A security question - Guild Wars Forums

siadina · Dec 14, 2009, 07:41 AM // 07:41

I was pondering the latest in the hacking news related to gw and the ncsoft site. Are these peeps who are getting their accounts hacked using their email addresses as their master account log in names? Would something as simple as changing their ncsoft master account log in name be effective for stopping unnecessary account hacks? If this isnt the place to ask this please feel free to move it.
Sia

Hyperventilate · Dec 14, 2009, 07:45 AM // 07:45

The problem is knowing how people are getting hacked. As far as I know you can't change your NCSoft login (Which is one of the reasons people are so upset), and you can't change the e-mail you log onto Guild Wars with, either. The only real advice we can give you is to use secure passwords, do not click any strange links in E-mails claiming to be from NCSoft or Arena Net, do not give your password to anyone.

The more paranoid you are, the better.

Xenex Xclame · Dec 14, 2009, 08:48 AM // 08:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by siadina

Would something as simple as changing their ncsoft master account log in name be effective for stopping unnecessary account hacks?Sia

YES something as simple as letting people change (or unlink) their master NCsoft account would be a good step in the right direction.Many people, especially when the game was still new probably linked their account not knowing when they did that, that they will never be able to change their info or unlink their account ever again.

Except for the stupid people giving away their account info by simply doing stupid stuff and most of the time not even realizing it,like say for example have their password being the name of their pet.And then they make "friends" in the game and one day be talking about their pet and give out its name.
Most of these problems are most likely coming from people forcing the NCsoft password.(WTF no confirm email before you can change info?)

PS are you a Anet person in disguise?Come on you can tell us.

Cantos · Dec 14, 2009, 09:30 AM // 09:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hyperventilate

[...] and you can't change the e-mail you log onto Guild Wars with, either. [...]

I'm very sure I've changed the email address I log into Guild Wars with.

Xenex Xclame · Dec 14, 2009, 10:45 AM // 10:45

I believe once you link your account, you can no longer change it,I think it sends you to the NCsoft site to change it which that site doesn't allow you to change it.

tasha · Dec 14, 2009, 11:51 AM // 11:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xenex Xclame

I believe once you link your account, you can no longer change it,I think it sends you to the NCsoft site to change it which that site doesn't allow you to change it.

Yup you're right, once its linked you can't change your email address.

SlipknotOFA · Dec 14, 2009, 10:18 PM // 22:18

Well my password was changed less then 10 hours ago im submiting a support ticket i guess been getting emails and stuff... Im guessing all my stuff is going to be gone when i logged on and I have no idea how or why they did it i havent played in a year and I rarely play now just started up sorta in the last month had over 50 ectos 125 shards cool looking armor and over 800k

( Once I get it starting out im saying my farewells to guildwars and unistalling it and never playing again and waiting for guildwars 2

gone · Dec 14, 2009, 10:26 PM // 22:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hyperventilate

The only real advice we can give you is to use secure passwords, do not click any strange links in E-mails from ANYONE, do not give your password to anyone.

The more paranoid you are, the better.

Fixed that for you.

after some recent...umm...studying, I believe that quite a few of the "syndicates" are all tied in together more-so than one might think . (I'm sure the powers that be already know this)

Quaker · Dec 15, 2009, 05:06 PM // 17:06

There's probably no need to get overly paranoid about the security of your ANet or GW accounts. Most of these hacks are the result of people's own lack of security. As has been said:
- use a good, unguessable password - edit: and only use it for GW
- don't buy gold from gold farmers.
- don't click on strange links in e-mails
- don't visit hacking sites (duh)
- don't give your login info to anyone, and don't leave it lying around where roomates, etc., can see it.

imnotyourmother · Dec 15, 2009, 05:20 PM // 17:20

For those of you out there that are curious as to this as well.

If someone would ask me if I was playing my main account and then ask me what my first toon I ever made was...they would then have my account name.

the way Anet set things up in the beginning is that they would default the account to the name of the first toon that you made.

When I went to get my Fire imp from the online store.. I noticed the name of my first toon that I had deleted so very long ago. I was like? my account name is that? well its logical I guess.

So if you could get my password - you can try as much as you want without it shutting down gw on your computer.. then you already had my account name for anet and once your in ...your in and I am out.

So I went to change my account name.. it would not let me.

I was like DAM this is stupid. Someone reassured me that the Anet account and the gw account were separate but some how I think that this is how people are getting hackeronied.

I just had someone last week ask me about my first toon that I ever made. I was like why the frig do you want to know? I might have over reacted but then again..my account is not hacked.

Also for your password do not use real words. SO like you could use un5ergr0un5 as your password. (thats underground) where the 5's are d's and the o is an 0

the programs for cracking the passwords use real words so this is almost 1mp0ss1bl3 to crack.

