14 DAY TRIAL // Blizzard has commented on the recent class action lawsuit that’s been aimed at it by unhappy customers after the hacking of the studio’s Battle.net system, saying that it’s filled with “frivolous claims” and that it’s going to continue delivering a safe experience for its fans.
Blizzard’s Battle.net system was hacked earlier this year and, while no sensitive data like credit card numbers were leaked, many users were unhappy that this security breach happened, even if they had purchased Authenticators to further protect their accounts.
As such, a group of people filed a class action lawsuit against the company, claiming that it isn’t doing enough to secure their accounts and that it’s charging them money for the Authenticators to have at least some form of security.
Now, Blizzard has commented on the lawsuit and emphasizes that the security issue is a serious one.
“We want to reiterate that we take the security of our players' data very seriously, and we're fully committed to defending our network infrastructure. We also recognize that the cyber-threat landscape is always evolving, and we're constantly working to track the latest developments and make improvements to our defenses,” the studio told GamesIndustry.
Blizzard defends itself, saying that it has properly noticed players about the Battle.net hacking and that it’s taken steps to rectify the situation.
“The suit's claim that we didn't properly notify players regarding the August 2012 security breach is not true. Not only did Blizzard act quickly to provide information to the public about the situation, we explained the actions we were taking and let players know how the incident affected them, including the fact that no names, credit card numbers, or other sensitive financial information was disclosed.”
The studio also revealed that the Authenticator, available both as a device and as a free smartphone app, further ensures that a customer’s account won’t be accessed by other people.
“The suit also claims that the Battle.net Authenticator is required in order to maintain a minimal level of security on the player's Battle.net account information that's stored on Blizzard's network systems. This claim is also completely untrue and apparently based on a misunderstanding of the Authenticator's purpose,” the studio added.
“The Battle.net Authenticator is an optional tool that players can use to further protect their Battle.net accounts in the event that their login credentials are compromised outside of Blizzard's network infrastructure.”
Last but not least, Blizzard has acknowledged the support given by fans to the company and confirms that it will defend itself against the frivolous lawsuit.
“Many players have voiced strong approval for our security-related efforts. Blizzard deeply appreciates the outpouring of support it has received from its players related to the frivolous claims in this particular suit.”
Do you agree with Blizzard’s stance or do you think its security measures have been lacking?