes, you may want to consider changing those passwords as well.

In the coming days, we'll be prompting players on North American servers to change their secret questions and answers through an automated process. Additionally, we'll prompt mobile authenticator users to update their authenticator software. As a reminder, phishing emails will ask you for password or login information. Blizzard Entertainment emails will never ask for your password. We deeply regret the inconvenience to all of you and understand you may have questions. Please find additional information here.

We take the security of your personal information very seriously, and we are truly sorry that this has happened.

Sincerely,
Mike Morhaime

WoW InsiderBlizzard security breach, no evidence that financial data was compromised originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 09 Aug 2012 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>accountaccount-securityblizzard-hackedblizzard-hackingblizzard-securitybreakinghackedhackingpasswordsecuritysecurity-breachsecurity-updateChase HasbrouckThu, 09 Aug 2012 18:40:00 ESTThe day Fox's account got hacked -- and how you can learn from his mistakeshttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/06/15/the-day-foxs-account-got-hacked-and-how-you-can-learn-from-h/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/06/15/the-day-foxs-account-got-hacked-and-how-you-can-learn-from-h/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/06/15/the-day-foxs-account-got-hacked-and-how-you-can-learn-from-h/#commentsFiled under: ,

The day Fox's account got hacked and how you can learn from his mistakes
Ladies and gentlemen, hello. My name is Fox Van Allen. I've been playing World of Warcraft for nearly four years. And despite all I know and all my warnings I've given you, the reader, it still happened. Last week, I, Fox Van Allen, had my account hacked.

The first question I'm inevitably asked is, "You? What excuse do you have to not have an authenticator?" Well, truth is, I do have an authenticator. I use my iPhone. But one day a few weeks ago, that ever-changing number display just somehow fell out of sync with what WoW was expecting me to enter. Trying to re-sync did nothing. To get back into my account, I had to have the folks at Blizzard take my authenticator off the account.

And that's how it happened. I foolishly forgot to reattach it right away -- I really haven't played a heck of a lot of World of Warcraft on account of my move to Los Angeles. It just wasn't on my mental list of things to do. And wouldn't you know it, barely a week after I had my authenticator disconnected from my account, I started getting emails from Blizzard. Not the usual spam, but legit receipts. Receipts for $105 worth of server transfers and faction changes that I didn't authorize.

That's when the pit of my stomach gave way. I knew immediately the emails were legit. And if the emails were legit, then I had to have been hacked. It's one of the worst feelings in the world.

Continue reading The day Fox's account got hacked -- and how you can learn from his mistakes

WoW InsiderThe day Fox's account got hacked -- and how you can learn from his mistakes originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 15 Jun 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>account-compromiseaccount-compromisesbanninggold-buyinggold-sellinghackingrecovering-from-hackingworld-of-warcraft-account-theftwow-hackingwow-hacksFox Van AllenFri, 15 Jun 2012 09:00:00 ESTBlizzard issues account security alert after Riot Games breachhttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/06/14/blizzard-issues-account-security-alert-after-riot-games-breach/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/06/14/blizzard-issues-account-security-alert-after-riot-games-breach/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/06/14/blizzard-issues-account-security-alert-after-riot-games-breach/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Blizzard issues Account Security Alert after Riot Games hack
Not the first time we've seen something like this: Nakatoir of the EU community team posted this account security alert after Riot Games' EU branch warned its users that hackers "gained access to certain personal player data contained in certain EU West and EU Nordic & East databases." This information included email addresses and encrypted account passwords, and more than half of the passwords were considered simple and at risk of being cracked.

Blizzard issues its security alert because many players who play various Blizzard games like WoW and Diablo III or StarCraft II also play League of Legends; therefore, if they use the same email address for Battle.net as League of Legends or the same passwords, those Battle.net accounts may also be at risk.

This is not an announcement that Blizzard itself has been hacked, mind you. It's simply a precaution based on the habits of players of many games to use the same passwords and login information for multiple accounts. If you're not a League of Legends player in the affected EU regions, there's no way for this to affect you.

The full announcement is after the break.

Continue reading Blizzard issues account security alert after Riot Games breach

WoW InsiderBlizzard issues account security alert after Riot Games breach originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 14 Jun 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>account-securityBattle.netdiablo-3League-of-Legendsstarcraft-2World-of-WarcraftWoWMatthew RossiThu, 14 Jun 2012 18:30:00 ESTThousands of players banned in Diablo 3http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/06/12/thousands-of-players-banned-in-diablo-3/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/06/12/thousands-of-players-banned-in-diablo-3/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/06/12/thousands-of-players-banned-in-diablo-3/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

You read that right: Several thousand suspensions and bans have gone out to Diablo III players using account hacks or bots or otherwise cheating at the game. Zarhym (he who often shows up in monster form while I'm playing Diablo III) posted to the official forums to announce the action.

