account-hack
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Adobe announces new Flash security vulnerability
On Sept. 13, Adobe Systems released a security advisory detailing a vulnerability in its Flash Player 10.1.82.76 for earlier versions of Windows, Mac, Linux and Solaris, and Adobe Flash Player 10.1.92.10 for Android. The vulnerability also affects Adobe Reader 9.3.4 for Windows, Macintosh and Unix and Adobe Acrobat 9.3.4 for earlier versions of Windows and Macintosh. The vulnerability allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service crash and execute a code to take control of your system by delivering this malicious code through a specially crafted PDF or Flash file. For WoW players, this can mean infection by keyloggers that could potentially steal your login information and compromise your account. Adobe Systems is working on a patch to stop this type of attack from being possible and plans to make it available the week of Sept. 27, with plans to update Adobe Reader 9.3.4 and Adobe Acrobat 9.3.4 the week of Oct. 4.
SOE issues security alert for EQII and Station accounts
Ho hum, another week, another email phishing scam, not exactly news right? Well, this time around, Sony Online Entertainment thinks it is serious enough to issue a security alert via the official EverQuest II website, warning players to safeguard their login information and ensure that it is only used on the official SOE site. While details on the new scam aren't clear, it's a safe bet that it has to do with exploiting a similar URL, as SOE explicitly states the legitimate login URL (http://auth.station.sony.com) in its press release. With the explosion in online gaming popularity across diverse cross-sections of the general public in recent years, it's no surprise that account hacking is also on the rise, as gamers are no longer the tech-savvy demographic they once were. If you do suspect that your EQII or Station account has been compromised, you can email or chat live with SOE customer support.
Real ID security concerns
Ever since the Real ID friend system was announced, players have voiced concerns about hackers and phishers exploiting this system. They're worried that hackers will move through a group of Real ID friends like a wildfire during a drought. While it is always good to have concerns about account security, sometimes paranoia is a bit too much. Yes, you do need your friend's email address to add them as a Real ID friend. However, that is the last time you'll ever see that email address in your game client -- once you hit the "Send Request" button, that's it. There is no way to look up that person's email address from the interface again. The only personal information in the client after that is your friend's name. Just remember that this system is meant for your real-life friends and family and not for some guy who was a good healer in your ICC PUG last week. If you don't know where to go to knock on the person's door if something happens to your account, then don't share your email address.
EVE Online devblog discusses account security
Every MMO suffers the horrors of gold spammers and EVE Online is no different. The RMT (Real Money Trading) industry is massive and EVE's developers CCP have waged a constant war against it in recent years. The PLEX initiative gave players a way to safely buy ISK for cash while at the same time helping players who couldn't afford their subscriptions pay with ISK. The result was a dramatic hit to the RMT market, who had to drop their prices to compete with a legitimate service replacing their own. As part of Operation Unholy Rage in August of last year, EVE GMs also banned over 6200 accounts belonging to farmers known to be supplying the RMT industry. The effect on the market was instant, with the population in farmed mission systems like Ingunn disappearing overnight. Almost immediately, the farmers reacted with a spate of account hackings to claw back some ISK.
Gold farmers connected with $38 million money laundering bust
We've heard about gold farmers tangling with the law before, but this is pretty extreme from initial accounts we've turned up. So while a few of the details coming out of Korea are still a bit hazy, it seems a money laundering operation (working with gold farmers and MMO account thieves) was busted this week while trying to move $38 million between Korea and China. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency stated the operation was headed by a man named Jeong who, with a number of other individuals in Korea, was caught wiring the $38 million in illicit funds. Korean news site dongA reports: "Jeong and his ring reportedly sold the game money illegally produced in China using cheap labor and virus programs. They are believed to have taken a commission of three to five percent of the money traded to purchase game money."
Why virtual thefts matter
Real thefts occur in the real world all the time - we know that, and our respective justice systems have long since evolved to deal with them. When it comes down to virtual theft (characters, gold, or items) whether actually taken from an account or replicated by use of an exploit - most people don't really think it matters. It's not happening in the physical world, right? So it shouldn't, right? Well, it does, and here's why.
