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[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 Daily Grind: How do you keep track of your passwords?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/25/the-daily-grind-how-do-you-keep-track-of-your-passwords/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/25/the-daily-grind-how-do-you-keep-track-of-your-passwords/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/25/the-daily-grind-how-do-you-keep-track-of-your-passwords/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Passwords
It's a hazard of the job that we accumulate scores of passwords while writing at Massively. It makes sense: Every new MMO tried means a new account, and because I'm not stupid, a new password. Unfortunately, the numbers began to pile up on me and I began to realize that there was no way I was going to remember all of these for when I'd go back to a game months after the fact.

My old system used a common theme (say, names of Pokemon) that allowed for different passwords while giving me a chance at guessing them if I forgot. My new system is a $0.99 notebook that I desperately hope my kids don't discover and chew up. It's a slight improvement but not perfect.

So I'm curious: How do you keep track of your passwords? Do you memorize them, write them down in a notebook, have a text file on your computer, or use a password manager program?

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: How do you keep track of your passwords? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Apr 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accountaccount-securitydaily-grindgi-joeopinionpasswordpassword-managerpasswordsrandom-passwordstdgthe-daily-grindWed, 25 Apr 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare steps up The Old Republic account security]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/07/bioware-steps-up-the-old-republic-account-security/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/07/bioware-steps-up-the-old-republic-account-security/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/07/bioware-steps-up-the-old-republic-account-security/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Screenshot -- Star Wars: The Old Republic
As Star Wars: The Old Republic's launch date draws ever nearer, BioWare has announced that it is stepping up account security for the game. Any players whose accounts were created prior to October 21st will be required to change their passwords in order to conform to the new standards. Those standards, for the curious, dictate that the password must be between eight and 15 characters and must contain at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, and one number. For the full details, head on over to The Old Republic's official site.

MassivelyBioWare steps up The Old Republic account security originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Nov 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>account-securitybiowareeaelectronic-artspasswordsecuritystar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictorMon, 07 Nov 2011 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Turbine explains recent LotRO forum security issue]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/19/turbine-explains-recent-lotro-forum-security-issue/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/19/turbine-explains-recent-lotro-forum-security-issue/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/19/turbine-explains-recent-lotro-forum-security-issue/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

LOTRO
While Lord of the Rings Online's forums have returned following Turbine's decision to take them down due to a security issue, many players were left in the dark about what had happened. To clear the air with this, the studio posted a brief security FAQ that addresses the specifics of what went down this past week.

According to the FAQ, Turbine became aware of a compromise in the forum database that would allow unauthorized access from outsiders. The company took the forums offline, brought in security experts, and fixed the bug that caused this issue. Turbine also claims it has strengthened its web security and that no payment details, including credit card information, were in danger of being stolen.

As part of an effort to make sure all players were secure, Turbine sent out notices to a few customers with particularly vulnerable passwords. In the email, the players were informed that their passwords were reset for their own safety.

The FAQ ends with a few Dos and Don'ts about password creation which all MMO players would be wise to adopt.

MassivelyTurbine explains recent LotRO forum security issue originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Oct 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bugbugsfaqforumhacklord-of-the-rings-onlinelotropasswordpasswordssecuritysecurity-compromisesecurity-faqturbineTurbine-EntertainmentWed, 19 Oct 2011 09:30:00 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[Fiesta Online unveils the Trickster class with a sneaky in-game event]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/17/fiesta-online-unveils-the-trickster-class-with-a-sneaky-in-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/17/fiesta-online-unveils-the-trickster-class-with-a-sneaky-in-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/17/fiesta-online-unveils-the-trickster-class-with-a-sneaky-in-game/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The Fiesta Online team has been hard at work on some special events to celebrate the release of the game's new Trickster class -- but we can't tell you what they are.

As is befitting this hard-to-pin-down class, the events associated with it are a bit of a puzzle. There will be a special password-protected event page on the Fiesta Online site later tonight, and the password can only be found while playing the game.

We can give you a few hints, however. There will be jester caps available in game as part of the festivities, you can earn special in-game weapons, and the GM team -- particularly GM Trixie -- is feeling a little mischievous. Your job is to find that password once the event begins and use the event page to guide you to the special items and quests.

Check out the image above for a sneak peek. For the rest of the details, keep an eye on the Fiesta Online page tonight for all the details, and have fun!

