Blizzard introduces Dial-in Authenticator

If you do not have an authenticator or mobile authenticator on your account, Blizzard has just introduced an alternative. The Dial-in Authenticator, now available for those without authenticators, is a new Battle.net feature that will hopefully help those players who don't have some sort of authenticator already on their account.
Here's how it works. When you sign up, you'll be asked to make a toll-free call from a specific phone of your choosing to authorize login attempts with the battle.net account. You get to assign the phone number that is used, and if there is something unusual about the login attempt on your account, you'll be asked to call the toll-free number to verify you are you. An example of unusual activity would be playing from a different location than you normally do. In other words, if a keylogger gets hold of your account information and attempts to log in, they'll be prompted to call the number -- and they won't be able to go any further, because they don't have your phone and they don't have your PIN. You will only be asked to call if it's an unusual login -- otherwise, you can continue to log in and play with no worries.
The Dial-in Authenticator is currently only open to U.S. residents, and it only covers World of Warcraft accounts -- although Blizzard may update it to cover more countries in the future, as well as StarCraft 2 accounts. In order to sign up for the Dial-in Authenticator, you must log into your account on Battle.net, then go to Security Options and choose to add the Dial-in Authenticator. If you already have an authenticator on your account, you must remove it in order to sign up for the dial-in service; you cannot use more than one security method at a time.
For more information on the service, check out the official FAQ on Blizzard's website.
Here's how it works. When you sign up, you'll be asked to make a toll-free call from a specific phone of your choosing to authorize login attempts with the battle.net account. You get to assign the phone number that is used, and if there is something unusual about the login attempt on your account, you'll be asked to call the toll-free number to verify you are you. An example of unusual activity would be playing from a different location than you normally do. In other words, if a keylogger gets hold of your account information and attempts to log in, they'll be prompted to call the number -- and they won't be able to go any further, because they don't have your phone and they don't have your PIN. You will only be asked to call if it's an unusual login -- otherwise, you can continue to log in and play with no worries.
The Dial-in Authenticator is currently only open to U.S. residents, and it only covers World of Warcraft accounts -- although Blizzard may update it to cover more countries in the future, as well as StarCraft 2 accounts. In order to sign up for the Dial-in Authenticator, you must log into your account on Battle.net, then go to Security Options and choose to add the Dial-in Authenticator. If you already have an authenticator on your account, you must remove it in order to sign up for the dial-in service; you cannot use more than one security method at a time.
For more information on the service, check out the official FAQ on Blizzard's website.
Filed under: News items, Account Security






Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Ipconfigall Nov 9th 2010 5:42PM
Now this is a nice idea
Barinthos Nov 9th 2010 5:48PM
Indeed. Granted taking the 2 seconds to type in a code from an actual authenticator isn't a big deal, this is still a great way to keep your account safe(er) and not have to pay for an authenticator or have a smartphone.
bushkanaka86 Nov 9th 2010 5:54PM
Nice Idea...my only question that wasn't answered in the FAQ is whether this will count as an authenticator in game for the guild ranks.
Also..I just bought my authenticator a month ago and the reason I waited so long was I wanted something like this....oh well.
wutsconflag Nov 9th 2010 6:09PM
@bushkanaka86
I imagine it will count, since when you go set it up, you're setting up an authenticator.
It's an interesting idea. Sure, there are probably ways around it, but lets be honest, nothing is 100% safe, anyway. These authenticators are basically making most accounts harder to hack (not impossible), which means hackers will often pass them by to go after easier accounts to hack.
Zalvi24 Nov 9th 2010 6:11PM
cool beans
Almoderate Nov 9th 2010 7:22PM
Sounds like a faster login than with the normal authenticator, and with the hubby and I playing on two different levels of the house, this will certainly make things easier than running up and down the stairs to grab the authenticator.
My question is whether or not we get to keep the corehound pup with this method. Can anyone verify that the pup stays or goes? My preschooler ripped the code off the back of our current one, so I'd have to get a completely new authenticator to add one back.
AlternatingReality Nov 9th 2010 7:32PM
@wutsconflag
It has been confirmed that the dial-in authenticator will not grant the in-game guild level of 'authenticator protected' nor will it give you a corehound pet.
Source:http://us.battle.net/wow/en/blog/1113829#blog
Person: Lylirra (Blizz staff)
Comment: "In order to be eligible for the Core Hound Pup and the authenticator-protected guild rank, you will need to attach either a Battle.net Authenticator or a Mobile Authenticator to your Battle.net account."
Almoderate Nov 9th 2010 7:35PM
Confirmed by blue post:
http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=27607454854&sid=1
Switching to the Dial-in from the traditional authenticator will cause you to lose your core hound pup. I've also seen reports that it doesn't count as an authenticator in guild ranks.
Fizzl Nov 10th 2010 5:33AM
First way to beat it off the top of my head: If the username/password was obtained via a keylogger then it would be a trivial task to add a proxy to the keylogger so it looks like you are logging in from that machine.
An interesting idea however, should at least fox the casual phish.
killer_tunes Nov 16th 2010 9:49AM
@ Almoderate
All that blue poster is saying is that the corehound doesn't come with the dial in authenticator. He does NOT address whether you would lose the pup if you change authenticators.
itsthebrent Nov 9th 2010 5:47PM
Now that I know I have to race ANOTHER Login Dragon, I may drop my key chain authenticator and set this up :D
Drakkenfyre Nov 9th 2010 6:06PM
Race what? You mean the 10 minutes of growling, and no roaring?
Apparantly due to complaints, they removed his roar altogether. Someone sat at the login screen for 10 minutes, and he didn't roar.
As for this option, it's interesting. From what people have posted on the support forums, if you log in to the game from a different provider than you normally do (like a wifi spot) you get prompted to reply to the email immediately. It should be more than just one time, and a little more based on the distance between the IP's.
In this case, you would have to call it every time you went anywhere else.
jfofla Nov 9th 2010 5:50PM
Nice to see the people too cheap to spend seven dollars can protect their account.
Artificial Nov 9th 2010 5:55PM
Cost was never the issue. Nice to see people who have no clue what they're talking about still showing off their ignorance on the internets.
Iirdan Nov 9th 2010 5:56PM
Too cheap is rather unfair.
I know several people from my realm had issues getting Blizzard to ship it to their home in Canada, and to the ones that they would ship to at massively inflated shipping costs, upwards of $20.
erin Nov 9th 2010 6:01PM
At the very least, it should shut up the trade trolls who insist that the authenticators are simply a blatant extortion scam (as if using scare tactics to extort $7 is somehow more profitable than offering a $25 sparklepony).
Drakkenfyre Nov 9th 2010 6:15PM
Every time I see someone complain that Authenticators are just a money-making scam, I let them know they cost $25-$50, and they are provided at a loss.
And to the OP, some people can't get an Authenticator. Shipping to Australia is $20. Other places are higher. Some places they don't ship to at all.
Alleluid Nov 9th 2010 6:36PM
it's only available to US residents, but i just set it up because I don't want to lose the little plastic one and the app isn't on Palm phones.
Jay Nov 10th 2010 12:33AM
I was planning on buying a keychain authenticator but they never had any in stock, I eventually decided to just use my phone.
bdew Nov 10th 2010 6:30AM
"Nice to see the people too cheap to spend seven dollars can protect their account."
Seven dollars? Sign me up!
Last time i checked the keyfobs sold for 6 euro.... PLUS 60 euro S&H.
And then they made the S&H free... and removed my country from the possible destinations list.