Diablo(R) III Players Banned
We recently issued a round of account suspensions and bans to several thousand Diablo(R) III players who were in violation of the Battle.net(R) Terms of Use for cheating and/or using botting or hacking programs while playing. In addition to undermining the spirit of fair play that's essential to everyone's enjoyment of the game, botting, hacking, and other such exploitive behavior can contribute to stability and performance issues with the Battle.net service. As always, maintaining a stable, safe, and fun online-gaming experience for legitimate players is a top priority for us, and we'll be continuing to keep watch on Battle.net and take action as needed.


Seems fairly straightforward to me -- don't cheat, won't get banned. With the move to require an authenticator for the Real-Money Auction House and now this, it is pretty clear Blizzard is taking Battle.net very seriously moving forward.
Evil has returned! 1.2 million WoW players are getting Diablo III for free thanks to the Annual Pass. You can get prepared for the evil with WoW Insider's launch coverage. From the lore of Diablo, to the important blue posts and the basics of Diablo gameplay, we'll get you on the inside track for the return of evil.

WoW InsiderThousands of players banned in Diablo 3 originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 12 Jun 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>banscheatingDiablo-3Diablo-IIIsusensionsMatthew RossiTue, 12 Jun 2012 14:00:00 ESTYou cannot get hacked by playing public games in Diablo 3http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/06/01/you-cannot-get-hacked-by-playing-public-games-in-diablo-3/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/06/01/you-cannot-get-hacked-by-playing-public-games-in-diablo-3/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/06/01/you-cannot-get-hacked-by-playing-public-games-in-diablo-3/#commentsFiled under: , ,

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After years of keyloggers and trojans from unsafe browsing, unsecured computers, or just plain bad luck, WoW players should be pretty used to the concept of a compromised account and how said compromises happen. Unfortunately, Diablo III players don't appear to be as familiar with them, which has resulted in some pretty maddening discourse on the official forums and across the internet.

Just like WoW accounts, Diablo III accounts are worth real money. Blizzard has had experience dealing with compromised accounts for years. This is why it introduced the Battle.net Authenticator, a second level of security that makes it very, very difficult to get your account compromised. Authenticators don't make it impossible to get your account compromised, but they do make compromising your account much more trouble than it's worth in the face of mass keylogging, which is how accounts are normally stolen.

Some people who haven't had a WoW account before but bought Diablo III were undoubtedly surprised when their accounts were compromised, which is understandable. An editor at Eurogamer had his account hacked and responded with an article suggesting that players were getting their sessions hijacked by joining public games and that people were getting compromised with this method even with authenticators attached to their account. Unfortunately, sites all over the internet picked up the story and also reported the session hijacks and bypassed authenticators as fact.

The problem is that neither of those things were correct. In fact, Blizzard says it's actually impossible to do with Diablo III due to the way the infrastructure is set up.

Continue reading You cannot get hacked by playing public games in Diablo 3

WoW InsiderYou cannot get hacked by playing public games in Diablo 3 originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>account-compromiseaccount-compromisesaccount-securityauthenticatord3diablo-iiidiablo3 diablo-3Diablo3Diablo-3diabloiiihackinghackskeyloggerkeyloggersmass-hackingmass-hacksMichael SaccoFri, 01 Jun 2012 12:00:00 ESTHow to replace a keyfob authenticator with a smartphone Battle.net authenticatorhttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/03/31/how-to-replace-a-keyfob-authenticator-with-a-smartphone-battle-n/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/03/31/how-to-replace-a-keyfob-authenticator-with-a-smartphone-battle-n/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/03/31/how-to-replace-a-keyfob-authenticator-with-a-smartphone-battle-n/#commentsFiled under:

I've had my authenticator for years. Taking the sound advice of persons wiser than me, I picked up an authenticator way before it was cool. No hackers or n'er-do-wells were getting into my account and sharding my purples! Those purples vindicate my life choices, and criticizing my life choices is my wife's job, not some random stranger who scammed my password from Facebook!

But like many things in life, this authenticator too must pass. In this specific case, this authenticator must pass between the jaws of my dog. It didn't work so well after Sylvanas got done unleashing some Dark Puppy-level fury on it.

