Perhaps you only visited a wow related website that was infected or clicked a wow phishing email or installed a trojan thinking it was an addon or any number of other reasonable examples of what users run across on the internet.
Perhaps you only visited a wow related website that was infected or clicked a wow phishing email or installed a trojan thinking it was an addon or any number of other reasonable examples of what users run across on the internet.
Is it really that hard to believe?
Whats hard to believe is that if I had picked up a virus why only use it to steal an account that had ben closed for over a year? I had subs to EQ2 and LOTRO at the time my WOW account was stolen. I was logging on to one or the other daily and yet its an account I hadnt used for months that they somehow got into. So yes, its hard to believe the WOW account information came from me since I was no longer using it. The phishing emails themselves seem odd to me considering all the games ive played and the phishing emails only come disguised as from WOW and I have gotten one or two disguised as NCsoft about Aion. So in the end, if they were targeting my computer for WOW access there was none to be had, I had unsubbed and uninstalled somewhere around 14 months before.
WOW isnt great because it has 12 million players. WOW has 12 million players because its great.
Most phishing emails are about WoW, thats why. Im positive that account stealers get most accounts through these emails that direct to fake websites. Where the accountholder gives out their information just like that.
Most phishing emails are about WoW, thats why. Im positive that most hackers get most accounts from these emails that direct to fake websites.
Yes, I know about how phishing emails are spammed and is why I dont click on the links. And even if someone does click a link, how do they get your account and password for a game you do not even have installed? If the link leads to a password stealer, it would be useless if you do not log onto the game.
WOW isnt great because it has 12 million players. WOW has 12 million players because its great.
Most phishing emails are about WoW, thats why. Im positive that most hackers get most accounts from these emails that direct to fake websites.
Yes, I know about how phishing emails are spammed and is why I dont click on the links. And even if someone does click a link, how do they get your account and password for a game you do not even have installed? If the link leads to a password stealer, it would be useless if you do not log onto the game.
The emails are always about some excuse asking you to log in your account. The link on the emails direct you to a fake website that asks you to log in. If you dont recognise that its fake, you are handing out your info just like that. It happens all the time. Even with experienced computer users it only takes a lap of judgement.
This doesnt need fancy trojans that record your keyboard strokes. You are thinking too complex.
Its a hit and miss thing. They send those emails to anyone who might have a WoW account. Its less directly targetted then you think.
Some people here dont realise how easy it is. There are so many people who are getting fooled by the fake emails and log in with their account info on a fake website. Its the easiest internetscam (besides a phonecall asking for the info) and probably the most effective.
Most phishing emails are about WoW, thats why. Im positive that most hackers get most accounts from these emails that direct to fake websites.
Yes, I know about how phishing emails are spammed and is why I dont click on the links. And even if someone does click a link, how do they get your account and password for a game you do not even have installed? If the link leads to a password stealer, it would be useless if you do not log onto the game.
The emails are always about some excuse asking you to log in your account. The link on the emails direct you to a fake website that asks you to log in. If you dont recognise that its fake, you are handing out your info just like that. It happens all the time. Even with experienced computer users it only takes a lap of judgement.
This doesnt need fancy trojans that record your keyboard strokes. You are thinking too complex.
Its a hit and miss thing. They send those emails to anyone who might have a WoW account. Its less directly targetted then you think.
Oh I agree it happens and a lot of the accounts compromised most likely come from this. But its not how it happened to me . Keep in mind my account had been closed for over a year and the game uninstalled for that time as well. I was and am quite finished with WOW and had no reason to sign into my account. I wouldnt have known it was hacked but for an email from a friend who saw my toons running about. I then informed Blizzard and to my knowledge the account is locked, although I do get the phishing emails three or four times a week.
WOW isnt great because it has 12 million players. WOW has 12 million players because its great.
Most phishing emails are about WoW, thats why. Im positive that most hackers get most accounts from these emails that direct to fake websites.
Yes, I know about how phishing emails are spammed and is why I dont click on the links. And even if someone does click a link, how do they get your account and password for a game you do not even have installed? If the link leads to a password stealer, it would be useless if you do not log onto the game.
The emails are always about some excuse asking you to log in your account. The link on the emails direct you to a fake website that asks you to log in. If you dont recognise that its fake, you are handing out your info just like that. It happens all the time. Even with experienced computer users it only takes a lap of judgement.
This doesnt need fancy trojans that record your keyboard strokes. You are thinking too complex.
Its a hit and miss thing. They send those emails to anyone who might have a WoW account. Its less directly targetted then you think.
Oh I agree it happens and a lot of the accounts compromised most likely come from this. But its not how it happened to me . Keep in mind my account had been closed for over a year and the game uninstalled for that time as well. I was and am quite finished with WOW and had no reason to sign into my account. I wouldnt have known it was hacked but for an email from a friend who saw my toons running about. I then informed Blizzard and to my knowledge the account is locked, although I do get the phishing emails three or four times a week.
My first post you quoted wasnt directed at you It was posted without a quote of anyone and was directed at the OP's topic.