MassivelyFiesta Online unveils the Trickster class with a sneaky in-game event originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f2pfiestafiesta-onlinefree-to-playftpin-game-eventoutsparkpasswordtrickstertrickster-classThu, 17 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: Hacked!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/21/the-road-to-mordor-hacked/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/21/the-road-to-mordor-hacked/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/21/the-road-to-mordor-hacked/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

"My kinship had just finished an instance run about a week-and-a-half ago and was in the process of reloading back into the world when I got the message that I was being disconnected because I had just logged into the Brandywine server. Huh? Suspecting the worst, I immediately hit up the Turbine Account page and changed my password then re-logged back into the game, which would boot the hacker offline just like I had been booted minutes earlier.

"I was lucky and did that before the hacker had time to switch servers to where my active characters are. Other kinmates have not been so lucky."

So goes the frightening tale of Pumping Irony's Scott, who shares this in the hopes that others may avoid a similar scare. Unfortunately, it seems as though stories such as these are becoming more and more common in Lord of the Rings Online, where the worst threat to your quest may not be the eye of Sauron but the malicious intent of hackers gutting your account while you're offline.

Today we're going to step off the path for a temporary side trail into the gloomy undergrowth of account security and an MMO under siege.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Hacked!

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Hacked! originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Jan 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-casual-stroll-to-mordoraccountaccount-securityauthenticatorblizzardblizzard-authenticatorCodemastersCompromised-Accountcracked.comffxivfinal-fantasy-xivfirewallhackedhackersiphonelord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromalwaremiddle-earthparanoiapasswordpasswordspumping-ironysapiencesauronsecurityspywarethe-road-to-mordortokensturbineturbine-accountTurbine-Entertainmentvirus-scannerworld-of-warcraftwowFri, 21 Jan 2011 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Runes of Magic team implements account security improvements]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/28/runes-of-magic-team-implements-account-security-improvements/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/28/runes-of-magic-team-implements-account-security-improvements/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/28/runes-of-magic-team-implements-account-security-improvements/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Account security has been a concern for Runes of Magic players lately, and Frogster has been paying attention.

Community Manager Mike "Silberfuchs" Kiefer posted a fairly impressive list of improved security methods on the Runes of Magic forums, detailing some important changes. Players now have different options and methods for changing all usernames and passwords, and there are some new password requirements. Account and IP blocks will come into effect under certain circumstances as well.

Gold sellers also took a hit as a part of this new effort. Frogster has managed to obtain "an injunction against a number of goldsellers as well as companies and individuals offering leveling services," and those undesirables are being removed permanently.

Check out the forum post for all the details on how this will affect your account.

MassivelyRunes of Magic team implements account security improvements originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>account-blocksaccount-securityf2pfree-to-playfrogsterftpgold-sellersip-blocksmike-kieferpasswordromrunes-of-magicsecurityWed, 28 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A cautionary tale of account security in Club Penguin]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/14/a-cautionary-tale-of-account-security-in-club-penguin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/14/a-cautionary-tale-of-account-security-in-club-penguin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/14/a-cautionary-tale-of-account-security-in-club-penguin/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Many MMO gamers have children who are eager to jump into the online world but are unaware of the dangers that lurk there. While many kid-friendly MMOs have systems to guard children from unwelcome contact and identity theft, they still require the assistance of parents to teach their kids how to be safe in games.

The Ancient Gaming Noob's Wilhelm recently shared a cautionary tale involving his daughter, Club Penguin, and a breach of account security. Even though she was cautioned not to share a list of details with anyone in game, all it took was the offer of a special item to get her to give up her account name and password to a stranger. This resulted in a headache, as the account was banned, and Wilhelm went back and forth with Club Penguin to re-establish his daughter's account and security. In the end, he found that Club Penguin's security was just as questionable as his daughter's judgment, and passed this story along to the rest of us in an effort to guard our own young ones from this unfortunate event.

Considering that account security, personal identity and privacy are hot topics these days, we feel that this story is an eye-opener as to how far both game companies and families have to go to protect our loved ones from being exploited. You can read Wilhelm's full account over at The Ancient Gaming Noob.

