Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Diablo III players report eruption of hacked accounts]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/21/diablo-iii-players-report-eruption-of-hacked-accounts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/21/diablo-iii-players-report-eruption-of-hacked-accounts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/21/diablo-iii-players-report-eruption-of-hacked-accounts/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Screenshot -- Diablo III
It seems like Diablo III just can't catch a break. The game got off to a rather rocky start with a number of launch issues that have since subsided, but there's no rest for the wicked because now a number of players are reporting hacked accounts and stolen items. Eurogamer writer Christian Donlan is just one of many unlucky players who have had their accounts compromised and their hard-earned items and gold stolen.

What's peculiar about these hacks is the fact that Blizzard authenticators don't seem to be doing anything to deter the hackers. Many players on the forums are speculating that, whatever this hack is, it has the ability to bypass Blizzard's authentication entirely, which is a fairly scary prospect to say the least. That's all of the information we have for the time being, but we'll be sure to keep an eye out for further details as they develop.

MassivelyDiablo III players report eruption of hacked accounts originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 May 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-rpgbattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcash-shopd3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiifantasygothic-fantasyhackhackinghacksmultiplayeronline-multiplayerroguelikerpgMon, 21 May 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Preparing for the Inferno expansion]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/20/eve-evolved-preparing-for-the-inferno-expansion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/20/eve-evolved-preparing-for-the-inferno-expansion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/20/eve-evolved-preparing-for-the-inferno-expansion/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
The Inferno expansion is set to launch on Tuesday May 22nd, promising a complete revamp of EVE Online's war declaration system and a whole host of new modules. If you're in a wardec corp, you'll need to make a few adjustments to the way you operate when the patch goes live. The minimum war fee will increase to 50 million ISK even if you're declaring war on a small corporation, making very small corps less-appealing targets. The fee increases based on the number of members in the target corp, but it doesn't start increasing until around the 130-member mark. If you want to get your money's worth, you'll be best off picking a target corp with 100-150 members or selecting very high-value small targets.

Be very wary of wardeccing large alliances after the patch. While the previous war system swung in favour of the attacker, the new system has gone to the opposite extreme. Large corps and alliances are now significantly more costly and dangerous to declare war on, especially as the defender can now call mercenaries into the war at any time. Players have complained that the increasing war costs could be abused by getting all alliance members to add alts to the corp, but this would be a logistical nightmare to apply in practice and would increase fees by only a few hundred million ISK. If alt padding becomes a problem, CCP will undoubtedly step in and revise the fee structure.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at the new modules and gameplay changes coming in Tuesday's Inferno expansion and give some tips on preparing for the patch.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Preparing for the Inferno expansion

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Preparing for the Inferno expansion originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 20 May 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ancillaryarchaeologybhaalgornblobblobbingblueprintblueprintsccpccp-gamesdominixeveeve-evolvedeve-onlineexpansionexplorationfeaturedfleetganghackinginfernolabsmagnetometricmagsheathneutraliserpvpradarresearchsandboxsci-fishield-boostershield-tankingtanktankingtech-1tech-2wormholeSun, 20 May 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Guy steals friend's goods in APB, GM offers vigilante justice in return]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/19/guy-steals-friends-goods-in-apb-gm-offers-vigilante-justice-in/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/19/guy-steals-friends-goods-in-apb-gm-offers-vigilante-justice-in/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/19/guy-steals-friends-goods-in-apb-gm-offers-vigilante-justice-in/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

APB
Account theft and compromise are tragic facts of life in all MMOs, as player BlackJackieChan discovered the other day when he logged into APB: Reloaded and realized that he was wiped out.

After posting a tirade on the forums, BlackJackieChan got the attention of a GM, who subsequently investigated the crime. His findings were stunning: BlackJackieChan's in-game friend beef43302 was the culprit. Beef43302 had crept into his friend's account, swiped a number of goods, and then deleted the temporary characters used for the theft. Beef43302 then tried to cover up his wrongdoing by consoling BlackJackieChan with a new car and encouraging him to stick with the game.

Even though BlackJackieChan was accused of not protecting his account (apparently he had shown his password to his friend), GamersFirst restored the stolen items and then offered BlackJackieChan the chance to decide his friend's punishment. "Seeing as this is a relatively unique case," the GM wrote, "we shall let you decide the fate of beef43302."

BlackJackieChan has yet to respond on the thread, but the GM did tell the offender that the company suspended his account "unless BlackJackieChan says otherwise."

MassivelyGuy steals friend's goods in APB, GM offers vigilante justice in return originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 19 May 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>account-theftall-points-bulletinall-points-bulletin-reloadedapbapb-reloadedapbrblackjackiechancompromised-accountcrimef2pfree-to-playg1gamersfirsthackhackinghumorpasswordpassword-theftpvptheftvigilante-justiceSat, 19 May 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist: Dark Sun Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/the-game-archaeologist-dark-sun-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/the-game-archaeologist-dark-sun-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/the-game-archaeologist-dark-sun-online/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Dark Sun Online
Computer RPG players in the late '80s and early '90s were surely familiar with Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI) and its now-infamous Gold Box series. The series, so named because of their distinctive gold packaging, ran on a solid engine that helped the company churn out over a dozen titles within a five-year span. From Dungeons & Dragons' Pool of Radiance to Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday, these titles quickly became revered among the gaming community. I personally have very fond memories of playing both Buck Rogers titles, despite not having ever watched the show.

While the Gold Box series has not become as timeless or replayable as late '90s classics like Baldur's Gate and Fallout, they definitely had a huge impact on the PC scene and helped elevate the CRPG genre. Following the Gold Box engine, SSI went on to produce another engine that it used for a completely new series set in the D&D campaign setting of Dark Sun. Dark Sun: Shattered Lands (1993) and Dark Sun: Wake of the Ravager (1994) were both modest hits, and when it came time for a third game in the series, SSI decided to make the leap to the then-untested realm of online gaming.

What followed was a wild two-year experiment in MMOs that happened prior to the Ultima Online and EverQuest generation. While ultimately unsuccessful in achieving its potential or gaining a large audience, Dark Sun Online: Crimson Sands made a valiant attempt at achieving the inevitable future of gaming.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist: Dark Sun Online

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist: Dark Sun Online originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 May 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Al-QadimAndre-VrignaudAOLathasattatt-interchangeBaldurs-GateBuck-Rogersbuck-rogers-countdown-to-doomsdayclassicclassic-mmosclassicsCompuServeCountdown-to-Doomsdaycrimson-sandsdark-sundark-sun-onlinedark-sun-online-crimson-sandsDark-Sun-Shattered-LandsDark-Sun-Wake-of-the-RavagerdnddosDungeons-and-DragonsFalloutfeaturedgame-archaelogistGameStormGEniegold-boxgold-box-enginehackhackinginterchangemudmushNeverwinter-NightsnostalgiaopinionPool-of-Radiancerich-donnellyrick-donnellyshattered-landsssistrategic-simulations-inctenthe-game-archaeologistThe-Shadow-of-YserbiusthunderscapeTotal-Entertainment-Networkwake-of-the-ravagerwindowswindows-95Word-of-Aden-ThunderscapeTue, 15 May 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mortal Online hacked, Star Vault encourages users to verify accounts]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/20/mortal-online-hacked-star-vault-encourages-users-to-verify-acco/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/20/mortal-online-hacked-star-vault-encourages-users-to-verify-acco/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/20/mortal-online-hacked-star-vault-encourages-users-to-verify-acco/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Mortal Online - female half-orc concept art
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!]