I dont know why people in specific situations get hacked. I also dont see your inactive account getting hacked into an active account. Thats something I dont believe. So its possible that your friend made a mistake. Blizzard can easily see which accounts are active.
Most phishing emails are about WoW, thats why. Im positive that most hackers get most accounts from these emails that direct to fake websites.
Yes, I know about how phishing emails are spammed and is why I dont click on the links. And even if someone does click a link, how do they get your account and password for a game you do not even have installed? If the link leads to a password stealer, it would be useless if you do not log onto the game.
The emails are always about some excuse asking you to log in your account. The link on the emails direct you to a fake website that asks you to log in. If you dont recognise that its fake, you are handing out your info just like that. It happens all the time. Even with experienced computer users it only takes a lap of judgement.
This doesnt need fancy trojans that record your keyboard strokes. You are thinking too complex.
Its a hit and miss thing. They send those emails to anyone who might have a WoW account. Its less directly targetted then you think.
Oh I agree it happens and a lot of the accounts compromised most likely come from this. But its not how it happened to me . Keep in mind my account had been closed for over a year and the game uninstalled for that time as well. I was and am quite finished with WOW and had no reason to sign into my account. I wouldnt have known it was hacked but for an email from a friend who saw my toons running about. I then informed Blizzard and to my knowledge the account is locked, although I do get the phishing emails three or four times a week.
My first post you quoted wasnt directed at you It was posted without a quote of anyone and was directed at the OP's topic.
I dont know why people in specific situations get hacked. I also dont see your inactive account getting hacked into an active account. Thats something I dont believe. So its possible that your friend made a mistake. Blizzard can easily see which accounts are active.
My toons were on my friends ingame buddy list is how he saw them on. Sorry about the quote, thought you were talking to me.
WOW isnt great because it has 12 million players. WOW has 12 million players because its great.
It's something else for sure. I know I've been hacked, and my friend in RL was hacked, as well as numerous people in game who I've chatted with. Not sure where the info is getting released from but it wouldn't surprise me if someone is hacking Blizzards account system or something akin to it. Too many get hacked who haven't played in years and that is just odd.
I for one have recently had attempted hacks with email adresses that have never been used for Wow, strangely one game from this site. I think the hackers are doing a scatter gun type attempt assuming that theres a chance that they will hit WoW users. And peopel accidentally reply or respond to requests.
I have had someone trying to hack a WoW account that has been dead for years now... it is strange.
________________________________________________________ Sorcery must persist, the future is the Citadel
Most phishing emails are about WoW, thats why. Im positive that most hackers get most accounts from these emails that direct to fake websites.
Yes, I know about how phishing emails are spammed and is why I dont click on the links. And even if someone does click a link, how do they get your account and password for a game you do not even have installed? If the link leads to a password stealer, it would be useless if you do not log onto the game.
The emails are always about some excuse asking you to log in your account. The link on the emails direct you to a fake website that asks you to log in. If you dont recognise that its fake, you are handing out your info just like that. It happens all the time. Even with experienced computer users it only takes a lap of judgement.
This doesnt need fancy trojans that record your keyboard strokes. You are thinking too complex.
Its a hit and miss thing. They send those emails to anyone who might have a WoW account. Its less directly targetted then you think.
Oh I agree it happens and a lot of the accounts compromised most likely come from this. But its not how it happened to me . Keep in mind my account had been closed for over a year and the game uninstalled for that time as well. I was and am quite finished with WOW and had no reason to sign into my account. I wouldnt have known it was hacked but for an email from a friend who saw my toons running about. I then informed Blizzard and to my knowledge the account is locked, although I do get the phishing emails three or four times a week.
My first post you quoted wasnt directed at you It was posted without a quote of anyone and was directed at the OP's topic.
I dont know why people in specific situations get hacked. I also dont see your inactive account getting hacked into an active account. Thats something I dont believe. So its possible that your friend made a mistake. Blizzard can easily see which accounts are active.
My toons were on my friends ingame buddy list is how he saw them on. Sorry about the quote, thought you were talking to me.
I have no clue really, Im not that familiar with WoW's antihack policy. Is it possible that GM's log into your account if its suspected for being stolen? If thats visible on a friendslist, your account maybe wasnt stolen at all. Im just guessing though, I rather dont get into things like this with people I dont know.
Perhaps you only visited a wow related website that was infected or clicked a wow phishing email or installed a trojan thinking it was an addon or any number of other reasonable examples of what users run across on the internet.
Is it really that hard to believe?
Whats hard to believe is that if I had picked up a virus why only use it to steal an account that had ben closed for over a year? I had subs to EQ2 and LOTRO at the time my WOW account was stolen. I was logging on to one or the other daily and yet its an account I hadnt used for months that they somehow got into. So yes, its hard to believe the WOW account information came from me since I was no longer using it. The phishing emails themselves seem odd to me considering all the games ive played and the phishing emails only come disguised as from WOW and I have gotten one or two disguised as NCsoft about Aion. So in the end, if they were targeting my computer for WOW access there was none to be had, I had unsubbed and uninstalled somewhere around 14 months before.