MassivelyA cautionary tale of account security in Club Penguin originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accountAccount-Securityaccount-theftclub-penguindisneyfamily-mmoidentity-theftkid-friendlypasswordpersonal-identityprivacythe-ancient-gaming-noobwilhelmWed, 14 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO Family: 17 internet safety tactics for gaming families]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/09/mmo-family-17-internet-safety-tactics-for-gaming-families/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/09/mmo-family-17-internet-safety-tactics-for-gaming-families/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/09/mmo-family-17-internet-safety-tactics-for-gaming-families/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

MMO Family is your resource for leveling a gaming-specced family. From tips on balancing gaming with family life to finding age-appropriate niches for every family member, MMO Family offers you advice on MMO gaming of the family, by the family and for the family.

"Be careful, there's nasty stuff out there on the internet."

It's frustrating to hear this warning clarioned over and over again. We're gamers ourselves, after all. We know easily children can get in over their heads on the internet. "Be careful," intone the experts. "Watch carefully, and be very, very careful ..." But how? What must we be careful to do? To not do? What does "being careful" mean in actual practice? Specific online safety tactics - and putting them into practice without driving anyone crazy in the process - become an epic quest reward that always manages to stay two turn-ins out of reach.

As we mentioned last week, your main objective as the parent of a young MMO player is to remain figuratively logged in to their activity. When children are online, parents cannot afford to be figuratively AFK. We're not suggesting you pull up a chair and some popcorn to faithfully oversee kids' every move online. No child needs direct supervision to kill 10 rats (or pick 20 flowers or befriend 30 fairies or frag 50 enemies ...). But young gamers do need your boundaries and your guidance (as well as your feedback, your enthusiasm and your support). Just how strong the boundaries should be will depend on the age of your child and the game that they're playing. Apply common sense, based on your own MMO experience, along with these 17 tactics for safe online gaming.

Continue reading MMO Family: 17 internet safety tactics for gaming families

MassivelyMMO Family: 17 internet safety tactics for gaming families originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>authenticatorchat-channelchildrencode-of-conductcyberbullyingfamilyfamily-funfamily-gamingfeaturedguildshandlekidsmannersnetiquetteparental-controlsparentspasswordroutersafetysecuritystrong-passwordsupervisiontrollvirus-protectionvoice-chatFri, 09 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Phishing attempt targets EVE Online subscribers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/22/phishing-attempt-targets-eve-online-subscribers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/22/phishing-attempt-targets-eve-online-subscribers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/22/phishing-attempt-targets-eve-online-subscribers/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


They're baaack. The phishing emails targeting EVE Online players, that is. While you're sound asleep dreaming of your next Machariel, or thrashing about in a nightmare about that last pod killing, there are legions of very bad men seeking to crack open your EVE Online account and liquidate your assets. Of course, they need your help to do so.

The phishing attempt has evolved to its next genius incarnation... no wait... it's exactly the same as last month. They haven't innovated at all! They're just plowing ahead with it, regardless. They pretend to be CCP Games and email you, stating that they're EVE Customer Support. Of course, they're emailing you to let you know about their latest database issue, and that they'd like you to log in and verify that everything's OK. They're even kind enough to provide you with a convenient link that brings you to "your account", where the phishers log your username and password, and proceed to rip you off as thoroughly as possible.

Continue reading Phishing attempt targets EVE Online subscribers

MassivelyPhishing attempt targets EVE Online subscribers originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advisoryassetsccpccp-gamescustomer-servicecustomer-supportemaileveeve-onlinegrinchiskpasswordphishingphishing-attemptsci-fiusernamewarningMon, 22 Dec 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO in-game help demands extra login credentials]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/01/lotro-in-game-help-demands-extra-login-credentials/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/01/lotro-in-game-help-demands-extra-login-credentials/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/01/lotro-in-game-help-demands-extra-login-credentials/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Reports are coming in on the award-winning Lord of the Rings Online's official forums that players are being prompted to enter their username and password when trying to use the in-game help facility. This thread contains posts from some people worried about security issues, some saying that in-game help has always asked you to login, and others disagreeing with them.

It is all cleared up, however, on the second page, when Turbine's Community Manager makes a post confirming that it should not be happening. The quote from CM Patience: "it's definitely borked, and we'll get it fixed as quickly as possible". So if you're worried about entering your login details twice, hopefully there will be a fix going live soon. Just add the name of that annoying gold spammer to your list, and start a voodoo ritual fire the whole thing off when the issue is resolved.

MassivelyLotRO in-game help demands extra login credentials originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Nov 2007 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CMcommunity-managerhelpin-game-helploginlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-online-shadows-of-angmarlotropasswordshadows-of-angmarturbineusernameThu, 01 Nov 2007 21:00:00 EST