14 DAY TRIAL // The recently launched Guild Wars 2 is already experiencing a lot of issues because of hackers. At the beginning of September, the game’s developers reported receiving over 11,000 new support tickets for hacked accounts over a period of just three days.
Apparently, the problem isn’t caused by a vulnerability in the game. Instead, the attackers use malware, phishing and information obtained from other hacks to gain access to the accounts.
A Norman security researcher experienced firsthand how easily cybercriminals could penetrate an account. He reported that his account was hacked one day after he created it.
After investigating the incident, he determined that the hackers utilized the credential combinations he had for a site that was breached back in 2010. Since many gamers tend to do the same, it’s no wonder that so many accounts are reported as being hacked.
In order to prevent future incidents, the developers of Guild Wars have implemented an email authentication system. Now, each time someone attempts to access the game from a new location, the rightful owner receives an email requesting him/her to allow or reject the attempt.
This mechanism prevents cybercriminals from taking over accounts even if they know the username and password combination.
Furthermore, since in many cases the attackers possess access to email accounts, the developers have decided to disable the “reset password” function, at least for the time being.
However, the most important advice for Guild Wars players is to choose a strong password and protect it as best they can. Long and complex passwords, changed every once in a while, are the secret to a secure account.
Also, experts recommend that you set a different password for each of your accounts. This way you can ensure that if one of the site’s you utilize is hacked, your other assets don’t become exposed.