I'm not saying it was a virus. Maybe it was, but It could have been any number of other things that put you in a situation.
On top of that not everyone that steals accounts deals with EQ2 or Lotro and I suspect very few actually do. Much smaller games, much smaller market, harder to move the currency.
It's by far the biggest target, and since WoW tends to have a younger overall audience - easier targets. Even then though, I get curious. My own account got hacked even though I did nothing WoW related for 8 months.
That said, I added the authenticator to my cell phone and no problems since. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE AUTHENTICATOR - especially for your cell phone if you always have it on you like I do. Sure, it takes an extra 5 seconds to login, but at least you know your account is 100% safe.
It's by far the biggest target, and since WoW tends to have a younger overall audience - easier targets. Even then though, I get curious. My own account got hacked even though I did nothing WoW related for 8 months.
That said, I added the authenticator to my cell phone and no problems since. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE AUTHENTICATOR - especially for your cell phone if you always have it on you like I do. Sure, it takes an extra 5 seconds to login, but at least you know your account is 100% safe.
!00% safe sorry its not , there have been over 300 players with authenticators that have had thier account stolen nothing is 100% it is done using the man in the middle attack.
There is also another attack vector that hackers use besides facebook, myspace,IM, it is video sites youtube and other sites allow for iframe exploits allowing hackers to put keyloggers and such into video and such some asking to install another codec to view.
It has become very popular one thing if any video asks you to install a codec chances are it is not legit.
Originally posted by ackmhed I stand by my belief that if your account was stolen, somewhere along the line it was your own fault. Whether it be a lack of security, visiting malicious websites, sharing/comprimised passwords, etc. , it is almost always the users own fault. If you run pirated software or steal copyrighted material via filesharing, you get what you deserve. Relying on only one layer of security is also asking for trouble. I believe that as a minimum one should always run 2 different malware programs, quality AV software, both a hardware and software firewall, keep everything up to date, and some form of adware/crapware cleaner such as Adaware or CCleaner. This is at a minimum. In addition I also run several more layers such as anti-script software and use Firefox instead of Explorer. That being said, Battlenet is a huge vulnerabilty in that would-be thieves already have one piece of the puzzle in your account name. Blizzard, while they like to preach security, are definitly to blame as well in that they not only do nothing about goldsellers/powerleveling websites, they also support them. Blizzard has activily advertised on IGN and other sites for years. I also noticed that when I recently cancelled my account, within a few hours I recieved a rather sophisticated phishing email which indicates strongly that somewhere within Blizzards account management itself there is some information being leaked to a third party. I toyed with the offending email, by the way, and it was easily manhandled by my laptops security. The idea that sophisticated hackers are taking the time and effort to breach our machines and steal WoW information is laughable. As for all the frozen accounts being "hacked", most likely they are just phising emails sent out by sites where you bought gold, signed up for something, or someway or another gave someone your address that they know is attached to a WoW account. Several guild members have had their accounts stolen, and I studied the actions of the comprimised characters. It was very obvious that the person controlling the character was niether very savy nor very efficient. They all pretty much farmed inefficiently for hours and failed to transfer gold or any other action beyond slowly accumulating gold. In the end all the gold farmed was left on the accounts after Blizzard restored it and they ended up with nothing. Hardly the actions of Matrix-like hackers that many are claiming to be attacked by. If you were hacked, you probably deserved it. Somewhere along the line, you comprimised your security.
I have had customers with multiple layers of security get hacked and have their wow accounts stolen, rootkits can bypass all of these that is the job of a rootkit.
For example this customer had kaspersky internet security, threatfire, immunet,comodo firewall and still got hacked i did a scan with updated defs of every major anti-virus and malware vendor nothing showed up, i used autoruns off of a boot cd and found a rootkit that was using the man in the middle attack by hijacking DNS.
Also the internet, cable internet is not safe you are on a neighborhood network that can be tapped into by hackers on that same branch and use a man in the middle attack as well in very large cities this can be a problem.
This could account for some of the stolen accounts of people that are safe and have all kinds of security measures in place.
Another threat search conduit has a rootkit that can be used to steal online game passwords all major av atm cannot detect or remove the newest version. Even malwarebyes,sybot sd,a-squared and more cannot detect or remove it yet it may be a month or two till they can create a fingerprint for this one.
No matter how many layers of security you can NEVER be 100% safe, if you are using a 32bit OS your NOT safe, if you are using windows you are NOT safe. If you are using java or flash you are NOT safe.
I have yet to see any facts that all of these lost accounts are do to user error but yet you continue to blame everyone who has lost an account. Its been stated here time and time again that accounts cancelled and uninstalled for years are being stolen but yet somehow these same people play other MMO's and have not had this problem. I myself have played many MMO's and find it odd that the only account stolen was one I hadnt touched for over a year and wasnt installed on my PC, care to guess which one? Any Starcraft 2 accounts being stolen yet? WIth battlenet involved its only a matter of time. You can once again type out a wall of text explaining how its everyones fault except Blizzards but as time goes by its getting harder and harder for people to believe.
Here is a search I did in less than 3 minutes on some other mmos, players who have gotten hacked and who they blame.