If you too find yourself needing to replace your trusty old authenticator, here's how you get it done. In this case, we're replacing the old sexy keyfob with a new, nearly-as-sexy iPhone authenticator app.

Continue reading How to replace a keyfob authenticator with a smartphone Battle.net authenticator

WoW InsiderHow to replace a keyfob authenticator with a smartphone Battle.net authenticator originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sat, 31 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>featuredguidehow-to-play-wownew-to-world-of-warcraftnoob-guiderookie-guideworld-of-warcraft-guideworld-of-warcraft-helpworld-of-warcraft-noobsworld-of-warcraft-rookieswow-guidewow-helpwow-noob-guidewow-noobswow-to-play-world-of-warcraftMichael GraySat, 31 Mar 2012 18:00:00 ESTReminder: Watch out for Mists of Pandaria beta invite scamshttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/03/22/reminder-watch-out-for-mists-of-pandaria-beta-invite-scams/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/03/22/reminder-watch-out-for-mists-of-pandaria-beta-invite-scams/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/03/22/reminder-watch-out-for-mists-of-pandaria-beta-invite-scams/#commentsFiled under: ,

Email notifications for the Mists of Pandaria beta have started arriving in people's inboxes -- and this means that we'll likely see an upswing in beta invite scams, as well. If you have received an email stating that you've been invited to participate in the Mists beta, be aware of the following:
  • Don't click any link in the email. Blizzard will never ask you for your account information via email, nor will it usually provide any kind of link to click on.
  • Do head to Battle.net. Type the URL into your browser (don't follow a search or email link) and use the secure login on that page to log into your account.
If you have been invited for the first round of Mists beta, you will see your normal World of Warcraft: Cataclysm account listed under your game accounts -- and underneath that, you will see a listing for World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria Beta. If you do not see a link to the Mists of Pandaria beta under your game accounts, you are not in this round of testing, and the email you were sent was a fake.

The same applies with beta keys as well. If you receive a notification with a beta key, do not click on any links in the email. Go to your Battle.net account as listed above, head to Manage My Games, choose Add or Upgrade a Game, and manually enter the beta key. If the beta key works, you're in; if it doesn't work, you may have been the recipient of a fake key.

Remember, any time there is a beta or a trial period for a new game, there will usually be an upswing in attempts to nab accounts, too. Keep your account safe -- and if you made it in the beta, have fun!
It's open warfare between Alliance and Horde in Mists of Pandaria, World of Warcraft's next expansion. Jump into five new levels with new talents and class mechanics, try the new monk class, and create a pandaren character to ally with either Horde or Alliance. Look for expansion basics in our Mists FAQ, or dig into our spring press event coverage for more details!

WoW InsiderReminder: Watch out for Mists of Pandaria beta invite scams originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 22 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>account-theftbattlenetbetabeta-keybnetemailmacmists-of-pandariamists-of-pandaria-betapcphishingscammerssecurityAnne StickneyThu, 22 Mar 2012 16:00:00 ESTBlizzard discusses Gold Selling and the Guardian Cubhttp://wow.joystiq.com/2011/10/22/blizzard-discusses-gold-selling-and-the-guardian-cub/http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/10/22/blizzard-discusses-gold-selling-and-the-guardian-cub/http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/10/22/blizzard-discusses-gold-selling-and-the-guardian-cub/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

It wont come as any surprise that the Guardian Cub has been somewhat controversial since it was announced. Now, Blizzard gives a remarkably pragmatic response discussing exactly why this move is being undertaken. As our own Mat McCurley pointed out, this is the first step in an experiment aimed at learning exactly how to curb gold selling. It's not intended to do away with the problem overnight, but rather to help them figure out how.

The complete text of the Blizzard post which you can find here will be posted behind the cut. It's an interesting way to approach the lost time and stress of account hacking.

Continue reading Blizzard discusses Gold Selling and the Guardian Cub

WoW InsiderBlizzard discusses Gold Selling and the Guardian Cub originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sat, 22 Oct 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>blizzconblizzcon-2011blizzcon-guardian-cubcubgold-sellingguardian-cubMatthew RossiSat, 22 Oct 2011 11:30:00 ESTBlizzard releases customer support how-to videoshttp://wow.joystiq.com/2011/09/15/blizzard-releases-customer-support-how-to-videos/http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/09/15/blizzard-releases-customer-support-how-to-videos/http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/09/15/blizzard-releases-customer-support-how-to-videos/#commentsFiled under: ,

As part of its continued fight against account hacking and account compromise, Blizzard's customer support department has started a YouTube channel dedicated to hosting how-to videos on security, what to do if your account is hacked, general security tips, and how to use the Battle.net authenticator. Not only are the videos educational and helpful, they are also adorably fun, making security as enjoyable as it possibly can be.

