This is a semi-regular reminder to all our friends that enjoy the World of Warcraft that the hackers are still out there, and still trying to steal your stuff.
Lately, hackers are using more and more elaborate methods to try to trick you into giving away your personal information, but there are a few tips and tricks you can use to s
tay safe.
Raidy the Rhino. Anybody remember this little stunt? A group of hackers devised their own non-combat pet using a Northrend rhino skin, and sent out thousands of emails claiming that players could fill out a survey, and in return receive the new “Raidy” pet. It resulted in a record number of account compromises, because the hackers used Blizzard fonts, backgrounds and images–but more because it offered the perfect prize at the bottom of the proverbial box. The only clues that this was not in fact a Blizzard message, was the fact that the background pages and the pasted in rhino didn’t quite line up in the email. Whoever had constructed the forgery was skilled with paint, but not apparently with html programming and email.
In the recent hype surrounding the Cataclysm Beta, new surveys have popped up, offering a less crafty email that “guarantees” participation in the final release Beta for the players who “act fast” and return the completed survey.
Fortunately the message was forw
arded to the Warcraft forums, and exposed as a forgery before it could have any widespread effect.
A note of caution, however, for players everywhere: hackers are also using Adobe, adware and email to continue to phish for your account information. So, how do you stay safe? Easy! First, create a totally anonymous email that no one can identify with you. Use a long, strong encryption password, and physically write it down if you can’t remember it. Hackers can read your email, see your keystrokes and read what you store on your clipboard if you’re trying to copy/paste, but there are programs out there that can save and retrieve passwords for you. They aren’t very expensive, but they use a layer of encryption that hackers won’t be able to breach. For your Battle.net email, set up a safe list that identifies only Blizzard emails, and send everything else to your junkmail folder (and set it to delete automatically). That way the only messages you get from the Battle.net email should be from Blizzard.
Next, create another equally anony
mous email for your browsing and chatting habits, and to quote the old saying, “Never the t’wain shall meet.” Never associate these two emails in any way. Finally, for your browsing email, set up a similar safe list, but this time, keep Blizzard addresses off of it, so you won’t receive any spam claiming to be from Blizzard staff.
Last step, and as an added layer of protection, you can get the Authenticator. It gives you a free pet, and $7 is a small price to pay for an added layer of security. Just remember, you use your Authenticator for one reason, and one reason alone: to log in to the game client. If you’re using it anywhere else, you’re probably giving someone your account information.
If ever you receive an email that asks you to take actions, log in to the account administrator yourself. NEVER follow links provided in an email, no matter how legit they appear to be; and forward any email your receive from “Blizzard” to hacks@blizzard.com. If it’s real, they’ll tell you so.
However, if you’ve followed all these steps for account safety, as I have, you should never receive an email that will be likely to compromise your account security. Remember, you have the power here. Don’t give it away. Battle on, heroes!
uly through September for only $40. Featured guests will include anime phenom Vic Mignogna and the talents of Neil Cicierega, Alora Lanzillotta, Ming Doyle, and Emmy Cicierega; but if the great guests aren’t your cup of tea, the anime themed convention will also host ton of gaming events–including MMO play on the largest screens in gaming!
s cleared, fire drakes called out warnings overheard, and then minions of a force calling itself “Doctor Weavil” descended on the raid, nearly destroying it twice.
