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Should there be a hide option for RealID?
No matter how much we may love playing with our guilds and friends, sometimes we just want to take some time off and play in single-player mode. However, with the pervasiveness of the RealID system, is it truly feasible to go off the grid to do this? Syl over at Raging Monkeys attempts to tackle this very problem, arguing enthusiastically that we should be allowed this option, that it would not only be convenient but also would benefit those relationships we have built both in-game and out. Personally, I'm a bit torn on the issue. On the one hand, I can identify with this situation, as I have been there many times before. My own friends would always want to level alts together, but our goals for those characters never quite lined up. I'd find myself creating secret alts on another faction, sometimes on another server -- not only to experience more of the story and lore than I had before, but to just be alone. Of course, this was all before the RealID system was implemented, because after its debut, I was not able to start a new draenei paladin or blood elf rogue without being flooded with questions and, admittedly, a little guilt. On the other hand, there is a very simple solution to all of this: Put your foot down. If someone asks why you're on Area 52 rolling a worgen warlock (or why you're even rolling a warlock in the first place, yuck), I think we all can agree that the best solution would be to honestly and delicately state that you need some time off, away from all of your in-game obligations -- including those inquiring minds. But is confronting your pursuers really that easy? For some, this type of thing comes naturally, and I for one am extremely envious of these people. For others, confrontation of this sort is not something we want to deal with, and the option to hide from RealID becomes a safe, albeit passive-aggressive, option. What do you think? Is this a feature that Blizzard should be working on, or should these players find other means of enjoying the game in solitary peace?
Source code theft prompts Symantec to issue warning to customers
Security software publisher Symantec has confirmed it was the victim of a cyber attack, resulting in the theft and disclosure of product source code. Earlier this month, the online-collective Anonymous stated, via Twitter, that it possessed portions of the code in question and planned to release it in support of a class-action lawsuit filed by consumers -- the suit claims Symantec employed scare tactics to encourage users to purchase its wares. Via its website, the company affirmed Anonymous' claims, citing a source code heist dating back to 2006. The post goes on to suggest that users running Norton Antivirus Corporate Edition, Norton Internet Security, Norton SystemWorks, Symantec Endpoint Protection 11.0, or Symantec AntiVirus 10.2 apply the latest maintenance patches. If you have the company's pcAnywhere solution deployed, Symantec suggests only using it for "business critical purposes," as this software is "at increased risk." Those looking to stay up-to-date on the breach and what Symantec is doing to ameliorate its effects can get the blow-by-blow from the source link below.
Alleged former THQ staffer sends furious note to board, press
An anonymous letter sent to media and THQ's board of directors, allegedly written by a former employee of THQ, rains fire on the company's management and, specifically, CEO Brian Farrell. The letter arrives the same day as THQ announces another strategic realignment, a little over a week after the company had to spin a major cancellation rumor and over a month after THQ's stock dropped below $1."It is to the point where having [THQ] on your resume is not a point in your favor. And that shouldn't be the case," the "Formerly Mismanaged" writes. "I'm/We're sending this note anonymously because some of us are still awaiting final checks and others know how little corporations like employees who air their dirty laundry. We feel the need to say something to combat the partial misinformation being written."The Formerly Mismanaged lays out its belief that the beginning of the end came when the cash rich company went on an acquisition spree years ago, allegedly "with no plan" -- many of those studios have since been shuttered or sold off. Then came what the accuser(s) call bad licensing deals and the most recent business miscalculation with the uDraw tablet, which caused the company to lower its fiscal outlook for the year.The scope of THQ's problems is expected to come into slightly better focus when it announces its current financial position on February 2. Wedbush Morgan Financial Analyst Michael Pachter has pointed out he believes THQ will generate a "substantial loss" at the end of its fiscal year and that "THQ is at risk of running out of cash by the June 2012 quarter."You can read the entire letter by "The Formerly Mismanaged" after the break.
WoW Moviewatch: Operation GnoVibrator Fury
Who knew? It turns out that Anonymous is largely made up of gnomes. That's probably not a surprise to any of us who spent real time with gnomish engineering. With all the recent talk of SOPA, PIPA, and Megaupload, the gnome members of the hacktivist community finally decided to take action. Working through Olibith, these gnomes have announced Operation GnoVibrator Fury. They are Anonymous. They are pretty small. They do not forgive. And most of the time, they do not forget. This is a super-short video (see what I did there?), but it's a lot of fun. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.