Not only is this an awesome service for Blizzard to put out, the videos offer excellent ideas for online security in general. The tips in the general account security video are great tips to follow, even if you aren't a gamer. Everyone on the internet should be following these security tips. Good on you, Blizzard, for this awesome community service. I don't think we can give the customer support guys enough shout-outs.
Brace yourselves for what could be some of most exciting updates to the game recently with patch 4.3. Look at what's ahead: new item storage options, cross-realm raiding, cosmetic armor skinning and your chance to battle the mighty Deathwing -- from astride his back!

WoW InsiderBlizzard releases customer support how-to videos originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 15 Sep 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>accountauthenticatorblizzardbreakingcustomer-supportfeaturedhow-to-videossecuritysecurity-videosMathew McCurleyThu, 15 Sep 2011 20:00:00 ESTHacker groups tried to take down WoW ... and failedhttp://wow.joystiq.com/2011/08/22/hacker-groups-tried-to-take-down-wow-and-failed/http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/08/22/hacker-groups-tried-to-take-down-wow-and-failed/http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/08/22/hacker-groups-tried-to-take-down-wow-and-failed/#commentsFiled under: , ,

luzlsec
Given the recent hacking of major companies, could WoW be hacked? In an article posted today at Digital Spy, Lead Game Designer Tom Chilton replies that attempts have been made recently, but Blizzard came through unharmed.

While the question and answer doesn't specifically say LulzSec or Anonymous, I think it's safe to assume LulzSec is the group in question, given the recent high-profile attacks on U.S. government sites and other MMOs, like EVE Online.

Most of LulzSec's work has been focused on DDoS attacks and breaking into servers to create "lulz." During their most recent spree, rumors abounded that WoW was a target; however, nothing came of it. It would now appear nothing came of it thanks to Blizzard's security measures.

Tom Chilton
Several major gaming studios have fallen victim to hackers of late. What measure are Blizzard taking to ensure that WoW is not hit?

We have always tried to be as diligent as we possibly can when it comes to security. Certainly when hacking was going on with other companies recently there were numerous attempts against ourselves also. Fortunately, our security was good enough, so we didn't lose data or anything like that.

We always put a high priority on security, but that's not to say you can ever be impregnable. We're not resting on our laurels saying 'they can't get us'. It's always a possibility, and we take it very serious, but so far, so good.

WoW InsiderHacker groups tried to take down WoW ... and failed originally appeared on WoW Insider on Mon, 22 Aug 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>ddoshackinglulzseclulzsec-world-of-warcraftlulzsec-wowsecurityAdam HoliskyMon, 22 Aug 2011 10:30:00 ESTOpt-out option incoming for recent authenticator security changehttp://wow.joystiq.com/2011/07/26/opt-out-option-incoming-for-recent-authenticator-security-change/http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/07/26/opt-out-option-incoming-for-recent-authenticator-security-change/http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/07/26/opt-out-option-incoming-for-recent-authenticator-security-change/#commentsFiled under: ,

If you follow WoW account security, then you've probably heard about (or personally encountered) a recent change to the way Battle.net authenticator devices work. Basically, when you log into the game, the client attempts to determine if you're logging in from your "home" computer or at least a computer you use regularly. It uses several factors to make this determination, such as your MAC address and your IP address. If the information doesn't indicate that the login is taking place from a safe machine, it'll prompt you for your authenticator code. If it is a safe computer, then you'll only be asked for your code randomly, once a week or so.

The change, aimed to make authenticators less of a hassle for those who log on from the same computer quite a bit, caused an odd uproar on the official forums from players who were worried that this change somehow made their account less secure. Addressing these concerns, Blizzard Community Manager Zarhym announced today that Blizzard is working on providing an opt-out option for this convenience feature.

Details were scarce since, as Zarhym noted, Blizzard hasn't quite nailed down specifics yet, but he assured players that it's something Blizzard's been looking into since the authenticator change was first announced.

The full announcement post and followups are after the break.

Continue reading Opt-out option incoming for recent authenticator security change

WoW InsiderOpt-out option incoming for recent authenticator security change originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 26 Jul 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>accountaccount-securityauthenticatorauthenticator-changeauthenticatorsbattle.net-authenticatorblizzard-authenticatorsecuritysecurity-changewow-account-securitywow-authenticatorMichael SaccoTue, 26 Jul 2011 20:00:00 EST