MassivelyMortal 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.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>account-hackingfantasyhackingmortalmortal-gm-hackmortal-onlinenavesandboxsecuritysecurity-breachstar-vaultstarvaultMon, 20 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist dials up Phantasy Star Online: The players]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/07/the-game-archaeologist-dials-up-phantasy-star-online-the-player/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/07/the-game-archaeologist-dials-up-phantasy-star-online-the-player/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/07/the-game-archaeologist-dials-up-phantasy-star-online-the-player/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

PSO Blue Burst
After last week's foray into the colorful world of Phantasy Star Online, I knew I had to step it up for a great follow-through. That's why I got in touch with three excellent MMO bloggers who have long histories with PSO and were more than eager to share their perspective on this unique game world!

The Game Archaeologist: Who the heck are you and how did you first get into Phantasy Star Online? What class and race did you play?

David: I'm David Lambert, but many people know me better as Branick, host and producer of the LOTRO Academy podcast. I first got into Phantasy Star Online with the original Dreamcast release, which I picked up only about two weeks after it came out. I actually had eight different characters (I bought six VMUs in addition to the two I already had specifically for this purpose), but I definitely favored the HUcast. I wasn't big on using techniques, and the HUcast had the highest attack power in the game.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist dials up Phantasy Star Online: The players

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist dials up Phantasy Star Online: The players originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blue-burstchristmascity-of-heroesdavid-lambertdiablodiablo-clonediablo-iidreamcastdreamcast-web-browserexploitexploitingexploitsfeaturedffxifinal-fantasy-xigamecubegamesharkhackinginterviewlotro-academymagmagspatrickPhantasy-Starphantasy-star-onlinephantasy-star-online-2phantasy-star-universePhantasy-Star-Zeropsopsuroguerogue-likessegasoexboxyeeboYeebo-Fernbottoms-MMO-Love-InTue, 07 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Nexon takes Mabinogi offline indefinitely due to 'malicious activity']]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/01/nexon-takes-mabinogi-offline-indefinitely-due-to-malicious-acti/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/01/nexon-takes-mabinogi-offline-indefinitely-due-to-malicious-acti/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/01/nexon-takes-mabinogi-offline-indefinitely-due-to-malicious-acti/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Mabinogi - down for the count
If you were looking to play a little Mabinogi to kick off the new year, you might want to make alternate arrangements. Nexon has taken the free-to-play sandbox offline in order to deal with the recent spate of "malicious activity" going on in-game.

Mabinogi went dark yesterday, and Nexon says that it does "not have a specific time for the service to re-open." This is the second time in the past three months that Nexon has disabled the game, as the company dealt with a rash of unauthorized RMT issues and botting as recently as October of 2011. As per usual when MMO security issues crop up, the company has not released any details, saying only that "we feel that we have no choice but to take the game down in order to prevent any further malicious action."

[Thanks to David for the tip!]

MassivelyNexon takes Mabinogi offline indefinitely due to 'malicious activity' originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 01 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bottingf2pfantasyfree-to-playhackingmabinogimabinogi-malicious-activitymabinogi-offlinemalicious-activitynexonrmtsandboxsecuritySun, 01 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Anonymous declares war on Sony over SOPA support]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/30/anonymous-declares-war-on-sony-over-sopa-support/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/30/anonymous-declares-war-on-sony-over-sopa-support/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/30/anonymous-declares-war-on-sony-over-sopa-support/#comments Anonymous Sony may once again be the target of hacking attacks, but at least this time the company has a little heads-up in advance. The secretive organization of hackers known as Anonymous released a video declaring its intent to strike at Sony over Sony's support of the controversial Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA).

The video contains your usual vague proclamations of doom and ego-boosting statements, although with Anonymous' past activity, it will be hard to ignore the threat. The collective of hackers were thought to be at least partially responsible for the attack on Sony earlier this year that forced the company to take its network and games offline.

SOPA is a proposed U.S. bill that would allow law enforcement to combat pirated digital goods by shutting down websites and blocking payments to site owners. While the bill is supported by Hollywood, the music industry, and some major game companies, SOPA opposers worry that the bill will infringe on First Amendment rights and permanently harm the internet.

You can watch the Anonymous declaration after the jump.

Continue reading Anonymous declares war on Sony over SOPA support

MassivelyAnonymous declares war on Sony over SOPA support originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anonymousdeclarationfirst-amendmentfirst-amendment-rightshackhackerhackershackingoperation-blackoutpiracysoesonysony-online-entertainmentsopastop-online-piracy-actthreatvideowarFri, 30 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Square-Enix says no user info stolen during security breach]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/21/square-enix-says-no-user-info-stolen-during-security-breach/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/21/square-enix-says-no-user-info-stolen-during-security-breach/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/21/square-enix-says-no-user-info-stolen-during-security-breach/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Square-Enix Members
A week ago we reported that Square-Enix's Members site, a loyalty program for fans of the studio's games, suffered an unwarranted intrusion and was subsequently taken offline as the company conducted an investigation. It turns out that the best possible outcome of this investigation has occurred, as no personal information was stolen. Subsequently, the company plans to bring its Japanese and North American websites back online by the end of the month.

Square-Enix posted the following notice as an update:
As a result of our continuing investigation, we have now confirmed that the database in which we store personal information was NOT accessed during the recent server intrusion. Therefore, your personal information was NOT compromised by an unknown third party.

Square-Enix is planning to restart the Square Enix Members service by the end of December. Details of the schedule will be announced at a later date.

We deeply regret any inconvenience this may have caused our customers and fans, and appreciate your patience.

MassivelySquare-Enix says no user info stolen during security breach originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>final-fantasy-xifinal-fantasy-xivhackhackershackinginformation-theftintrusionpersonal-infopersonal-informationsecuritysecurity-breachsecurity-intrusionsquare-enixsquare-enix-membersunauthorized-accessWed, 21 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SOE hands out suspensions to over 700 players as 'a first warning']]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/14/soe-hands-out-suspensions-to-over-700-players-as-a-first-warnin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/14/soe-hands-out-suspensions-to-over-700-players-as-a-first-warnin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/14/soe-hands-out-suspensions-to-over-700-players-as-a-first-warnin/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

About-face!
A couple of weeks ago, Sony Online Entertainment threw down the gauntlet to the ne'er-do-wells of EverQuest, telling them simply to "stop now." Well, as often is the case with the scum of the MMO world, many didn't listen to SOE's ominous words of warning. On Friday, December 9th, they paid the price... in blood! [Insert maniacal laughter here.]

