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Mortal Online hacked, Star Vault encourages users to verify accounts

Jef Reahard — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, News items, Mortal Online, Sandbox

If you've got an active Mortal Onlne account, you may want to think seriously about changing your password. A new post on the sandbox title's forum describes a security breach that led to the destruction of in-game assets and account status changes. The intrusion has since been contained, according to a Star Vault GM, and "additional security is in place."

The company says that customer payment information was not affected, but users are encouraged to verify their account status and passwords anyway.

As to the breach itself, details are understandably scarce, but Star Vault does say that a member of the GM staff had his account compromised and his details used to carry out the aforementioned mischief.

[Thanks to slapshot1188 for the tip!]

Mortal Online hacked, Star Vault encourages users to verify accounts originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SOE releases account authenticators

Jef Reahard — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry, News items, Miscellaneous

Sony Online Entertainment has joined the growing list of gaming companies that offer physical authenticators for protection against account hacking and associated fraud. EQ2Wire brings us the details on the new device, which at $9.95, is slightly more expensive than Blizzard's comparable Battle.net fob.

SOE's authenticator may be used on multiple Station accounts, and for now at least, is shipping out sans handling charges (even for overseas orders). EQ2Wire also has a handy and detailed guide to the new authenticators from last month's Fan Faire, and the website notes that free iOS and Android security apps will be forthcoming at an as-yet unannounced date.

SOE releases account authenticators originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIFT bringing out a new authentication service today - but not yet

Eliot Lefebvre — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, News items, RIFT

Authenticators are one of the most popular forms of account security around, giving players an extra layer of defense against hackers and keyloggers. RIFT has been dealing steadily with account security issues since launch, so the upcoming authenticator service is no surprise to players. Using a digital authenticator service, players will very soon be able to use their Android mobile devices for authentication services -- but carefully note the "soon," as the service isn't yet ready for prime time.

Currently, using the authenticator will prevent players from logging in, as the code for using said authentication isn't yet in place. A new launcher will be put into place for the game later today, allowing players with Android devices use of the authentication service. While the current release is only for the Android platform, code for the iOS is being finalized, meaning that iPhone and iPad users won't be left out in the cold. So if you're playing RIFT and want to have a little more random number to go with your login, you'll soon be able to do just that. (But not quite yet.)

[Thanks to Puremallace for the tip!]

RIFT bringing out a new authentication service today - but not yet originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIFT adds Coin Lock to improve security... probably

Eliot Lefebvre — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, News items, Rumors, RIFT

Getting your account stolen in an MMO is generally accepted to be about as much fun as having your car's engine fuse into a solid block of melted parts or getting bamboo slivers shoved under your fingernails. RIFT's newest patch, 1.02, includes a new feature designed to fight precisely that dreaded eventuality, with the new "Coin Lock" system restricting use of a character if the parent account logs in from a different location. While locked, the characters cannot access the auction or trade functions until the player verifies his or her identity.

While the system is a great idea in theory, several players are reporting that the coin lock system is not working as intended, with supposedly "locked" characters remaining accessible and capable of using all features freely. There are also several threads devoted to claims that account hacks are still taking place, although as with any account security issue, culpability is difficult to determine. While RIFT's Coin Lock is an excellent idea, it remains to be seen whether it's actually accomplishing the stated goals.

[Thanks to Simon for the tip!]

RIFT adds Coin Lock to improve security... probably originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Codemasters unveils Lord of the Rings Online hacked account program

Jef Reahard — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Culture, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play

With great playerbase numbers comes great security responsibility. Wait, no. That's not the movie metaphor we're looking for. How about keep it secret, keep it safe!

That's more like it, but unfortunately for some Lord of the Rings Online fans, the secret (and the safe) parts are being compromised as the free-to-play title sees a rise in hacked accounts to go along with its expanding user numbers. All hope is not lost, however, as Codemasters (LotRO's European publisher) has introduced a new Hacked Account Restart Program designed to assist victims and speed them back onto the road to Mordor.

The program has a few prerequisites, among them player support eligibility and GM verification of the actual account owner. Claims must also be filed within seven days of the security breach, and reimbursement methods will vary at Codemasters' discretion. You can read the official announcement on the Codemasters website, and you'll also want to check out Customer Service Manager Sincilbanks' blog entry on the subject.

Codemasters unveils Lord of the Rings Online hacked account program originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Jan 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: What would you do if your account were compromised?

