Patch 5.3 interview with Ghostcrawler
Mystery of the Unborn Val'kyr
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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsWoW Rookie: Keeping your account safe and sound
by Lisa Poisso 
May 6th 2009 at 7:30PM
It doesn't take keyboard gymnastics to prevent your account from getting hacked. As a new player, you're bound to be concerned – and if you do any digging at all, you're also bound to uncover a tangle of acerbic, rather arcane-sounding comments (many of them on posts right here at WoW Insider) about what operating systems, browsers and browser add-ons are most secure.
You really don't have to change your entire computer system simply to keep your WoW account safe. This week, WoW Rookie rounds up a selection of WoW Insider posts that show you how (and why) to keep your WoW account from being hacked and prevent your computer from spilling its beans to the world at large.
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Account security basics Although this older WoW Rookie post doesn't contain information on newer security measures such as the Blizzard authenticator key, it does a good job at reviewing the routine steps you should be taking to protect your World of Warcraft investment. Find about about creating a strong password, how to dodge keyloggers and phishers, and what to do if you find your password has mysteriously stopped working. |
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Tips for keeping your account safe More security basics: keeping software up to date, scanning for viruses, avoiding gold sellers and powerleveling services, recognizing e-mail scams and using the Blizzard account authenticator key. |
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Blizzard speaks on authenticator security Blizzard answers WoW Insider's questions about how Blizzard authenticator keys work and clarifies common questions about security. |
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Activating your account authenticator key Here you go: step-by-step instructions on how to activate your own Blizzard account authenticator key. |
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Account security is your responsibility Gaming companies place some of the blame for a compromised account on you, the account holder -- and for good reason. The browsers you use, the sites you visit, your firewall settings, the anti-virus software you use and how often you update your software are just a few of the ways that you contribute to your own hacking experience. |
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Account security mythbusting Contributing Editor and former Blizzard CM Michael Sacco shares his inside experience and knowledge to burst or confirm common account security myths. |
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Preserving your online privacy Even if you think you've got nothing to hide, you don't want to discover your Social Security number posted on the WoW forums or hear guildmates discussing your home address and telephone number. Here's how to maintain your personal information privacy. |
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Patient patching prevents problems In a hurry to patch? Downloading from unofficial sources puts you at risk for all sorts of malignant surprises. Here's why you should stick with Blizzard (or a verified source like our sister site, Big Download). |
WoW Rookie feeds you the basics to get you off to a good start in the World of Warcraft. Find more tools you can use in the WoW Insider Directory and WoW Insider Leveling Guides.Filed under: Features, WoW Rookie, Account Security
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
MecChef May 7th 2009 8:57AM
"False sense of security."
ttvp May 7th 2009 9:04AM
Ah, to be young and blissfully ignorant...
Noraa May 7th 2009 10:34AM
Good luck with that. That is precisely what I was doing when my account was hacked.
idburns May 7th 2009 9:08AM
I've been using an authenticator for about 6 or 8 months now. I bought one after one of our officers had his account hacked and our guild bank got wiped out.
I recently started using the iPhone authenticator software on my Touch which is great because I take that with my to work and I can log into my billing account without having to be a huge nerd with the key chain authenticator. The iPhone app also works well and doesn't come out of sync very often.
I'm really waiting for the US cell phone version and hoping it will work on my blackberry so it will truly work everywhere I go and I won't need a wifi connection if it gets out of sync.
Bryce Fischer May 7th 2009 11:26AM
Given the price of the authenticators, I'm guessing Bliz is not making any money off of them.
dawnseven May 7th 2009 11:26AM
Curiosity question: The SS says Blizzard Authenticator Code, as mine used to (maybe it's just a little old), but my code popup now asks for my Battle.net Authenticator code. Is this true for everyone? I never changed my account to a battle.net account, so I'm just wondering if everything is the way it's supposed to be.
Aggrajag May 7th 2009 12:31PM
I wish they'd hurry up and release the iPhone Authenticator here in the UK / Europe.