I guess every mmo company must have insiders stealing account information and selling it to gold farmers.
Sorry, friend, users are their own worst enemy.
I have been playing MMOs for 10 years now, and not one other game have I had an account stolen.
As far as the email scams, I may get them but the email account I use to signup to games with I never check. Either way, I don't click on those links. I haven't even visited warcraft's site in over a year to log in to. I also run nod32 anti-virus, and have never had any keyloggers etc.
You are wrong. I've been playing MMO's since 2000 and have been in worse environments then WoW's for hacking and cheats, I know the precautions to have in place and they are there. My security is as tight as a nut.
I have never been scammed, and I didn't have a trojan on my pc then and haven't had one since - windows and AV updates are bang up to date as is my spyware software. I have daily scans of each. I'm stting behind a software firewall which is behind a hardware firewall. I have never had an email from Blizzard but even so whenever I get an email from any company with some kind of offer requring a login I never click the link in it, I always go to the site manually.
My usename and pass for each game I play is unique to that game so if one gets jacked for whatever reason the others aren't vunerable as well.
I don't use my game logon details for forum / website registration which are commonly hacked and stolen.
The different email addresses I use to register game accounts on I don't read on the network I play on, I don't even have email configured at home and I use a package to remote control my work pc and read them remotely. Either that or I use my iPhone or iPad.
But going with your theory for a second, if this was from a trojan why would they not clean out the other accounts that I have? Only Battlenet was affected. I also play LOTRO and WAR amongst others.
If the Battlenet backend is impervious and Blizzard's employees beyond reproach, how are accounts that are inactive getting hacked and banned for inappropriate activities?
maybe 85% of the time it's down to the account holder's poor security and account sharing but there's too many reports of hackings that just don't not fit that theory.
Using multiple computers to access the various parts of your account just increases your exposure to the various threats on the internet. For example, the computer you use just to read the email could have been compromised and been the point of access hackers used to get your information. An account hacker only needs access to your email account to have access to your entire account.
Anti-virus, spyware cleaners and firewalls and the basic minimum security elements for a computer, not something that makes your invulnerable to getting infected. Simply having those tools does not allow someone to say they can't get infected, because it happens every single day. Every virus definition you download is created in response to a virus that is found to already exist. Even beyond that there are so many exploits that AV software cannot prevent against.
Why not steal your warhammer or lotro accounts? The market is so small to nonexistant for those games for gold sellers that few deal in those currencies. Why steal something you don't deal in? Wow currency is easy to steal and resell.
The question to inactive accounts has been answered many times. Hackers have learned they can sandbag a stolen account for a while to see if they go inactive. So instead of getting to use an account for perhaps a day while it is active, they can use it much longer if the original user isn't playing. Not to mention how many users get a phishing email from a hacker months after they quit and fall for the scam. Then they turn around and say "how could my account get hacked when I wasn't even playing!". An active subscription isn't required for someone to fall victom to getting tricked out of their account details.
If you are going to put percentages onto who is at fault for getting hacked (users vs blizzard) you should at least have something to justify those theories should you?
You are misguided in your belief that all hackings are entirely the fault of the users and are putting far too much faith in the integrity of BN's security and the honesty of it's employees.
The fault for mine was not at my end - that's a fact - there's absolutely no doubt in my mind. There's been no sign of a trojan or virus since the hacking dispite many scans, all updates are done and I use 2 different spyware cleaners in addition to my AV. As I've already stated I have never fallen victim to a scam or phishing attempt. I don't use the email that I have registered for WoW for anything else and also have a unique user and password for it. I don't click links in any emails. ever. period.
You may not value accounts in other MMO's, well that's your failing and to be honest, your loss. There's other games out there apart from Warcraft and those accounts and their contents have value.
However, you are entitled to your opinion however misguided. I just hope it doesn't turn around and bite you on the ass when you get hacked. and it will happen - unless you have an authenticator - as I found out.
_________________________________________ You can walk the walk but can you talk the talk?
My account has been inactive for 4 months(as far as me using it) and I just got a "your account has been suspended for using a 3rd party hack" email from Blizzard.
someone obviously took my account for a joy ride..
Or that email from "blizzard" is actually from the hackers..
You are misguided in your belief that all hackings are entirely the fault of the users and are putting far too much faith in the integrity of BN's security and the honesty of it's employees.
The fault for mine was not at my end - that's a fact - there's absolutely no doubt in my mind. There's been no sign of a trojan or virus since the hacking dispite many scans, all updates are done and I use 2 different spyware cleaners in addition to my AV. As I've already stated I have never fallen victim to a scam or phishing attempt. I don't use the email that I have registered for WoW for anything else and also have a unique user and password for it. I don't click links in any emails. ever. period.
You may not value accounts in other MMO's, well that's your failing and to be honest, your loss. There's other games out there apart from Warcraft and those accounts and their contents have value.
However, you are entitled to your opinion however misguided. I just hope it doesn't turn around and bite you on the ass when you get hacked. and it will happen - unless you have an authenticator - as I found out.
