Guild Wars 2 players targeted in phishing attacks

[Leeky]

Guild Wars 2 is suffering from phishing attacks by hackers believed to be in China who so far have compromised scores of user accounts since the game launched a couple of weeks ago.

ArenaNet, the game's developer, insists its servers and web portals remain secure, though it appears hackers are trying to log into accounts with harvested email address and password combinations from previously hacked games and websites. It's also believed that some of these credentials were stolen in an earlier breach of a Guild Wars fan site, according to Ars Technica.

"If you don't want your account hacked, don't use the same email address and password for Guild Wars 2 that you've used for another game or web site," ArenaNet warned over the weekend.

Hundreds of users have received authentication emails asking for approval to log in from distant locations, and the company said that's "a sign that a hacker knows your account name and password, and is only being prevented by the email authentication feature from accessing your account." Those receiving such emails are advised to immediately change their password to something unique.

This event offers yet another reminder that you should choose a different password for each site. Experts recommend uniquely generated passwords that are at least eight characters long (13 or above is more secure) with a mixture of upper and lowercase letters, special characters and numbers. Tools like LastPass and PasswordSafe can help manage an unwieldy array of passwords by keeping a list of them behind one master password.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/50087-guild-wars-2-players-targeted-in-phishing-attacks.html

 

[Tygerstrike]

Surprise surprise...China again. I wonder if even their own govt can stop them.

 

[Ranger1st]

Really looking forward to when the rest of the world turns that area into a big pile of radioactive glass

 

[TomSEA]

"I wonder if even their own govt can stop them."

Hardly, since their government actually supports hacking efforts.

 

[Tygerstrike]

The worst part about that Tom is that it is so true. China and its govt feels nothing when it comes to stealing online. It was bad enough when China would pirate and package the hotest movie or game out there. Now even thats not good enough for them. Eventually tho there will come a reconing. China will be made to answer for all they have done to others online. It might not be this year or the next, but eventually China is going to be hit by a meteor, or some massive disaster is going to befall them, and everyone will just turn their backs on China. And when China pulls the "What?!? What did we ever do?" we can all just sit back and laugh that evil laugh knowing that China will be getting their "just desserts"
Till then im kinda with Ranger on this one. A smoking crater..A glass parking lot.something to show them some form of humility.

 

[Darkshadoe]

"Till then im kinda with Ranger on this one. A smoking crater..A glass parking lot.something to show them some form of humility."

Yes, because your gaming experience is worth starting World War 3...

 

[lchu12]

Frankly I think our governments should double our efforts in this area. (Govt supporting hacking)

Kinda scary when you think that they have more troops than us and if they disable our greatest advantage (technology) we're screwed.

No point in talking about "Human Right's", when we can backup our words with force.

 

[Alexmx]

Frankly I think our governments should double our efforts in this area. (Govt supporting hacking)

Kinda scary when you think that they have more troops than us and if they disable our greatest advantage (technology) we're screwed.

No point in talking about "Human Right's", when we can backup our words with force.

Riiight, and the world is going to observe with crossed arms.
After all, why should all the continent care for the fallout, right?

Some people should stop believing all that manifest destiny crap?

 

[Tygerstrike]

@dark
As I have never played either Guild Wars 1 or 2, my statement is a "in general" statement. China has been hacking the US for years with no stopping in sight. Its not about any individuals "gaming experience" as it is about the inability for anyone to stop China or its ppl from raping the internet and the services supplied on it. Yes I personally believe that it will take extreme measures in order to stop China. So a glass parking lot fits that bill. I agree that it MAY take these types of measures to stop China. Im not advocating WW3, I am however advocating that SOMETHING be done. I agree with Rangers assesment that a catastrophic event will need to happen to force China to change their ways. So your sarcasm aside, you can have a nice steaming glass of.....I'll let you decide.

 

[Darkshadoe]

"I agree that it MAY take these types of measures to stop China. Im not advocating WW3, I am however advocating that SOMETHING be done."

That is EXACTLY what you are advocating. Ever heard of Russia? North Korea? Nigeria? These and various other countries are doing the exact same thing. You willing to nuke them too? Are you ready for the retaliation from the countries that have nukes also? Got your fallout shelter already built?

If governments and companies get hacked, they deserved it. Why you ask? Because you DON"T put sensitive information in a place where the world can get to it. Simple as that. You don't put government strategies and secrets on a computer with access to the internet and you don't do it for the sake of convenience. Why the hell do you think a lot of these politicians get caught doing things they should not be doing? Because they trust internet based devices WAY TOO MUCH.

Your solution amounts to using a tank to kill a mouse. Simple prevention is the answer. Rather than whine that something needs done about things, your time would be better spend learning how you can prevent something from happening.