SOE has since suspended over 700 accounts "for a number of days by way of a first warning." Community Manager Piestro closes out with another word of caution: "Remember that these suspensions are merely the first wave, and further action is on the horizon. We will not rest, but will instead continue to gather data and take action as necessary on behalf of the entire player base. Don't cheat -- it's not worth it." Also, it still makes you a jerk.

In still other EQ news, SOE has announced that it is tweaking the rate of experience gain on progression-locked servers.

MassivelySOE hands out suspensions to over 700 players as 'a first warning' originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banbanseqeverquestexploitersexploitingexploitshackershackingpiestrosoesony-online-entertainmentsuspendingsuspensionsuspensionsWed, 14 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Square Enix Members server hacked, personal info possibly compromised]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/14/square-enix-members-server-hacked-personal-info-possibly-compro/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/14/square-enix-members-server-hacked-personal-info-possibly-compro/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/14/square-enix-members-server-hacked-personal-info-possibly-compro/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Square Enix Members
Square-Enix has sounded the klaxons and let out the guard dogs in response to an "unauthorized access" on one of its Square Enix Members servers. The web service was taken offline in North America and Japan while the company investigates the situation and determines how serious the problem is.

Fortunately, it doesn't appear as if credit card information is at stake, although some users' personal information may be:
We are assessing the full extent of this potential breach to determine what data, if any, was compromised and will provide more details as soon as possible. While some personal information may have been accessed, we can confirm that there is no possibility of any credit card information leak from this incident, since the server in question stores no credit card information. We estimate that the suspension will continue for a few days until we complete our investigation and counter-measures. We will update you as we learn more.
Square Enix Members is a loyalty program that dishes out rewards in exchange for players who register Square-Enix games with the service. The website does store users' names, addresses, usernames, and passwords.

MassivelySquare Enix Members server hacked, personal info possibly compromised originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>final-fantasyfinal-fantasy-xifinal-fantasy-xivhackhackedhackershackingidentity-theftinformation-theftloyalty-programsquareSquare-Enixsquare-enix-membersunauthorized-accessWed, 14 Dec 2011 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Free for All: The real damage of botting, in the words of a botter]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/02/free-for-all-the-real-damage-of-botting-in-the-words-of-a-botter/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/02/free-for-all-the-real-damage-of-botting-in-the-words-of-a-botter/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/02/free-for-all-the-real-damage-of-botting-in-the-words-of-a-botter/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

RuneScape screenshot
I received an interesting email from someone the other day, someone who wanted to let me in on the lifestyle of a botter. Frankly I was a little embarrassed for the guy since he seemed to believe me to be naive about the entire process. The truth is that I have met plenty of shady characters and heard stories that would make your eyes bug out of your head. I've heard these stories from the developers and players themselves. There truly is some nasty stuff going on in MMO gaming.

The saddest thing is that cheaters honestly think that what they do cannot possibly result in much harm for the game they are botting in, cheating at, or hacking up. It's sad because the truth is that a cheater, as one person, might not have much of an impact on the game. Add up several thousands of these scam artists and the results are mindboggling. Drive by your local dump to see just how much trash can pile up, one person at a time.

I want to shine some light on just how damaging botting can be. Click past the cut.

Continue reading Free for All: The real damage of botting, in the words of a botter

MassivelyFree for All: The real damage of botting, in the words of a botter originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beau-hindmanbotbotsbottersbottingf2pfeaturedffa-pvpfree-for-allfree-to-playftpgold-farminggreedhackershackingjagexmark-gerhardrunescapeWed, 02 Nov 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hackers compromise 33,000 SOE accounts]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/12/hackers-compromise-33-000-soe-accounts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/12/hackers-compromise-33-000-soe-accounts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/12/hackers-compromise-33-000-soe-accounts/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Sony HQ
Sony's hacking woes continue today, as intruders today have attempted -- and, in some cases, succeeded -- to access the giant corporation's accounts. Chief Information Security Officer Philip Reitinger posted a letter on several SOE forums informing players that their accounts may have been compromised.

The good news is that less than 0.1% of Sony's entire playerbase has been affected. The bad news is that that leaves around 33,000 SOE players -- in addition to Sony Entertainment Network and PlayStation Network customers -- whose accounts were hacked. Following the intrusion, Sony temporarily locked the accounts and is investigating the situation.

"Only a small fraction of these 93,000 accounts showed additional activity prior to being locked," Reitinger said. He assured customers that credit card numbers were not leaked and that any purchases made during this intrusion will be restored. SOE customers with locked accounts will receive an email with instructions on how to validate their credentials and restore their service.

MassivelyHackers compromise 33,000 SOE accounts originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Oct 2011 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>compromised-accountshackhackedhacked-accountshackershackingPhilip-Reitingersoesonysony-online-entertainmentWed, 12 Oct 2011 07:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fighting the EverQuest hacking wildfire]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/06/fighting-the-everquest-hacking-wildfire/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/06/fighting-the-everquest-hacking-wildfire/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/06/fighting-the-everquest-hacking-wildfire/#commentsFiled under: , ,

EQ
While hacking and botting may not be a source of frustration to you in your daily MMO, to the denizens of EverQuest, it is a real and ever-present headache. In what is already not the easiest MMO on the planet, players are experiencing an onslaught of hackers who go out of their way to ruin the fun for everyone.

In a three-part series, Ten Ton Hammer exposes the systematic problem of rampant hacking in the game, especially on the new progression servers. While guilds are doing their part to crack down on hackers in their midst, it doesn't seem to be enough to stem the flow, especially as with a much smaller team in place these days.

Ultimately, fighting this problem does not seem to be SOE's current priority. EQ Producer Thom Terazzas addressed the issue of hacking by saying, "The expansion is something that we're really focused on right now. That has gotten, I would say, 80 percent of the focus here. So doing anything that dramatically combats the hacking is something that we would really like to do, but it is not something we've been able to do."

Terazzas followed that up by talking with the Customer Service team and promised that the hackings will receive higher priority once the expansion crunch is over. In the meantime, he urged players to file reports with CS if hacking was observed.

