How to Keep a Wacraft Account From Keyloggers

Many Accounts are Stolen and Hacked by Trojans and Keyloggers

Nov 11, 2009

Many gamers' accounts are stolen by trojan keylogger programs daily. The thieves steal all of the gold even attempt to sell the entire account.

Some World of Warcraft accounts are worth hundreds of dollars. Those with a character or two in top raiding guilds or have the best Arena PVP gear may be worth over $1,000. This makes these game players a big target for criminals who try to steal accounts via keyloggers and other trojan horse programs.

Keylogger Software Stealing Accounts

Players need to be careful when reading message boards. Criminals posing as players may post a link that leads players to additional information on getting gold, game exploits, or other promises that make playing easier. Those linked websites attempt to install a program on the player's computer that is designed to capture keystrokes, including those entered while logging into game.

Although the installation of security software such as antivirus programs helps a lot, they are not completely foolproof. Players can take a few extra steps to protect themselves.

Blizzard Authenticator

Another way to further protect an account is to purchase the Blizzard Authenticator device from Blizzard software, the makers of World of Warcraft. The Blizzard Authenticator is a small device that produces 6 digits numbers every few seconds. It can be put on a keychain for convenience.

When logging to an account attached to a Blizzard Authenticator, there is a secondary login process needed to log in. After entering in the correct username and password, the user will be prompted to enter the current code displayed on the Blizzard Authenticator. Press the button on the Blizzard Authenticator to display the current code and then type it in. If the correct code was typed in, the player is allowed to log into the game.

The code entered has to be current. The code displayed from the Blizzard Authenticator a minute or an hour ago won't work. The displayed code lasts for a very short time before it's invalid. This means those who don't have physical possession of the Blizzard Authenticator can't log in even if the thief stole the username and password.

Phishing Websites and Emails

Many scammers send phishing emails to players in an attempt to steal their account. For example, the email may have Blizzard's logo and state that their account is subject to closure due to a violation of game rules. Furthermore, the email states that the account will be closed unless an appeal is sent via email that includes the username and password.

In some cases, the scammer may set up a website that looks like Blizzard's World of Warcraft website to take this information. The link may come from an email or message board posting. In either case, message board links or emails should be regarded with a high degree of suspicion, even if they look legitimate and professional.

Using the Blizzard Authenticator along with safe practices on the internet, it's possible to secure a World of Warcraft Account from the many scammers and criminals on the internet looking to steal accounts.

The copyright of the article How to Keep a Wacraft Account From Keyloggers in Security/Antivirus Software is owned by John Wu. Permission to republish How to Keep a Wacraft Account From Keyloggers in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.