Curse

Aethyr Redmoon · May 10, 2007, 10:06 PM // 22:06

2 Days have passed, and I've yet to receive an e-mail back from ArenaNet. But I'm patient, and nothing else has happened since then. No password resets or missing items. Not even on my other account with all 3 campaigns on it. So I'm in no hurry at the moment.

So see, no keylogger. :P (If there was someone behind it all, they would've moved in by now and took over both accounts, but "they" only mess with my new one.)

But, something could happen later today or even tomorrow, so I'm still holding my breath that something bad will happen... We'll see, and I'll post here when it does.

jsshah1 · May 11, 2007, 05:22 PM // 17:22

can I reccomend that you install some sort of network/computer monitoring software and see if any activity related to guildwars shows up while you are clearly away from the computer. I dunno if yahoo offers pop access to its email accounts, but you could set outlook or thunderbird up to constantly download all emails being sent to you, that way you can see if anyone is requesting password changes on your yahoo account.

Also if you have got a plaync master account, change your login details for that as well, because people can change your guildwars password from their as well.

Finally to see if it is just your account and not a hack, create a trial key account and play on that for a bit to see if the same thing happens, you could go as far as buying another guildwars propheses account for £10/$20 and play on that for 2/3 weeks.

rick1027 · May 11, 2007, 06:12 PM // 18:12

to me it sounds like someone is messing with you more like a friend or a neighbor kid. if this was someone who was malicious they would have just taken over the account and switched all the info. could it possibly your brothers friends or someone like that. this just doesn't sound like something that happens at anet. just a second thought is it like your account is getting rolled back or something to that nature or is just items being sold or given away

Gimme Money Plzkthx · May 11, 2007, 09:54 PM // 21:54

If you're still worried about computer security, DL and run AVG free anti-virus and anti-spyware. AVG is some of the best stuff out there, and you can get it free, albeit with slightly reduced features and a 30 day or so time limit on the anti-spyware. http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1

Aethyr Redmoon · May 11, 2007, 11:35 PM // 23:35

Honestly, for the last time, it is not anyone playing tricks on me that would live locally.. No one even comes into my room, except when I'm here. :P I truly assure everyone, that not one of my family members or their/my friends would be doing such a thing.

Still no problems have occurred. So I'm pretty happy about that, none the less.

Edit: and I think my computer is well fortified enough already, but thanks... It's processing power has slowed down enough as well with all these protective programs running, heh.

Kuldebar Valiturus · May 12, 2007, 11:44 PM // 23:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aethyr Redmoon

Honestly, for the last time, it is not anyone playing tricks on me that would live locally.. No one even comes into my room, except when I'm here. :P I truly assure everyone, that not one of my family members or their/my friends would be doing such a thing.

Still no problems have occurred. So I'm pretty happy about that, none the less.

Edit: and I think my computer is well fortified enough already, but thanks... It's processing power has slowed down enough as well with all these protective programs running, heh.

You understand that though your computer may now be secure, your account may still remain compromised?

Aethyr Redmoon · May 14, 2007, 02:24 AM // 02:24

I'm not sure if the account name change did it or what, but I've still received none of those weird errors--even when I was away from my computer and not online for the weekend.
ArenaNet hasn't replied back, though.

You could probably call me stubborn or even a little blind, but since this long has gone by, and no issues; I really feel that they have stopped for good.

I never believed there was any human "culprit" to begin with... The proof: the events all happened at odd times abroad; they didn't just take over either of my accounts outright--and only messed with the new, dirt poor, one; I only received the "Another account has signed on" message once, and it was well within when I first created the account (and that I receive those "another connection" messages on some other online programs that I run, when there's no reason for them (and to note, when I change the passwords on them, the message pops up again and resets the password to the old, at least on Yahoo/MSN Messenger)); and last of all, is there any reason to remove a Pre-Searing character's equipment?

But, then someone could turn all of those statements around and just say it someone playing tricks on me... When victims mention key loggers in their threads, it also usually means their accounts were taken immediately, end of story for them. In my case: not true. Strangers have no reason to toy with other strangers... Especially through unnecessarily removing character's clothing and wasting their time removing worthless items like that.

Though in the end I may be right or I may be wrong, who could say if until it would happen again?

I'll still be taking careful measures to protect both accounts.

Kuldebar Valiturus · May 14, 2007, 02:35 AM // 02:35

People that enjoy griefing others don't have to "steal" anything to feel satisfied.

As opposed to hackers that hijack accounts and valuable information, there is also a type of hacker that simply enjoys sowing chaos, confusion and inconvenience. They seek no material or virtual gain, only the feeling of power that comes with having free rein to "mess" with someone's head in ways that seem inexplicable. It's like someone breaking into your house and pouring all your canned soda out in the sink and leaving only to return again at a later time to do a similar thing.

My guess is that your game account was compromised for quite a long time and that maybe you have finally closed the breach by changing the account name. The type of "attacks" on your account show that someone was messing with you and not going after the usual things when hijacking an account.

Aethyr Redmoon · May 14, 2007, 02:42 AM // 02:42

You bring up good points, too, Kuldebar Valiturus.

That's all very disheartening, though...

I'd like to thank everyone on behalf of their effort through all of this.

attackofthecold · May 14, 2007, 02:55 AM // 02:55

Change your email on the account also, after the email is changed then change the password. If your computer isn't compromised your email could be. Also you can open up a command prompt and type netstat "netstat -b" with out the ""'s and it will tell you every ip your connected too with the program name. If you notice any strange ones that you didn't run then you got keylogged.

Satu-Wyvern · May 22, 2007, 08:23 PM // 20:23

I know this is going to sound strange but are there any magnets near your harddrive. We had an employee at work that was losing files and icons. They would disappear from her computer. Anything video would run and then vanish.

When I went to move her CPU a magnet from her desk had stuck on her box right near her harddrive. It was explained to me by an engineer that as the harddrive was spinning the magnet was "stealing" the data. Because it wasn't a very strong magnet it didn't wipe the drive just removed data when it was "spinning".

FlameoutAlchemist · May 23, 2007, 01:42 AM // 01:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Satu-Wyvern

I know this is going to sound strange but are there any magnets near your harddrive. We had an employee at work that was losing files and icons. They would disappear from her computer. Anything video would run and then vanish.

When I went to move her CPU a magnet from her desk had stuck on her box right near her harddrive. It was explained to me by an engineer that as the harddrive was spinning the magnet was "stealing" the data. Because it wasn't a very strong magnet it didn't wipe the drive just removed data when it was "spinning".

A valid thing to watch for, but since all player account information regarding characters and their equipment is stored on Anet's servers, this is unlikely to be the culprit.