MassivelyFighting the EverQuest hacking wildfire originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Oct 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>botbotsbottersbottingcscustomer-serviceeqeverquestexposehackhackedhackershackinghackingsinterviewsoesony-online-entertainmentten-ton-hammerThom-TerazzastthThu, 06 Oct 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[APB Reloaded cracks down on cheaters]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/02/apb-reloaded-cracks-down-on-cheaters/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/02/apb-reloaded-cracks-down-on-cheaters/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/02/apb-reloaded-cracks-down-on-cheaters/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

APB Reloaded title image
Cheating and exploiting are problems that plague all MMOs, and developers often go to great lengths to detect offenders. In a new APB Reloaded devblog, developer TechMech explains the company's latest and highly successful attempts to rid the game of cheaters. Three major hacks were targeted, and every account that had ever used the hacks was banned overnight. TechMech won't go into details about how exactly the hackers were observed, but he does say that a second anti-cheat patch is coming to wipe out any players who choose to continue hacking.

TechMech is considering offering a kind of amnesty to cheaters, stating that anyone who uninstalls all hacks and plays legitimately may be permitted to continue playing. Perhaps the most shocking statistic in the devblog was that almost 50% of the banned accounts were paid accounts, and some had over 1500 hours of gameplay on them. TechMech went on to estimate the revenue that the three main cheat-makers had been generating as between $15,000 and $50,000 per month each, with users spending $30 per month on hacks.

MassivelyAPB Reloaded cracks down on cheaters originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 02 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-points-bulletinall-points-bulletin-reloadedapbapb-reloadedcheatcrimedev-diarydevbloggamersfirsthackhackingSun, 02 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Paragon Studios introduces MARTy to City of Heroes for Issue 21]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/12/paragon-studios-introduces-marty-to-city-of-heroes-for-issue-21/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/12/paragon-studios-introduces-marty-to-city-of-heroes-for-issue-21/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/12/paragon-studios-introduces-marty-to-city-of-heroes-for-issue-21/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

This is not MARTy, but he also probably does not wish to party.
There's someone special for players to meet with the newest update to City of Heroes -- MARTy. From the name you might think that MARTy is a Clockwork NPC, or a Freakshow, or maybe even a new developer. But MARTy is none of the above. MARTy is an acronym for Metric Activated Reward Throttle (plus a "y"), and it's a new system being put into place to help ensure that the game remains free of exploits for free players and paying players alike.

So what does MARTy do? Scan for exploitative behavior and cut it short. The system monitors player activity for exploitative experience, influence, or reward gains, and people who trip the system stop receiving rewards for a short time. The official FAQ on the system makes it clear, however, that even players aggressively leveling with experience boosters shouldn't hit MARTy's radar. The only way to hit it is by exploiting the game engine for overly accelerated gains, at which point you get shut down. And with City of Heroes Freedom opening the door to everyone, it might be good to have an anti-exploit gatekeeper in place.

MassivelyParagon Studios introduces MARTy to City of Heroes for Issue 21 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anti-exploitanti-hackingcity-of-heroescity-of-heroes-freedomcity-of-villainscohcountermeasurescovcoxexploitshackingissue-21martyncsoftparagonparagon-studiosMon, 12 Sep 2011 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[SOE releases account authenticators]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/11/soe-releases-account-authenticators/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/11/soe-releases-account-authenticators/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/11/soe-releases-account-authenticators/#commentsFiled under: , ,

SOE autheticator
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.

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

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>account-hackingaccount-securityauthenticatorfobhackingmmo-industrysecuritysoesoe-authenticatorsoe-fobSony-Online-Entertainmentvascovasco-security-fobThu, 11 Aug 2011 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Fifty days of 'lulz' over: LulzSec disbands]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/27/50-days-of-lulz-over-lulzsec-disbands/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/27/50-days-of-lulz-over-lulzsec-disbands/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/27/50-days-of-lulz-over-lulzsec-disbands/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The secretive hacking group known as LulzSec has announced that it is formally disbanding with the completion of its planned 50 days of mayhem. Among its many targets that it has hacked, including government sites, LulzSec struck at The Escapist, Bethesda Game Studios, League of Legends, and EVE Online.

LulzSec sent out a final statement, which said the group was a band of six hackers who had planned 50 days of attacks from the beginning. Now that the time is up, the group plans to fade into the shadows.

The group hopes that others will continue with these illegal activities: "Behind the mask, behind the insanity and mayhem, we truly believe in the AntiSec movement. We hope, wish, even beg, that the movement manifests itself into a revolution that can continue on without us."

While a suspected member of LulzSec was arrested a few days ago, the organization denied that he was part of the collective.

MassivelyFifty days of 'lulz' over: LulzSec disbands originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 27 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anti-securityantisecattacksccpciaddoseveeve-onlinefbigovernmenthackershackingleague-of-legendslollulzlulzsecryan-clearythe-escapistMon, 27 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Suspected LulzSec member arrested]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/21/suspected-lulzsec-member-arrested/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/21/suspected-lulzsec-member-arrested/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/21/suspected-lulzsec-member-arrested/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Shhh. You hear that? It sounds like laughter. Lulzing, in fact. Could it be Ryan Cleary's future cellmate? Who's Ryan Cleary, you say? According to a news blurb at PC Gamer, he's the 19-year old chap recently taken into custody by the FBI and Scotland Yard and accused of spear-heading the LulzSec-sponsored DDoS attacks against EVE Online, Nintendo, the United States Senate, and the Central Intelligence Agency, to name a few.

Cleary is rumored to be a former member of Anonymous, and a Scotland Yard spokesperson says that the arrest was the result of an extensive and ongoing probe into the rash of cyber-crimes perpetuated over the last several months. "The arrest follows an investigation into network intrusions and distributed denial of service attacks against a number of international business and intelligence agencies by what is believed to be the same hacking group," PC Gamer reports.

Remaining LulzSec luminaries are seemingly unconcerned, if a message posted to the group's Twitter account earlier today is any indication. "Seems the glorious leader of LulzSec got arrested, it's all over now... wait... we're all still here," the message said.

MassivelySuspected LulzSec member arrested originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Jun 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamesddosdenial-of-service-attackeveeve-onlinehackinglulzlulzsecmmo-industrynetwork-securityryan-clearyscript-kiddiessecurityTue, 21 Jun 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Codemasters website, store, and database hacked]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/10/codemasters-website-store-and-database-hacked/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/10/codemasters-website-store-and-database-hacked/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/10/codemasters-website-store-and-database-hacked/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Another day, another game publisher in a hacker's crosshairs. This time around it's Codemasters, and Eurogamer has the details on a security violation that compromised the company's website, EStore, CodeM database, and Dirt3 VIP code redemption webpage. The intrusion occurred on June 3rd, and Codemasters has sent out a letter to affected customers advising of the potential threat to their identity-related information.

The article reports that no payment details or credit card info was pilfered, but encrypted passwords as well as Xbox Live gamer tags and personal data (including addresses and user names) were taken. Thus far no groups or individuals have claimed responsibility for the attack. You can read the full Codemasters letter at Eurogamer.