First, I am not saying it is impossible that there isn't a problem with blizzard or for that matter every single other mmo developer that is swarmed with players claiming they did nothing wrong and it must be the fault of the developers. Possible being the key word. Outside of some people running software purchased from walmart who think they are invulnerable, there isn't anything proving that there is.
If you have proof that the hack wasn't on your end, then lets hear it. I'm sorry, but it is going to take a lot more than a few scans from basic level security software to become the fact that you claim.
If and when I do get hacked, I can guarentee you I will not run around telling everyone how impenetrable my internet defenses are and look for a scapegoat to blame for my problems. I am well aware that there are teams of professional hackers out there who are smarted than me, better funded, better informed and far more deceptive than I could possibly defend against. I know that having an authenticator doesn't make me immune to hacks, which is just another thing you are misinformed about.
I'm being realistic. Players like you, me and everyone else on these forums are vulnerable 100% of the time we are on the internet. We are under prepared, under educated and most of all over confident in so many ways we can't even possibly begin to image. It really is laughable the way people run around here thinking that $50 worth of department store entry level software somehow makes them a fortress of solitude stronger and more secure than companies with endless wallets and teams of security experts.
I'm sorry, but that is just the reality. We are the weakest link in the security chain. That is why hackers are so focused on end user attacks right now.
My account has been inactive for 4 months(as far as me using it) and I just got a "your account has been suspended for using a 3rd party hack" email from Blizzard.
someone obviously took my account for a joy ride..
Or that email from "blizzard" is actually from the hackers..
I got similar email recently... the email is NOT from blizzard. It was a phishing email to make me try and login at their website.
You are misguided in your belief that all hackings are entirely the fault of the users and are putting far too much faith in the integrity of BN's security and the honesty of it's employees.
The fault for mine was not at my end - that's a fact - there's absolutely no doubt in my mind. There's been no sign of a trojan or virus since the hacking dispite many scans, all updates are done and I use 2 different spyware cleaners in addition to my AV. As I've already stated I have never fallen victim to a scam or phishing attempt. I don't use the email that I have registered for WoW for anything else and also have a unique user and password for it. I don't click links in any emails. ever. period.
You may not value accounts in other MMO's, well that's your failing and to be honest, your loss. There's other games out there apart from Warcraft and those accounts and their contents have value.
However, you are entitled to your opinion however misguided. I just hope it doesn't turn around and bite you on the ass when you get hacked. and it will happen - unless you have an authenticator - as I found out.
First, I am not saying it is impossible that there isn't a problem with blizzard or for that matter every single other mmo developer that is swarmed with players claiming they did nothing wrong and it must be the fault of the developers. Possible being the key word. Outside of some people running software purchased from walmart who think they are invulnerable, there isn't anything proving that there is.
If you have proof that the hack wasn't on your end, then lets hear it. I'm sorry, but it is going to take a lot more than a few scans from basic level security software to become the fact that you claim.
If and when I do get hacked, I can guarentee you I will not run around telling everyone how impenetrable my internet defenses are and look for a scapegoat to blame for my problems. I am well aware that there are teams of professional hackers out there who are smarted than me, better funded, better informed and far more deceptive than I could possibly defend against. I know that having an authenticator doesn't make me immune to hacks, which is just another thing you are misinformed about.
I'm being realistic. Players like you, me and everyone else on these forums are vulnerable 100% of the time we are on the internet. We are under prepared, under educated and most of all over confident in so many ways we can't even possibly begin to image. It really is laughable the way people run around here thinking that $50 worth of department store entry level software somehow makes them a fortress of solitude stronger and more secure than companies with endless wallets and teams of security experts.
I'm sorry, but that is just the reality. We are the weakest link in the security chain. That is why hackers are so focused on end user attacks right now.
Do you have proof that the security flaw ISN'T from Blizzard or Bnet? 100% garunteed that you don't as only their employees would that handle security and i can 100% garuntee that they wouldn't publish it if it did exist.
You can side attempt to sidetrack all you like and say "you are being realistic" but the fact is that your posts don't support this, they only support what you started out saying which is that it's ONLY the fault of the players and every single player is STUPID. Your own words used btw, check your other posts in this thread.
Hackers don't focus on us players, phishers and the minor leaguers focus on the players, hackers focus on big things and big companies because they hack in order to see if it can be done and when they find that out they make it worth their while because they have more to lose. Hacking = Illegal no matter where your from. scam mails and such are just annoyances and are not liable for prosecution.
with regards to your $50 department store software comment, you do realise that they are merely retailers for companies and don't make the actual products. No matter how you word things in all your posts they same the same thing, every computer gamer/user is stupid and only gets the cheap software, where are your critisisms against the people who use Norton, McAfee and such? AV is AV it's the updated definitions that protect the communities machines.
The bottom line from current reading in this thread and other sites is this : the minority click phishing mail links, even less fall for in game scams linking offsite, majority have general (and using your word) REALISTIC issues with their accounts from either Blizzards or BattleNets end.
I blame all this stupidity on Gear Score, they made a malicious addon that wont let you into good groups and hacks your account sending all your information to the nefarious chinese gold farmers/hackers. This totally ruined the game for anyone with an ounce of morality. Boo to you Blizzard. Shame on you.