Report: Anonymous after Sony execs, not PSN
PlayStation Lifestyle reports that Anonymous has clarified its position regarding attacks on Sony over the abhorrent SOPA law -- keeping in mind that Anonymous isn't a strongly cohesive "group," and so it's not entirely possible to ascribe a single point of view to it. The opening message on the group's "#OpSony" IRC room was reportedly changed to "NO SOPA! NO ATTACK ON PSN!" In an area for planning "ops," the group suggested that "Doxing [posting personal documents] will occur on Sony executives." Other avenues of attack included hacking Sony websites to place anti-SOPA material. This attitude is consistent with statements previously attributed to the group, expressing a desire not to inconvenience Sony customers while carrying out protests against Sony.
Anonymous not targeting Sony customers in OpSony
Internet superhero/supervillain organization Anonymous is at it again, and this time it's leading the charge against internet censorship act SOPA. At the moment, Sony stands in favor of SOPA, and Anonymous does not plan on letting that fly. Considering the fact that this is the group responsible for bringing down PSN last year, many gamers have raised concerns over what Anonymous' latest plan could mean for them. Normal gamers can breathe easily, though, as Anonymous seems to have deemed PSN untouchable. The group also mentioned that it would not be releasing the private information of Sony customers, but some Sony employee information -- including names, addresses, credit card numbers, etc. -- has already been posted online. So there's that, we guess. We're glad that someone is standing up to SOPA, but this could get ugly very quickly. What do you think of Anonymous' OpSony?
Anonymous declares war on Sony over SOPA support
Sony may once again be the target of hacking attacks, but at least this time the company has a little heads-up in advance. The secretive organization of hackers known as Anonymous released a video declaring its intent to strike at Sony over Sony's support of the controversial Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). The video contains your usual vague proclamations of doom and ego-boosting statements, although with Anonymous' past activity, it will be hard to ignore the threat. The collective of hackers were thought to be at least partially responsible for the attack on Sony earlier this year that forced the company to take its network and games offline. SOPA is a proposed U.S. bill that would allow law enforcement to combat pirated digital goods by shutting down websites and blocking payments to site owners. While the bill is supported by Hollywood, the music industry, and some major game companies, SOPA opposers worry that the bill will infringe on First Amendment rights and permanently harm the internet. You can watch the Anonymous declaration after the jump.
Anonymous is apparently gearing up to shut Sony down again
The amorphous hacker collective known as "Anonymous" (or entities claiming to be, as it were) has once more announced its intentions to attack electronics manufacturer "Sony Company and Associates." Unlike the previous attack, which crippled Sony's PlayStation Network service during several months in the first half of 2011 and for which the group is suspected of involvement, this time the group pins its reasoning to Sony's support of the Stop Online Piracy Act ("SOPA"). In a video missive uploaded to YouTube, the group declares its intentions to "destroy your network," presumably referencing the aforementioned PlayStation Network employed by Sony's game consoles. It also names several famous targets it plans on going after, from Justin Bieber to Taylor Swift. Hasn't Taylor Swift been through enough, folks? No timing is given for the purported attack, but we're putting our money on "pretty soon," if at all. Curiously, Anonymous only picks Sony for its scorn, though a variety of other companies across the game industry (including Sony's domestic competitor, Nintendo) have signed on in support of SOPA. Joystiq, as you might imagine, has not, and neither has our parent company. Update: This post originally listed Microsoft as a SOPA supporter, which is no longer the case. [Thanks, Doc]
New website provides online opt-out services for game EULAs
If you're like most of us, you don't read the giant wall o' legalese that serves as a speed bump on the way to your favorite virtual world. A group of Redditors has, though, and has set up a new website designed to assist gamers in opting out of the clause that prevents participation in potential class action lawsuits leveled against gaming service providers. Apparently opting out requires that a physical letter be mailed to the gaming company in question, and GamersOptOut.com purports to do the tedious work for you (either for free or for a voluntary donation). The catch is that you'll need to provide personal information, including your name, address, and game account name. The website's creators page lists the online handles (as well as Xbox Live, PSN, and Twitter identities) of those responsible, but given the anonymous nature of the site and the privacy concerns raised by providing your personal info, we suggest you proceed with caution. Currently the website features an opt-out form for Sony's PlayStation network and Electronic Arts' new Origin digital delivery service.