MassivelyCodemasters website, store, and database hacked originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Jun 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>codemasterscodemasters-hackdirt3hackhackershackingidentity-theftmmo-industrypersonal-informationpublisherssecuritysecurity-breachFri, 10 Jun 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Suspected Sony hackers arrested in Spain]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/10/suspected-sony-hackers-arrested-in-spain/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/10/suspected-sony-hackers-arrested-in-spain/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/10/suspected-sony-hackers-arrested-in-spain/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

If you've been wondering when (or whether) authorities would be bringing some of the Sony PlayStation hackers to justice, the New York Times has a brief report that you'll want to check out. Three hackers were recently arrested by Spanish police in the cities of Almeria, Barcelona, and Valencia, all of them with suspected connections to the attacks that took the PlayStation Network offline last April as well as cyber assaults on Spanish banks and government websites.

The Spanish National Police claim to have "dismantled the local leadership of the shadowy international network of computer hackers known as Anonymous," though the Times article casts doubt on whether or not the three individuals arrested were solely responsible for the Sony brouhaha.

The cyber shenanigans will end up costing Sony somewhere in the neighborhood of $173 million due to damages, IT spending, legal fees, lost sales, and expenses related to customer win-back programs.

MassivelySuspected Sony hackers arrested in Spain originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Jun 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anonymousculturehacker-arrestshackershackingMiscellaneousmmo-industryny-timesPlayStationPlaystation3ps3securitysoesonySony-Computer-Entertainmentsony-hackSony-Online-EntertainmentFri, 10 Jun 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony loses $3.2B, spends $170M in response to hacker attacks]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/23/sony-loses-3-2b-spends-170m-in-response-to-hacker-attacks/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/23/sony-loses-3-2b-spends-170m-in-response-to-hacker-attacks/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/23/sony-loses-3-2b-spends-170m-in-response-to-hacker-attacks/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Sony's bad year is getting a smidge worse. The company, which had previously predicted a healthy profit for the past fiscal year, is now expecting a loss of $3.2 billion for the period of April 2010 through March 2011.

The reverse in fortunes is mostly due to writing off a $4.4 billion tax credit, although the company has been struggling with both the recent earthquake and hacker attack that disrupted operations of both its physical operations and online services. Sony CFO Masaru Kato doesn't beat around the bush: "In the first quarter, we saw quite a major impact on our manufacturing activities."

Sony also has spent over $170 million in response to the hacking intrusion last month. These funds went to rebuilding the network, providing identity protection coverage, investigating the attacks, free game time, and customer support.

This is the second straight year that Sony has operated at a loss, although last year's $439 million wasn't nearly as severe as this promises to be.

MassivelySony loses $3.2B, spends $170M in response to hacker attacks originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 May 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>earthquakefiscal-yearhackershackinghacking-attackshacking-intrusionidentity-protectionlossMasaru-Katonet-lossnet-profitPlayStation-Networkprofitsoesonysony-online-entertainmenttax-credittsunamiMon, 23 May 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SOE partners with Affinion to offer identity protection for EU players]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/17/soe-partners-with-affinion-to-offer-identity-protection-for-eu-p/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/17/soe-partners-with-affinion-to-offer-identity-protection-for-eu-p/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/17/soe-partners-with-affinion-to-offer-identity-protection-for-eu-p/#commentsFiled under: , ,

European players who were waiting to hear how Sony Online Entertainment is going to safeguard their identities as it did for U.S. residents can now rest easy. SOE has announced a partnership with Affinion International to offer a 12-month protection program for customers' identities.

This program will provide a number of services to safeguard the compromised identities of Sony players affected by the recent hacking intrusion. These services include monitoring, surveillance, reporting, and insurance, and they cover players in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain and Italy.

If you qualify and want to take advantage of this program, you'll need to sign up by July 13th. SOE says that it will release details soon about how to do just that. Affinion's PrivacyGuard program is a well-known and comprehensive service designed to shield customers from all manner of identity theft, including unauthorized credit card usage and phishing scams.

MassivelySOE partners with Affinion to offer identity protection for EU players originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 May 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>affinionaffinion-groupaffinion-internationalaffinion-international-limitedcredit-card-protectioncredit-card-thefthackingidentity-proectionidentity-theftintrusionpartnershipprivacyguardpromotionsoesonysony-online-entertainmentTue, 17 May 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[John Blakely leaves SOE for Zynga]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/12/john-blakely-leaves-soe-for-zynga/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/12/john-blakely-leaves-soe-for-zynga/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/12/john-blakely-leaves-soe-for-zynga/#commentsFiled under: , ,

These days fans are hungry for any word from Sony Online Entertainment, which has been mostly quiet following the hacking intrusion that required Sony to take down its MMOs on May 2nd. While we have received some news out of the company, unfortunately today's word is a sad one: John Blakely, SOE's vice president of development, has left the company to join Zynga.

Kotaku reports that Blakely's LinkedIn resumé mentioned that he left SOE in April to become a general manager at Zynga in Austin. SOE has confirmed his departure, thanking Blakely for his "passion and leadership" and stating that he has been replaced by Lorin Jameson. Jameson was the executive director of development at SOE's Austin studio.

In addition to being SOE's VP of development, Blakely filled the role of executive producer for DC Universe Online and senior producer for EverQuest II during his stay at the company.

MassivelyJohn Blakely leaves SOE for Zynga originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 May 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>austindc-universe-onlinedcuoeq2eqiieverquest-2everquest-iif2p-for-rubihackinghacking-intrusionjohn-blakelykotakulinkedinLorin-Jamesonsoesonysony-online-entertainmentzyngaThu, 12 May 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Talking Sony and identity protection with LifeLock]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/10/talking-sony-and-identity-protection-with-lifelock/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/10/talking-sony-and-identity-protection-with-lifelock/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/10/talking-sony-and-identity-protection-with-lifelock/#commentsFiled under: , ,

As Sony continues to struggle to restore service to both the PlayStation Network and Sony Online Entertainment's MMOs following a hacking intrusion that resulted in millions of customer identities being compromised, players are understandably concerned about how secure their information is with similar companies.

Even though Sony promised to provide a year's worth of identity theft protection for affected customers, part of the responsibility for safeguarding against such theft lies with us. As such, we spoke with Mike Prusinski, the Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications for LifeLock, an identity theft protection service. We asked him about what we should be doing to protect our identities online -- and what Sony could have done better in the first place.

Massively: What are the most common ways that people have their identities stolen?

Mike Prusinski: Though there are no statistics that point to one way over another, consumers get their personal information lost through stolen laptops, hackers, stolen mail, trash, skimming devices, scams (email, phone calls and personal visits), peer-to-peer networks and public websites.