Not everyone that gets hacked is an idiot/noob.
What i have found in most sandboxes are discarded toys and cat poop.
Do you have proof that the security flaw ISN'T from Blizzard or Bnet? 100% garunteed that you don't as only their employees would that handle security and i can 100% garuntee that they wouldn't publish it if it did exist.
You can side attempt to sidetrack all you like and say "you are being realistic" but the fact is that your posts don't support this, they only support what you started out saying which is that it's ONLY the fault of the players and every single player is STUPID. Your own words used btw, check your other posts in this thread.
Hackers don't focus on us players, phishers and the minor leaguers focus on the players, hackers focus on big things and big companies because they hack in order to see if it can be done and when they find that out they make it worth their while because they have more to lose. Hacking = Illegal no matter where your from. scam mails and such are just annoyances and are not liable for prosecution.
with regards to your $50 department store software comment, you do realise that they are merely retailers for companies and don't make the actual products. No matter how you word things in all your posts they same the same thing, every computer gamer/user is stupid and only gets the cheap software, where are your critisisms against the people who use Norton, McAfee and such? AV is AV it's the updated definitions that protect the communities machines.
The bottom line from current reading in this thread and other sites is this : the minority click phishing mail links, even less fall for in game scams linking offsite, majority have general (and using your word) REALISTIC issues with their accounts from either Blizzards or BattleNets end.
Obviously I am generalizing by saying users are stupid. The vast majority of users are ignorant (not the same as stupid) to what goes on with computer security. There is no denying that.
Hacking: Yes I know what hacking is and how people misuse it here. As for facts about "hacking accounts", there are mountains of verifiable cases where players have done a vast array of things that resulted in their accounts getting hacked.
There is zero facts showing that blizzard has been compromised. Likewise, there are other plausible theories that could be formed that do not include blizzard, but everyone just assumes it must be blizzard, because they are looking for an excuse to their problems that absolves themself of any involvement.
Now if you want to wisk up some situation where something that is theoretically possible simply must be the explaination for the lack of knowledge all these players have, then knock yourself out. It still is not proof or a definitive answer no matter how hard people wish it to be. All it would take is one angry employee to spill the beans about what is going on. Just think about that.
You can run all the scanners in the world that you want to, but they can only catch what they are programmed to understand. A definition file is by its very nature a reactive measure, not proactive. It cannot stop what it doesn't understand or protect against exploits in the operating system.
What do you think happens when a scanner encounters a malicious file that has no definition?
I have personally watched Norton miss trojans that AVG has picked up and visa versa. Yes they were wow keyloggers.
Just to make this crystal clear. I think it is possible for a problem to exist on blizzards end, but the information presented so far doesn't make it believable. A bunch of players holding their breath thinking they are secure is not a substitute for real information and drawing conclusions based on the ignorance (again, not stupidity) of players isn't a good replacement for facts.
I hate to say it!...but if u loot a chest just before some other Joe on Wow or kill some quest monster just before someone else on Wow...U run the risk of getting booted because there r so many ppl given "extreme privelages" on Wow now. U make one of them "angry" and u get "hacked". U don't actually get hacked... U get accused of being a hacker... And get booted...
Played Wow, D and L, AOC, GW, Eve, Rift and many more insignificant games.
Comments
Perhaps you only visited a wow related website that was infected or clicked a wow phishing email or installed a trojan thinking it was an addon or any number of other reasonable examples of what users run across on the internet.
Is it really that hard to believe?
Whats hard to believe is that if I had picked up a virus why only use it to steal an account that had ben closed for over a year? I had subs to EQ2 and LOTRO at the time my WOW account was stolen. I was logging on to one or the other daily and yet its an account I hadnt used for months that they somehow got into. So yes, its hard to believe the WOW account information came from me since I was no longer using it. The phishing emails themselves seem odd to me considering all the games ive played and the phishing emails only come disguised as from WOW and I have gotten one or two disguised as NCsoft about Aion. So in the end, if they were targeting my computer for WOW access there was none to be had, I had unsubbed and uninstalled somewhere around 14 months before.
WOW isnt great because it has 12 million players. WOW has 12 million players because its great.
Most phishing emails are about WoW, thats why. Im positive that account stealers get most accounts through these emails that direct to fake websites. Where the accountholder gives out their information just like that.
Yes, I know about how phishing emails are spammed and is why I dont click on the links. And even if someone does click a link, how do they get your account and password for a game you do not even have installed? If the link leads to a password stealer, it would be useless if you do not log onto the game.
WOW isnt great because it has 12 million players. WOW has 12 million players because its great.
The emails are always about some excuse asking you to log in your account. The link on the emails direct you to a fake website that asks you to log in. If you dont recognise that its fake, you are handing out your info just like that. It happens all the time. Even with experienced computer users it only takes a lap of judgement.
This doesnt need fancy trojans that record your keyboard strokes. You are thinking too complex.
Its a hit and miss thing. They send those emails to anyone who might have a WoW account. Its less directly targetted then you think.