Bay Area transit operator cuts cell service to thwart protest, activists abandon cause for Angry Birds
It looks like not even good old civil disobedience can survive without decent reception these days. In a seemingly successful attempt to shut down a protest of BART -- the Bay Area's answer to a subway system -- operators pulled the plug on cell service to multiple train stations, leaving would-be activists without a major organizing tool. The demonstration would have been the second in as many months in response to the shooting of a man by transit police. Officials had this to say in defense of the disruption: A civil disturbance during commute times at busy downtown San Francisco stations could lead to platform overcrowding and unsafe conditions for BART customers, employees and demonstrators. BART temporarily interrupted service at select BART stations as one of many tactics to ensure the safety of everyone on the platform. That didn't seem to sit well with some, as the cutoff has lead to a campaign by hackers, comparing the system to former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who disconnected the country's internet during its recent revolution. It may have a ring to it, but muBARTek does seem a little much, don't you think?
Apple servers hacked by Anonymous
According to Anonymous' twitter account, the hacking group used a SQL injection exploit to pull down the usernames and passwords of several accounts from an Apple-run server (abs.apple.com). The passwords appear encrypted so there is little threat that others can abuse this account information. It's more a blow to the company's reputation. The hackers implied they could do more if they wanted, but told the company and the public not to worry as they "are busy elsewhere."
Three suspected members of Anonymous arrested in Spain
The long arm of the law may have finally caught up with some of the hackers behind the recent (and seemingly endless) PSN outage. Authorities in Spain say they have arrested three members of the hacktivist collective Anonymous and seized at least one computer used in the attacks on Sony. Those arrested are believed to have been important in coordinating the group's activities in the country and to have distributed the Loic DDoS tool to others. Now, of course, the Spanish government will have to be on high alert -- if we know one thing about Anonymous, it's that it is not trigger shy when it comes to exacting revenge.
Suspected Sony hackers arrested in Spain
If you've been wondering when (or whether) authorities would be bringing some of the Sony PlayStation hackers to justice, the New York Times has a brief report that you'll want to check out. Three hackers were recently arrested by Spanish police in the cities of Almeria, Barcelona, and Valencia, all of them with suspected connections to the attacks that took the PlayStation Network offline last April as well as cyber assaults on Spanish banks and government websites. The Spanish National Police claim to have "dismantled the local leadership of the shadowy international network of computer hackers known as Anonymous," though the Times article casts doubt on whether or not the three individuals arrested were solely responsible for the Sony brouhaha. The cyber shenanigans will end up costing Sony somewhere in the neighborhood of $173 million due to damages, IT spending, legal fees, lost sales, and expenses related to customer win-back programs.
Tor to fork Firefox for simplified anonymous browsing, doesn't think you're paranoid
Soon political dissidents, whistle blowers, and those trying to cheat MLB.TV's blackout restrictions will have an easier way to protect their privacy thanks to a dedicated Tor Browser. For those of you unfamiliar with it, Tor is a tool for anonymizing web browsing and communications through encryption and proxy servers. Trouble is, it requires both a browser extension and a standalone app to work -- leaving average users "horribly confused," according to developer Mike Perry. So, the organization has decided to retire the Tor Button and create its own fork of Firefox with private browsing features baked in. As an added benefit, Tor will no longer be at the mercy of Mozilla to fix bugs that affect privacy and security. For now, the group will focus on its downloadable bundle with automatic configuration scripts for simplifying setup, but eventually the paranoid will have a browser they can finally call their own.
Anonymous members say Sony attacks were 'likely' connected to movement
The Financial Times reports that two "veteran" members of Anonymous say some element of the organization was "likely" behind the attacks on Sony earlier this month. At least, they're saying that as much as any two people can take credit for a large, essentially unconnected group of strangers. There was an "official" Anonymous movement against Sony called "OpSony," say the veteran members, and according to them, "if you say you are Anonymous, and do something as Anonymous, then Anonymous did it." That's the problem Sony is having with the non-organization -- members of Anonymous have both now taken credit for and denied being behind the attacks, but since Anonymous is by definition a decentralized, self-defined community, it can't really "take credit" or be held responsible for anything itself. That said, while the Anonymous movement is hard to pin down, it is made up of a group of real people, and those people are being investigated as "one of the key targets" by US law enforcement. If and when charges are brought in this case, "Anonymous" won't be on the stand -- it's not a real organization you can arrest or subpoena. But the hackers who were reportedly acting in conjunction with the online movement likely will be.
Hackers say Anonymous was responsible for Sony attack
Sony and its customers may be having identity theft problems, but the hacker collective known as Anonymous is having something of an identity crisis. Despite the group's public disavowal of the attacks that brought down the PlayStation Network (and that later caused SOE to suspend its MMORPG services), one Anonymous member recently told the Financial Times that the infamous group was indeed behind the attacks. "If you say you are Anonymous, and do something as Anonymous, then Anonymous did it. Just because the rest of Anonymous might not agree with it doesn't mean Anonymous didn't do it," the unnamed hacker said. Anonymous had previously distanced itself from the Sony fiasco in a press release circulated earlier this week. A second Anonymous member added that "it's Anon's work. But you can't blame the whole collective for what one or two guys do."