Continue reading Talking Sony and identity protection with LifeLock

MassivelyTalking Sony and identity protection with LifeLock originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 May 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>credit-card-frauddata-breachEpilisonfacebookfeaturedhackhackedhackershackingidentity-theftinterviewlifelockMike-Prusinskimyspacepasswordpasswordsplaystation-networksoesonysony-online-entertainmentState-of-Texas-Comptroller-Officestolen-accountsTue, 10 May 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hackers say Anonymous was responsible for Sony attack]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/06/hackers-say-anonymous-was-responsible-for-sony-attack/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/06/hackers-say-anonymous-was-responsible-for-sony-attack/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/06/hackers-say-anonymous-was-responsible-for-sony-attack/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Sony and its customers may be having identity theft problems, but the hacker collective known as Anonymous is having something of an identity crisis. Despite the group's public disavowal of the attacks that brought down the PlayStation Network (and that later caused SOE to suspend its MMORPG services), one Anonymous member recently told the Financial Times that the infamous group was indeed behind the attacks.

"If you say you are Anonymous, and do something as Anonymous, then Anonymous did it. Just because the rest of Anonymous might not agree with it doesn't mean Anonymous didn't do it," the unnamed hacker said.

Anonymous had previously distanced itself from the Sony fiasco in a press release circulated earlier this week. A second Anonymous member added that "it's Anon's work. But you can't blame the whole collective for what one or two guys do."

MassivelyHackers say Anonymous was responsible for Sony attack originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 May 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anonymoushackhacker-collectivehackingidiotsmmo-industryplaystationplaystation-networkplaystation-network-hackspsnsoesonysony-hackFri, 06 May 2011 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[SOE games down until Friday at the earliest, class action suit launched, Anonymous denies involvement [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/04/soe-games-reportedly-down-until-friday-at-the-earliest-class-ac/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/04/soe-games-reportedly-down-until-friday-at-the-earliest-class-ac/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/04/soe-games-reportedly-down-until-friday-at-the-earliest-class-ac/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The latest news in the Sony Online Entertainment debacle finds the besieged MMORPG maker turning to outside sources for help. According to MSNBC, SOE has hired security experts from Data Forte, Guidance Software, and Robert Half International to assist in plugging the holes in its IT infrastructure.

Legal issues are waiting in the wings as well, and Tuesday brought the first hint of a proposed class-action suit. McPhadden Samac Tuovi LLP is preparing a $1.05 billion suit on behalf of a 21-year old PlayStation customer from Mississauga, Ontario.

In other related news, SOE's Taina Rodriguez told the San Diego Union-Tribune that the company's game services will remain offline through Friday and possibly longer.

[Update: In its most recent update, SOE commented further on the delay between the attacks and SOE's becoming aware of them, noting that "Essentially the perpetrators used sophisticated means not only to access the data, but also to cover their tracks. We committed to continue the investigation and in doing so, uncovered further information that we did not have when we initially believed the data was not stolen."

Meanwhile, our sister publication Joystiq is among news agencies reporting that SOE has suggested to Congress that Anonymous is responsible for the attacks. Anonymous has denied involvement.]

MassivelySOE games down until Friday at the earliest, class action suit launched, Anonymous denies involvement [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 May 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>class-action-lawsuitclass-action-suitdata-breachdata-forteguidance-softwarehackhackinglawsuitmcphadden-samacrobert-half-internationalsecurityservers-downsoesoe-hackSony-Online-Entertainmenttaina-rodriguezWed, 04 May 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SOE takes services offline due to serious issue]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/02/soe-takes-services-offline-due-to-serious-issue/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/02/soe-takes-services-offline-due-to-serious-issue/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/02/soe-takes-services-offline-due-to-serious-issue/#commentsFiled under: , ,

This Monday morning, Sony Online Entertainment customers are waking up to discover that all of their games' services are down. Apparently, the company has discovered a serious issue while following up with the previous weeks' hacker intrusion and is taking steps to rectify it.

The Station.com posted the following notice:
Dear valued SOE Customers,

We have had to take the SOE service down temporarily. In the course of our investigation into the intrusion into our systems we have discovered an issue that warrants enough concern for us to take the service down effective immediately. We will provide an update later today (Monday).
We'll update this story as it develops.

MassivelySOE takes services offline due to serious issue originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 May 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hackedhackerhackershackingservers-downservicessoesonysony-online-entertainmentstationstation.comMon, 02 May 2011 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[SOE acknowledges "external intrusion" responsible for website downtime]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/23/soe-acknowledges-external-intrusion-responsible-for-website-do/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/23/soe-acknowledges-external-intrusion-responsible-for-website-do/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/23/soe-acknowledges-external-intrusion-responsible-for-website-do/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Sony Online Entertainment has acknowledged an issue that has caused its MMORPGs and game-related websites to be sporadically unavailable since Thursday, April 21st. SOE's Linda "Brasse" Carlson posted on the EverQuest II forums late last night, attributing the trouble to "an external intrusion."

Users have experienced connection issues in everything from Vanguard, to EQII, to Free Realms, and EQII's main website remains inaccessible as of press time. Station Cash and account services appear to be working normally.

"As a result of an external intrusion on its system, SOE interrupted its services on April 21. Promptly upon learning of the intrusion, SOE initiated an investigation and took corrective steps to bring its games and other services back up," Carlson explained. "We are working hard on bringing all of our player sites back online, but have no ETA at this time. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for bearing with us."

MassivelySOE acknowledges "external intrusion" responsible for website downtime originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 23 Apr 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>account-servicesbrassedowntimeeq2eqiiEverQuest-2everquest-iiexternal-intrusionf2pfree-realmsfree-to-playhackinglinda-carlsonsoeSony-Online-Entertainmentstation-cashvanguardSat, 23 Apr 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Security 'RIFT' has closed for iOS]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/11/security-rift-has-closed-for-ios/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/11/security-rift-has-closed-for-ios/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/11/security-rift-has-closed-for-ios/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The developers at Trion Worlds have given the players an active way to close the RIFT in security for the iPhone. As reported a couple of weeks ago, RIFT is following in World of Warcraft's footsteps with a mobile authenticator. Most of the time, being called a clone of WoW is a negative mark on the game, but in this case, it's a matter of personal security.

RIFT launched its authenticator on the Android platform first, giving those customers more peace of mind in the wake of reports of holes in the game's security. Today, Community Manager Erick "Zann" Adams posted that the authenticator is now available for the iPhone and other iOS products as well.

Because of the growing popularity of MMOs and other online games, these extra security measures are more than welcomed by the gaming community. If you are a RIFT player, then you can rush to the iTunes store or the Android market to pick up the authenticator or jump to the RIFT game site to find out more information.

MassivelySecurity 'RIFT' has closed for iOS originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 11 Apr 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid-marketauthenticatorerick-adamshackerhackingiosiphoneiTunes-storeRIFTrift-planes-of-telarasecuritysmartphoneTriontrion-worldszannMon, 11 Apr 2011 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Enter at Your Own Rift: One month in, how's the game?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/23/enter-at-your-own-rift-one-month-in-hows-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/23/enter-at-your-own-rift-one-month-in-hows-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/23/enter-at-your-own-rift-one-month-in-hows-the-game/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Snakes -- they're the one thing in RIFT that I absolutely detest, not because they're dangerous or scary, but because they refuse to drop the last snake tear that I need for my critter tears collection. I've killed dozens, perhaps even hundreds, but every time, I walk away empty-handed. Oh sure, every now and then, one will give off that sparkle effect when it has loot, but it's always just the morale-crushing snake skin.