 

[Tygerstrike]

@dark
Well since you seem to be a wealth of opinon and answers, what would you suggest. That every secret, every innovation, every movie go back 30 years and put it all down on paper? Maybe just stop useing computers that are more and more being built with internal WiFi? What would be your suggestion to stop these countries from stealing online. Mind you, the rant of "they deserve it" doesnt really apply. No one deserves to be hacked. I use 15-20 character passwords. I dont put anything on a PC. That still wouldnt stop China ect from hacking. Just because I secure my accounts, doesnt mean its going to stop them from hacking. Im sure you have heard that given enough time any system can be cracked. Regardless of whatever security protocalls are in place. Youre placing blame on the victim when the reality is that those countries need to be held accountable for their actions. I welcome any constructive ideas on the subject. Other then creating a international cyber police force with complete unfettered powers and no juristiction issues, I cant see any other way these countries will stop. And sometimes it takes a tank to kill a mouse, especially when that "mouse" is 100ft tall and damn near unstopable.
Guild Wars is a prime example of how China seeks to grow bigger and stronger and richer off the work of others. Im not saying the US is really any different from any other country out there. Im sure they do their own share of hacking. However I doubt the US govt gives two squats about someones WoW account. China has been pirating and straight out stealing for years. Eventually something will have to be done to stop the information theft.

 

[Darkshadoe]

"That every secret, every innovation, every movie go back 30 years and put it all down on paper?"

If that is what it takes..Yes. Try hacking a vault or a good old fashion safe that is not computerized sometime.Try hacking a piece of paper. It is much easier to catch a spy than to catch a good hacker.

"Youre placing blame on the victim when the reality is that those countries need to be held accountable for their actions"

You are only a victim if you, yourself, do not take preventive measures. If you depend on others to protect you from the world and all it's evils, you are just fooling yourself. Crime of all types have been around since man was invented. It is one of those things your can't simply make go away. Your only hope is that you take steps to reduce the chances you will be the victim of a crime. If China will not help stop their citizens and or government from stealing your intellectual property, then it is up to YOU to protect yourself but you sure as hell don't wipe out a population of people with nukes just because someone hacked your Farmville account.

"Other then creating a international cyber police force with complete unfettered powers and no juristiction issues"

Yes. Let's create a police force that is not accountable to anyone and can do whatever the hell they want to do. While we are at it, we can burn the US Constitution or any other country's version of it. Rights? Who needs rights? We have the world police protecting our butts. They will save us from the evil red hackers! How about that war on drugs? That has been a complete success hasn't it? Countries coming together to stop drugs and drug use. Oh wait... no It didn't. It did not even make a dent.

"And sometimes it takes a tank to kill a mouse, especially when that "mouse" is 100ft tall and damn near unstopable."

Please post a pic of this mouse. No photoshopping.

 

[Tygerstrike]

@dark
Im not the one who suggested the extreme measures, I only agree with their statement. Why dont you turn that attitude of yours to the person who suggested it. I dont feel the need to justify my feelings in the issue and I could give a damn about yours. Your view is hilarious. Something has to be done, but you just want to lay back and accept it. That is your choice. I however believe that stronger actions need to be taken to stop them. Whatever those actions are. No one should have to be a victim of hacking. All your pravado aside, you are just arguing. You have not given any new information. Its all more of the same BS that MS and every other PC maker spouts.

 

[Darkshadoe]

"Im not the one who suggested the extreme measures, I only agree with their statement. Why don't you turn that attitude of yours to the person who suggested it. I don't feel the need to justify my feelings in the issue and I could give a damn about yours. Your view is hilarious."

If you did not feel you had to "justify your feeling" why keep posting? If you feel that wiping out children, mothers, fathers, grandparents, friends, co-workers, etc in a blast of nuclear fire all over the world is the price you want to pay to keep your PC safe from hackers. Enjoy. Maybe you can even toast a few marshmallows and hotdogs over the charred bodies. Might give those hot dogs that nice smokey flavor that everyone enjoys on meat.

"Something has to be done, but you just want to lay back and accept it."

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" - Ben Franklin

I believe this quote is what I have been referring to in my posts. Again, If you do not take step to prepare yourself for a situation, you deserve what you get when that situation comes. When it comes to hacking, if you absolutely do not want your computer hacked, stay off the internet. If you cannot live without the internet, then you have to make sure you do everything possible to protect your computer. Hackers will always be around. Children as young as 4 and 5 are learning to program code. How they use that knowledge as they get older is a crap shoot. So, no, I am not just "laying around and accepting it". I am mature enough to analyze a situation and take the appropriate steps to prevent it to the best of my ability. If the oil light come on in my car, I'm not going to wait to fix the problem and then shoot the mechanic later because the engine locked up.

"I however believe that stronger actions need to be taken to stop them."

Stronger actions should be longer prison terms or banning them from using computers for life. Even with the crime of murder, criminals are most times just given life sentences. You advocate annihilating most organic life on the planet because someone's computer was hacked. You don't see a problem with that? Really? You sound like one of these hardcore gamers that play first person shooters that believe that death equals respawn. Death is permanent. There is no respawn. To quote Bill Paxton from Aliens "Game over, man!"

"All your pravado aside, you are just arguing."

Umm..yes I am. I don't not agree with your suggested methods of dealing with hackers. An argument usually happens when two people do not agree with each other. By the way, I think you meant this:

bra·va·do - noun, plural

a pretentious, swaggering display of courage.


"You have not given any new information."

Why give new information when the old information works so well. (please refer back to the Ben Franklin quote).


"Its all more of the same BS that MS and every other PC maker spouts."

I do not even know what this means. You got me there.