Money.
Vault-Tec analysts have concluded that the odds of worldwide nuclear armaggeddon this decade are 17,143,762... to 1.
Some people here dont realise how easy it is. There are so many people who are getting fooled by the fake emails and log in with their account info on a fake website. Its the easiest internetscam (besides a phonecall asking for the info) and probably the most effective.
Oh I agree it happens and a lot of the accounts compromised most likely come from this. But its not how it happened to me
. Keep in mind my account had been closed for over a year and the game uninstalled for that time as well. I was and am quite finished with WOW and had no reason to sign into my account. I wouldnt have known it was hacked but for an email from a friend who saw my toons running about. I then informed Blizzard and to my knowledge the account is locked, although I do get the phishing emails three or four times a week.
WOW isnt great because it has 12 million players. WOW has 12 million players because its great.
My first post you quoted wasnt directed at you
It was posted without a quote of anyone and was directed at the OP's topic.
I dont know why people in specific situations get hacked. I also dont see your inactive account getting hacked into an active account. Thats something I dont believe. So its possible that your friend made a mistake. Blizzard can easily see which accounts are active.
My toons were on my friends ingame buddy list is how he saw them on. Sorry about the quote, thought you were talking to me.
WOW isnt great because it has 12 million players. WOW has 12 million players because its great.
I for one have recently had attempted hacks with email adresses that have never been used for Wow, strangely one game from this site. I think the hackers are doing a scatter gun type attempt assuming that theres a chance that they will hit WoW users. And peopel accidentally reply or respond to requests.
I have had someone trying to hack a WoW account that has been dead for years now... it is strange.
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Sorcery must persist, the future is the Citadel
I have no clue really, Im not that familiar with WoW's antihack policy. Is it possible that GM's log into your account if its suspected for being stolen? If thats visible on a friendslist, your account maybe wasnt stolen at all. Im just guessing though, I rather dont get into things like this with people I dont know.
I'm not saying it was a virus. Maybe it was, but It could have been any number of other things that put you in a situation.
On top of that not everyone that steals accounts deals with EQ2 or Lotro and I suspect very few actually do. Much smaller games, much smaller market, harder to move the currency.
It's by far the biggest target, and since WoW tends to have a younger overall audience - easier targets. Even then though, I get curious. My own account got hacked even though I did nothing WoW related for 8 months.
That said, I added the authenticator to my cell phone and no problems since. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE AUTHENTICATOR - especially for your cell phone if you always have it on you like I do. Sure, it takes an extra 5 seconds to login, but at least you know your account is 100% safe.
!00% safe sorry its not , there have been over 300 players with authenticators that have had thier account stolen nothing is 100% it is done using the man in the middle attack.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdBrYfxSXWc
There is also another attack vector that hackers use besides facebook, myspace,IM, it is video sites youtube and other sites allow for iframe exploits allowing hackers to put keyloggers and such into video and such some asking to install another codec to view.
It has become very popular one thing if any video asks you to install a codec chances are it is not legit.
For example this customer had kaspersky internet security, threatfire, immunet,comodo firewall and still got hacked i did a scan with updated defs of every major anti-virus and malware vendor nothing showed up, i used autoruns off of a boot cd and found a rootkit that was using the man in the middle attack by hijacking DNS.
Also the internet, cable internet is not safe you are on a neighborhood network that can be tapped into by hackers on that same branch and use a man in the middle attack as well in very large cities this can be a problem.
This could account for some of the stolen accounts of people that are safe and have all kinds of security measures in place.
Another threat search conduit has a rootkit that can be used to steal online game passwords all major av atm cannot detect or remove the newest version.
Even malwarebyes,sybot sd,a-squared and more cannot detect or remove it yet it may be a month or two till they can create a fingerprint for this one.
No matter how many layers of security you can NEVER be 100% safe, if you are using a 32bit OS your NOT safe, if you are using windows you are NOT safe.
If you are using java or flash you are NOT safe.
I have been playing MMOs for 10 years now, and not one other game have I had an account stolen.
As far as the email scams, I may get them but the email account I use to signup to games with I never check. Either way, I don't click on those links. I haven't even visited warcraft's site in over a year to log in to. I also run nod32 anti-virus, and have never had any keyloggers etc.
You are misguided in your belief that all hackings are entirely the fault of the users and are putting far too much faith in the integrity of BN's security and the honesty of it's employees.
The fault for mine was not at my end - that's a fact - there's absolutely no doubt in my mind. There's been no sign of a trojan or virus since the hacking dispite many scans, all updates are done and I use 2 different spyware cleaners in addition to my AV. As I've already stated I have never fallen victim to a scam or phishing attempt. I don't use the email that I have registered for WoW for anything else and also have a unique user and password for it. I don't click links in any emails. ever. period.
You may not value accounts in other MMO's, well that's your failing and to be honest, your loss. There's other games out there apart from Warcraft and those accounts and their contents have value.
However, you are entitled to your opinion however misguided. I just hope it doesn't turn around and bite you on the ass when you get hacked. and it will happen - unless you have an authenticator - as I found out.