I have killed so many snakes that I could probably string them together and encircle the world of Telara three times. Instead, I'll step away from my snake-slaughter to report on the news from Telara. It's been a month since the head-start launch, and already we've seen several major changes. Read on for a my mini-progress-report on public grouping, security, training dummies, and my incredible shrinking armor.

Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: One month in, how's the game?

MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: One month in, how's the game? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>enter-at-your-own-riftfeaturedguardianshackingpublic-groupsraid-uiriftrift-invasionsrift-planes-of-telarasnake-tearsoulstelaratraining-dummytriontrion-worldsWed, 23 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA["Solid one-two punch": Trion responds to account hacks]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/19/solid-one-two-punch-trion-responds-to-account-hacks/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/19/solid-one-two-punch-trion-responds-to-account-hacks/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/19/solid-one-two-punch-trion-responds-to-account-hacks/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The saga of RIFT's account security woes continues, as Trion World's Scott Hartsman responded to the hacker attempts, reassuring fans curious about what steps were being taken to secure their accounts.

Citing "constant attacks" since the launch of RIFT that have impacted 1% of accounts, Hartsman said that the team is blocking hackers and botnets as quickly as they are identified, but that this will also be an ongoing process.

"Both the login fix and the Coin Lock addition have been doing their part in signficantly reducing overall incidents over the last 18 hours," Hartsman wrote. "Neither one is a silver bullet, but so far it is looking to be a solid one-two punch for the weekend."

According to his post, Trion will be hiring additional staff to tackle the problem, and is working on a "two-factor authentication" process for the future.

Hartsman also praised the efforts of the player who brought a serious log-in vulnerability to the team's attention. ZAM tracked down the player for an interview, who himself had his account hacked in early March. The player is an "ethical hacker" who owns a security software company and realized that these hacks were not the fault of the player, but an exploit that had been discovered.

Massively"Solid one-two punch": Trion responds to account hacks originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 19 Mar 2011 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>account-securityauthenticatorbotnetscoin-lockcompromised-accountsethical-hackerhackerhackingmanwitdaplanriftrift-planes-of-telarascott-hartsmansecuritytriontrion-worldstwo-factor-authenticationzamSat, 19 Mar 2011 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[RIFT adds Coin Lock to improve security... probably]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/18/rift-adds-coin-lock-to-improve-security-probably/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/18/rift-adds-coin-lock-to-improve-security-probably/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/18/rift-adds-coin-lock-to-improve-security-probably/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

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!]

MassivelyRIFT 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.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accountaccount-hackingaccount-securitycoin-lockforumshackingpatchpatchesriftrift-planes-of-telarasecuritysecurity-measurestriontrion-worldsupdatesFri, 18 Mar 2011 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[MapleStory Europe's economy collapses due to currency exploit [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/01/maplestory-europes-economy-collapses-due-to-currency-exploit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/01/maplestory-europes-economy-collapses-due-to-currency-exploit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/01/maplestory-europes-economy-collapses-due-to-currency-exploit/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Despite its huge financial success, MapleStory Europe has had more than its fair share of problems. Last month, controversy hit MapleStory Europe when double-xp cards lasting for 90 days, instead of the intended 24 hours, were accidentally placed in the cash shop during the new year sale. The latest issue to hit MapleStory Europe has done serious and potentially irrecoverable damage to the game's economy. The exploit involved the Chief Bandit and Shadower classes, which both have a skill called "Meso Guard". This causes them to lose mesos, the game's currency, when hit instead of hitpoints.

Packet-forging exploits have been used for some time to alter the damage players deal to monsters or receive from them. Combined with Meso Guard, hackers were able to fool the game into hitting them for -2,147,483,648 damage (the largest negative value a signed 32-bit integer can hold). Since the damage was a negative value, the Meso Guard skill then granted the player over two billion mesos. Hacking players used their ill-gotten gains to buy up practically everything in players' market stalls, massively inflating the game's economy by pouring untold billions into the hands of random players.

Nexon attempted to patch the exploit last night and responded by permanently trade-banning countless accounts. Reports from players indicate that the exploit is still possible and that many of the offending accounts were not banned. To make matters worse, a large number of legitimate players who were traded ill-gotten currency were also allegedly trade-banned. The follow-up to another meso exploit found last year was similarly lackluster, with no server rollback performed in either instance.

[Update: Scott Yoo from Nexon Europe got in touch with us to provide an update on the story. He had the following to say: "[W]e did 'trade-ban' suspected accounts temporarily in order to conduct an internal investigation but we also had to make sure no-more illicitly gained Mesos (in-game currency) are going out to the in-game market and contained in the meanwhile. We do admit that a certain amount of legitimate players can be included in the trade banned list and that's what we are going to reveal through the investigation carefully. [...] The reason why we didn't perform a rollback on our servers was because we detected the exploit too late which may make the players lose even more of their gains if we were to turn everything back. Another announcement that includes more details on this incident will go up live shortly (either today or tomorrow as the latest)."]

MassivelyMapleStory Europe's economy collapses due to currency exploit [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Feb 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chief-banditeconomyexploitexploitshackhackinghacksmaplemaple-storyMapleStorymaplestory-europemesomeso-guardmesospacketrollbackshadowerTue, 01 Feb 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Frogster not giving in to hacker's demands]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/01/frogster-not-giving-in-to-hackers-demands/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/01/frogster-not-giving-in-to-hackers-demands/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/01/frogster-not-giving-in-to-hackers-demands/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Free-to-play giant Frogster isn't playing along with Cpt.Z3r0, a hacker who resorted to blackmail and account theft to voice his views about the company's customer service and forum culture. Frogster, which publishes Runes of Magic, was stung by the release of over 2,000 RoM account names and passwords to its public forum last month, and has since been working to repair the damage done to its security systems as well as its reputation.

"Our team has to focus and work on making the system more secure, on managing the whole incident. It means that they can't work on their regular goals and targets, like making events for the game, or improving it in other ways," company COO Dirk Weyel told GamesIndustry.biz.

A police investigation into the hacking incident is ongoing, and Frogster is tight-lipped regarding any possible changes or improvements to its customer service apparatus, preferring instead to concentrate its PR firepower on the anonymous hacker. "Why is someone so angry? Why do they want to harm Frogster and the user base? Obviously, in any community you have people who complain. Some of them are reasonable, and some complain in a way that is unacceptable," Weyel said. He goes on to acknowledge that Frogster's community management isn't perfect, and that open and transparent communication are the ultimate goals.