IninefingersI · Dec 15, 2009, 05:37 PM // 17:37

Out of curiosity, how many people reading this thread also play AION or any other subscription NCSoft game?

How many have given their (or their parent's) credit card number to the NCSoft store?

That is what I'd be worried about. Losing a GW account would be a bad deal, but getting your (or your parent's) card info stolen would REALLY be a tragedy.

If people are losing GW accounts through keyloggers or however they are getting taken, it raises the question of how secure the IMOPRTANT information is.

Dec 14, 2009, 07:41 AM // 07:41	#1
siadina Academy Page Join Date: Apr 2006 Guild: A Fate Worse Then Death Profession: R/	A security question I was pondering the latest in the hacking news related to gw and the ncsoft site. Are these peeps who are getting their accounts hacked using their email addresses as their master account log in names? Would something as simple as changing their ncsoft master account log in name be effective for stopping unnecessary account hacks? If this isnt the place to ask this please feel free to move it. Sia

Dec 15, 2009, 05:06 PM // 17:06	#9
Quaker Hell's Protector Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Canada Guild: Brothers Disgruntled	There's probably no need to get overly paranoid about the security of your ANet or GW accounts. Most of these hacks are the result of people's own lack of security. As has been said: - use a good, unguessable password - edit: and only use it for GW - don't buy gold from gold farmers. - don't click on strange links in e-mails - don't visit hacking sites (duh) - don't give your login info to anyone, and don't leave it lying around where roomates, etc., can see it. Last edited by Quaker; Dec 16, 2009 at 06:52 PM // 18:52..

Dec 14, 2009, 07:45 AM // 07:45	#2
Hyperventilate Krytan Explorer Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Somewhere in California Guild: I Gots A Crayon [Blue] Profession: Me/Mo	The problem is knowing how people are getting hacked. As far as I know you can't change your NCSoft login (Which is one of the reasons people are so upset), and you can't change the e-mail you log onto Guild Wars with, either. The only real advice we can give you is to use secure passwords, do not click any strange links in E-mails claiming to be from NCSoft or Arena Net, do not give your password to anyone. The more paranoid you are, the better.

Dec 14, 2009, 10:45 AM // 10:45	#5
Xenex Xclame Desert Nomad Join Date: Mar 2006 Guild: DPX Profession: R/	I believe once you link your account, you can no longer change it,I think it sends you to the NCsoft site to change it which that site doesn't allow you to change it.

Dec 14, 2009, 10:18 PM // 22:18	#7
SlipknotOFA Frost Gate Guardian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Newport Ky Guild: Order Of Fallen Angels Profession: Mo/Me	Well my password was changed less then 10 hours ago im submiting a support ticket i guess been getting emails and stuff... Im guessing all my stuff is going to be gone when i logged on and I have no idea how or why they did it i havent played in a year and I rarely play now just started up sorta in the last month had over 50 ectos 125 shards cool looking armor and over 800k ( Once I get it starting out im saying my farewells to guildwars and unistalling it and never playing again and waiting for guildwars 2

Dec 15, 2009, 05:20 PM // 17:20	#10
imnotyourmother Desert Nomad Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: in a house Guild: The Knitters Guild Profession: W/R	For those of you out there that are curious as to this as well. If someone would ask me if I was playing my main account and then ask me what my first toon I ever made was...they would then have my account name. the way Anet set things up in the beginning is that they would default the account to the name of the first toon that you made. When I went to get my Fire imp from the online store.. I noticed the name of my first toon that I had deleted so very long ago. I was like? my account name is that? well its logical I guess. So if you could get my password - you can try as much as you want without it shutting down gw on your computer.. then you already had my account name for anet and once your in ...your in and I am out. So I went to change my account name.. it would not let me. I was like DAM this is stupid. Someone reassured me that the Anet account and the gw account were separate but some how I think that this is how people are getting hackeronied. I just had someone last week ask me about my first toon that I ever made. I was like why the frig do you want to know? I might have over reacted but then again..my account is not hacked. Also for your password do not use real words. SO like you could use un5ergr0un5 as your password. (thats underground) where the 5's are d's and the o is an 0 the programs for cracking the passwords use real words so this is almost 1mp0ss1bl3 to crack.

Dec 15, 2009, 05:37 PM // 17:37	#11
IninefingersI Frost Gate Guardian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Kansas Guild: Righteous Anarchy [RA] Profession: D/Me	Out of curiosity, how many people reading this thread also play AION or any other subscription NCSoft game? How many have given their (or their parent's) credit card number to the NCSoft store? That is what I'd be worried about. Losing a GW account would be a bad deal, but getting your (or your parent's) card info stolen would REALLY be a tragedy. If people are losing GW accounts through keyloggers or however they are getting taken, it raises the question of how secure the IMOPRTANT information is.