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You can walk the walk but can you talk the talk?
Or that email from "blizzard" is actually from the hackers..
First, I am not saying it is impossible that there isn't a problem with blizzard or for that matter every single other mmo developer that is swarmed with players claiming they did nothing wrong and it must be the fault of the developers. Possible being the key word. Outside of some people running software purchased from walmart who think they are invulnerable, there isn't anything proving that there is.
If you have proof that the hack wasn't on your end, then lets hear it. I'm sorry, but it is going to take a lot more than a few scans from basic level security software to become the fact that you claim.
If and when I do get hacked, I can guarentee you I will not run around telling everyone how impenetrable my internet defenses are and look for a scapegoat to blame for my problems. I am well aware that there are teams of professional hackers out there who are smarted than me, better funded, better informed and far more deceptive than I could possibly defend against. I know that having an authenticator doesn't make me immune to hacks, which is just another thing you are misinformed about.
I'm being realistic. Players like you, me and everyone else on these forums are vulnerable 100% of the time we are on the internet. We are under prepared, under educated and most of all over confident in so many ways we can't even possibly begin to image. It really is laughable the way people run around here thinking that $50 worth of department store entry level software somehow makes them a fortress of solitude stronger and more secure than companies with endless wallets and teams of security experts.
I'm sorry, but that is just the reality. We are the weakest link in the security chain. That is why hackers are so focused on end user attacks right now.
I got similar email recently... the email is NOT from blizzard. It was a phishing email to make me try and login at their website.
I am the type of player where I like to do everything and anything from time to time.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holodomor - pre-WW2 genocide.
Do you have proof that the security flaw ISN'T from Blizzard or Bnet? 100% garunteed that you don't as only their employees would that handle security and i can 100% garuntee that they wouldn't publish it if it did exist.
You can side attempt to sidetrack all you like and say "you are being realistic" but the fact is that your posts don't support this, they only support what you started out saying which is that it's ONLY the fault of the players and every single player is STUPID. Your own words used btw, check your other posts in this thread.
Hackers don't focus on us players, phishers and the minor leaguers focus on the players, hackers focus on big things and big companies because they hack in order to see if it can be done and when they find that out they make it worth their while because they have more to lose. Hacking = Illegal no matter where your from. scam mails and such are just annoyances and are not liable for prosecution.
with regards to your $50 department store software comment, you do realise that they are merely retailers for companies and don't make the actual products. No matter how you word things in all your posts they same the same thing, every computer gamer/user is stupid and only gets the cheap software, where are your critisisms against the people who use Norton, McAfee and such? AV is AV it's the updated definitions that protect the communities machines.
The bottom line from current reading in this thread and other sites is this : the minority click phishing mail links, even less fall for in game scams linking offsite, majority have general (and using your word) REALISTIC issues with their accounts from either Blizzards or BattleNets end.
I blame all this stupidity on Gear Score, they made a malicious addon that wont let you into good groups and hacks your account sending all your information to the nefarious chinese gold farmers/hackers. This totally ruined the game for anyone with an ounce of morality. Boo to you Blizzard. Shame on you.
Not everyone that gets hacked is an idiot/noob.
What i have found in most sandboxes are discarded toys and cat poop.
Obviously I am generalizing by saying users are stupid. The vast majority of users are ignorant (not the same as stupid) to what goes on with computer security. There is no denying that.
Hacking: Yes I know what hacking is and how people misuse it here. As for facts about "hacking accounts", there are mountains of verifiable cases where players have done a vast array of things that resulted in their accounts getting hacked.
There is zero facts showing that blizzard has been compromised. Likewise, there are other plausible theories that could be formed that do not include blizzard, but everyone just assumes it must be blizzard, because they are looking for an excuse to their problems that absolves themself of any involvement.
Now if you want to wisk up some situation where something that is theoretically possible simply must be the explaination for the lack of knowledge all these players have, then knock yourself out. It still is not proof or a definitive answer no matter how hard people wish it to be. All it would take is one angry employee to spill the beans about what is going on. Just think about that.
You can run all the scanners in the world that you want to, but they can only catch what they are programmed to understand. A definition file is by its very nature a reactive measure, not proactive. It cannot stop what it doesn't understand or protect against exploits in the operating system.
What do you think happens when a scanner encounters a malicious file that has no definition?
I have personally watched Norton miss trojans that AVG has picked up and visa versa. Yes they were wow keyloggers.
Just to make this crystal clear. I think it is possible for a problem to exist on blizzards end, but the information presented so far doesn't make it believable. A bunch of players holding their breath thinking they are secure is not a substitute for real information and drawing conclusions based on the ignorance (again, not stupidity) of players isn't a good replacement for facts.
I hate to say it!...but if u loot a chest just before some other Joe on Wow or kill some quest monster just before someone else on Wow...U run the risk of getting booted because there r so many ppl given "extreme privelages" on Wow now. U make one of them "angry" and u get "hacked". U don't actually get hacked... U get accused of being a hacker... And get booted...
Played Wow, D and L, AOC, GW, Eve, Rift and many more insignificant games.