MassivelyFrogster not giving in to hacker's demands originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Feb 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>account-securityblackmailcommunitycpt.z3r0customer-servicedirk-weyelf2pfree-to-playfrogsterfrogster-interactivehackingromrunes-of-magicsecurityTue, 01 Feb 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Runes of Magic addresses account hacks]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/15/runes-of-magic-addresses-account-hacks/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/15/runes-of-magic-addresses-account-hacks/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/15/runes-of-magic-addresses-account-hacks/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

What do you do if a game company's actions get under your skin? If you're a hacker that goes by the name of Cpt.Z3r0, you breach the company's account security and post thousands of user names and passwords to its public forum. Runes of Magic publisher Frogster recently fell victim to said cyber-bullying, and though the offending information was quickly removed from the game's German website, the saga is far from over.

The hacker(s) claim possession of 3.5 million accounts, and in an anonymous video message recently uploaded to YouTube, state that Frogster "better start respecting the people that pay your salary." While specific details of the demands are unclear, the video message hints at Frogster's reputation for censoring critical forum posts. Runes of Magic community manager Mike "Silberfuchs" Kiefer posted an official reply on the game's boards, stating in part that a criminal investigation is underway and that the 2,100 compromised accounts have been blocked from accessing the game, forum, and account management until the dust settles.

MassivelyRunes of Magic addresses account hacks originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 15 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blackmailcommunitycompromised-accountscpt.z3r0e-thugsf2pfantasyfree-to-playhackedhackingromrunes-of-magicsecuritySat, 15 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: The RMT problem]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/19/eve-evolved-the-rmt-problem/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/19/eve-evolved-the-rmt-problem/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/19/eve-evolved-the-rmt-problem/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Of all the problems that plague MMOs, RMT (real money trading) is perhaps the most disruptive to normal gameplay. By design, almost every MMO has some form of tradable currency that can be collected through normal gameplay. The time it takes to collect that currency has an inherent value, which varies from player to player as not every player values his free time at the same level. It's inevitable that cash-rich players who value their time highly will often want to shortcut normal gameplay by buying the currency directly for cash.

The negative impact of RMT and its associated problems is felt in every popular MMO, and EVE Online is no exception. The direct balance issues inherent in allowing players to buy ISK with cash are just the tip of a very unpleasant iceberg. Players who buy ISK from shady websites and services are the reason that the rest of us have to put up with spam-bots in popular chat channels, rampant account hacking, and macros taking up a disproportionately large cut of EVE's in-game resources and server load.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look into the problems caused by RMT, why macro-farming operations have become so wide-spread, and what CCP has done to combat this growing problem.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: The RMT problem

MassivelyEVE Evolved: The RMT problem originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 19 Dec 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gameseveeve-ccpeve-evolvedeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefarmingfeaturedhackHackedhacked-accounthackingiskmacromacrosplexreal-money-tradingrmtspamspammerssweatshopsweatshopsSun, 19 Dec 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What would you do if your account were compromised?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/17/the-daily-grind-what-would-you-do-if-your-account-were-compromi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/17/the-daily-grind-what-would-you-do-if-your-account-were-compromi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/17/the-daily-grind-what-would-you-do-if-your-account-were-compromi/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

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!

MassivelyThe 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.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>account-hackingaccount-securityaionaion-the-tower-of-eternityblizzardBlizzard-Entertainmentgame-discussiongamer-discussionhackingmmo-discussionmmo-hot-topicsmmo-issuesmmo-topicsmmorpg-discussionmmorpg-hot-topicsmmorpg-topicsncsofttdgthe-daily-grindWorld-of-WarcraftwowFri, 17 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist and the Forbidden RuneScape: The R-Team]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/14/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-forbidden-runescape-the-r-team/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/14/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-forbidden-runescape-the-r-team/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/14/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-forbidden-runescape-the-r-team/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


The Game Archaeologist is a lazy adventurer-slash-professor who dons his trademark cap for a weekly expedition through some of the most famous MMOs of the past few decades. Each month he chooses a different title to examine its highlights, talk with its developers, and invite its fans to share their experiences.

They come from all over the world just for one shot to be the elite of the elite. After a rigorous selection process, the survivors undergo months of hardcore training. Fingers aching from the strain and eyes itchy with sleep deprivation, these ripped warriors emerge to battle evil wherever it rears its ugly head. Budapest, probably. Or Easter Island. They loot with wild abandon, they craft with purpose, and they aren't afraid to jam on the caps lock button to make their voices heard.

So if you need their help -- and if you can afford them -- maybe you can hire the R-Team.

As we continue our month-long RuneScape safari, it's high past time that we hear from the R-Team members themselves. Four past and present RuneScape players graciously laid out the case as to why this MMO rocks socks off. To make a good thing even better, Jagex sent in five new screenshots for your enjoyment.

So what are you waiting for? Hit that jump like you mean it!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist and the Forbidden RuneScape: The R-Team

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist and the Forbidden RuneScape: The R-Team originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>budapesteaster-islandfeaturedgoldhackingi-love-it-when-an-article-comes-togetherjagexkill-ten-ratskill-xlibrarymoneymoney-makingpkpkingplayer-killerplayer-killingpvpquestquestingquestsr-teamrunescapethe-game-archaeologistthe-r-teamworld-of-warcraftwowTue, 14 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Second part of EVE Christmas present revealed -- the Echelon]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/09/second-part-of-eve-christmas-present-revealed-the-echelon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/09/second-part-of-eve-christmas-present-revealed-the-echelon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/09/second-part-of-eve-christmas-present-revealed-the-echelon/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Two weeks ago, we learned of CCP's plans to remove learning skills from EVE Online. Learning skills have always been a problem for new players, and their removal has been an issue supported by players for years. As the first part of a two-part Christmas present to players, CCP announced that the skills would be removed with the Incursion expansion's December release. Speculation on what the second part of that present could be has run wild on the forums, with many older players even wishing lost features would make a come-back.

CCP has just announced that the second part of EVE's Christmas patch will be a new ship called the Echelon. As with previous presents, Every subscribed player will have one of these ships delivered to them through the item-redeeming system. The Echelon is a unique CONCORD design aimed at fighting the oncoming Sansha menace. The ship boasts impressive hacking capabilities, with a bonus to the operation of specialised Sansha codebreakers. A limited-edition Sansha codebreaker will also be included with the ship. Until now, hacking has been restricted solely to a mini-profession for the gathering of invention materials and completion of static COSMOS missions. This announcement is the first hint we've seen that the Sansha incursions we're looking forward to in January will include an element of hacking.

MassivelySecond part of EVE Christmas present revealed -- the Echelon originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Dec 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gameschristmasecheloneveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexpansionhackingincursionincursionspresentprofessionssanshasanshas-nationThu, 09 Dec 2010 11:30:00 EST