Anonymous denies involvement with PSN hack
Despite Sony's report of an Anonymous slogan found on a compromised SOE server, the hacking group denied responsibility for the attack in a statement sent to The Guardian. The group claimed that this hack, which resulted in the prolonged (and ongoing) outage of the PlayStation Network and the leak of data from millions of accounts, is not in keeping with Anonymous's MO of fighting organizations' criminal activities with hacks. "Public support is not gained by stealing credit card info and personal identities," the statement reads. "We are trying to fight criminal activities by corporations and governments, not steal credit cards." The statement showed confidence in Anonymous's lack of involvement: "If a legitimate and honest investigation into the credit card is conducted, Anonymous will not be found liable. While we are a distributed and decentralized group, our 'leadership' does not condone credit card theft." Of course, the "intrusion" could still have been the work of someone who self-identifies as an Anonymous member; that very "distributed and decentralized" structure makes it difficult to identify officially sanctioned actions by those claiming affiliation. Last month, during intermittent PSN outages, Anonymous issued a release saying that it would not attempt to take PSN down, because it did not want to "severely impact Sony customers."
Sony provides PSN update, confirms a 'compromise of personal information' (updated)
It's looking like things are just as bad as we feared and that "external intrusion" got a little deeper than we might have liked. In an update on its PlayStation.Blog, Sony just confirmed that the ongoing PSN outage was caused by "malicious actions," which we already knew, but continues by indicating that there has also been "a compromise of personal information." Exactly what that means Sony isn't saying, and it stops short of saying that credit card data for PSN and Qriocity users has been exposed, but the company does say "your credit card number (excluding security code) and expiration date may have been obtained." Yes, it may have been obtained -- even Sony isn't sure. There's no further ETA for when PSN may be back up online or when you might be able to finally sample Portal 2's delicious online co-op mode, but at least you can still watch Netflix. Update: Our friends at Joystiq are reporting that Connecticut Senator Blumenthal is rip roarin' mad about the situation, "demanding answers" from SCEA president Jack Tretton. Right now, we're more curious what Kevin Butler has to say about things. Update 2: Sony UK is shedding more light on just what data has been exposed, and frankly we were happier when it was dark. By the sound of things, everything Sony had about you has been accessed. There's a full list after the break, so only click on through if you dare. Update 3: Sony's just posted a clarification regarding the delay of their response: in a nutshell, PSN was shut down after the intrusion on April 19th, and the company needed to work with outside experts to "understand the scope of the breach" before posting the full lowdown earlier today. For those interested, Sony has a lengthy FAQ page regarding this incident. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
PSN outage due to 'external intrusion' [update]
You might have guessed this already, but it's no simple error that's been keeping the PSN down over the last few days, forcing us into productive activities (like writing this) instead of playing multiplayer Spelunker HD. Sony finally came forward on the PlayStation Blog and admitted that "An external intrusion on our system has affected our PlayStation Network and Qriocity services." Sony says it turned off PSN and Qriocity services on Wednesday to investigate this "intrusion" further. If this is the work of "Anonymous" members, they failed to read their own nebulous organization's press release -- Anonymous supposedly backed off from PSN attacks in early April. It's entirely possible, however, the latest hackers are members of no group other than the loose worldwide confederation of jerks. Update: PlayStation Blog has provided another update on the outage, explaining, "we are working around the clock" to bring the PSN back online. The update adds, "Our efforts to resolve this matter involve re-building our system to further strengthen our network infrastructure. Though this task is time-consuming, we decided it was worth the time necessary to provide the system with additional security."
Anonymous suspends PSN attack
According to AnonNews, a community-driven news site for the nebulous hacktivism cooperative Anonymous, a cease-fire is underway in the group's fight against Sony. Over the last week, Sony's websites, forums, and even the PlayStation Network have been intermittently out of commission, allegedly due to attacks from the group. A press release on AnonNews says that though the group's campaign against Sony will continue in some form, "Anonymous is not attacking the PSN at this time." The group, according to the announcement, is suspending that effort "until a method is found that will not severely impact Sony customers." Even though whoever wrote this might feel that way, of course, there could still be hundreds of thousands of people out there who feel differently and continue attacking PSN. There's no way of knowing how "official" this announcement is, or even how many Anons were into hacking PSN in the first place. The group is, well, anonymous. [Thanks, Raniz]