Jef Reahard — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, MMO industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous

There's no denying that MMORPG security issues are on the rise and have been for several years now. As more people flood into the MMO space, script kiddies and social engineers naturally have more targets. Account compromises aren't always the result of end-user ignorance either, as several of us know computer-savvy folks who've logged into their favorite game to find their characters stripped (or haven't been able to log in at all).

Some game companies are fighting back, notably Blizzard with its World of Warcraft authenticators and NCsoft with its new Aion PIN system (which basically amounts to a second password). That said, ladies and gents, today's Daily Grind is more concerned with you. Specifically, what would you do (or have you done) if your account were compromised?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

The Daily Grind: What would you do if your account were compromised? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Online devblog discusses account security

Brendan Drain — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Economy, MMO industry

Every MMO suffers the horrors of gold spammers and EVE Online is no different. The RMT (Real Money Trading) industry is massive and EVE's developers CCP have waged a constant war against it in recent years. The PLEX initiative gave players a way to safely buy ISK for cash while at the same time helping players who couldn't afford their subscriptions pay with ISK. The result was a dramatic hit to the RMT market, who had to drop their prices to compete with a legitimate service replacing their own.

As part of Operation Unholy Rage in August of last year, EVE GMs also banned over 6200 accounts belonging to farmers known to be supplying the RMT industry. The effect on the market was instant, with the population in farmed mission systems like Ingunn disappearing overnight. Almost immediately, the farmers reacted with a spate of account hackings to claw back some ISK.

Continue reading EVE Online devblog discusses account security

EVE Online devblog discusses account security originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Anti-Aliased: Hax0red

Seraphina Brennan — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Culture, Opinion, Anti-Aliased

Today was a beautiful morning. It was a morning filled with sunshine, chirping birds, and a good night's rest. I was up writing late last night, so it was nice to sleep in a little before getting a start on the day. Yet, all cozy naps must come to an end, as I had to get up to man my computer, check my e-mail, and get a start on today's work.

As I booted up Mozilla Thunderbird and looked over the e-mails that were floating in my inbox (yesterday's MAG comments, Star Wars Galaxies comments, and some new screenshots for D&D Online) I saw one that kinda stuck out. It was from Blizzard Entertainment Support, and it was a password change notification from Battle.net. At first I chuckled, thinking it was some type of spammer who was trying to get me to give up my password, but on looking through the letter, I noticed it was authentic Blizzard material.

That's when my phone rang. It was one of my guildmate's numbers flashing on the screen. Those birds stopped chirping after that booming string of profanities escaped my mouth.

Continue reading Anti-Aliased: Hax0red

Anti-Aliased: Hax0red originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gold farmers connected with $38 million money laundering bust

James Egan — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Economy, Events, real-world, Exploits, MMO industry, News items

We've heard about gold farmers tangling with the law before, but this is pretty extreme from initial accounts we've turned up. So while a few of the details coming out of Korea are still a bit hazy, it seems a money laundering operation (working with gold farmers and MMO account thieves) was busted this week while trying to move $38 million between Korea and China. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency stated the operation was headed by a man named Jeong who, with a number of other individuals in Korea, was caught wiring the $38 million in illicit funds.

Korean news site dongA reports: "Jeong and his ring reportedly sold the game money illegally produced in China using cheap labor and virus programs. They are believed to have taken a commission of three to five percent of the money traded to purchase game money."

Continue reading Gold farmers connected with $38 million money laundering bust

Gold farmers connected with $38 million money laundering bust originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 25 Oct 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Online calls RMT evil

Akela Talamasca — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Business models, Economy, Game mechanics, Making money, Legal

GM Grimmi of EVE Online comes out strong against RMT in an official post called 'Real money trading is bad, mkay?' In no uncertain terms, RMT activities are said to be linked to keyloggers, phishing sites, and hacking attempts, and lead to real-world illegal activities like fraud and theft. Grimmi then goes on to say that there is a service available to players who want more ISK that is not only legitimate, but also helps both the game economy and supports other players: the Secure ETC Trading system.

From the post: 'When you buy an ETC and then sell it for ISK via the Secure ETC Trading System you are directly contributing to the growth of EVE as the code will be applied to an account and someone will be using it to play. Some players do not have the means to pay for their subscriptions with credit cards or similar and the Secure ETC Trading System helps them pay and play. The economics are quite different as well since wealth is redistributed between active members of the community rather than injected into the game.' This is a much more creative approach to fighting RMT activity than simple banning of accounts (though that happens as well). Bravo, EVE, slam evil!

EVE Online calls RMT evil originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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