Authenticators back in stock! Strongly urged for all.

Sounder · Joined: 30 Nov 2006 Posts: 2648 Location: Boston, MA

The Blizzard Authenticators are back in stock as of this writing. They're still $6.50 ($6.83 with tax, shipping is included).

Here's the link to the item in the Blizzard store:
http://www.blizzard.com/store/details.xml?id=1100000182
Blizzard Authenticator FAQ:
http://us.blizzard.com/support/article.xml?articleId=24660&rhtml=true

AS YOUR QUARTERMASTER, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND EVERYONE GET AND USE THIS.

Syk has had FOUR people lose control of their accounts due to hacking in the last 12 months. Three of those incidents included theft from the guild bank. Those three players regained control of their characters to find them stripped. They were able to regain the lost personal and bank items after sufficient go-arounds with Blizzard, however I can assure you these were traumatic and disruptive events for the folks affected as well as the officers.

The fourth case was Sinos' character, which was immediately transferred off-server. He was not able to recover control of the character due to not having control of the email address associated with the account. (He's started over as Tedronite the hunter.)

Stolen warcraft accounts are now worth a lot more on the black market than stolen credit cards. Think about how many hours of time you've spent getting your characters to where they are today. $6.83 is a bargain to protect that.

I know some folks have taken the stance of "I refuse to pay more money for what should be minimum security" -- and I just have to say, please get over it and get one anyway. Getting keylogged is a failure in web-browser security which is the user's responsibility. Blizzard has no way to prevent that. They've done an awesome job creating this two-factor system which is unprecedented for an online game. They're selling the new widgets at close to cost.

Starting today let's have no more stolen accounts.
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Sounder, 80 Druid, Eng/JC, Quartermaster of Syk!

Zaviji · Joined: 16 Jul 2008 Posts: 578 Location: Austin, TX

Just an fyi: they're back in stock again! Get 'em while you can! Smile

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Zaviji / Trillial / Tzyra (all retired)

Riske · Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 1632 Location: Mississippi

I bought one of these and attached it to my account.

For the record while it might be worth the cost to keep your account safe, the stupid thing is driving me nuts. I can never find it when I want to log on, or else it's stuffed down in my pocket somewhere so deep that I punch the button twice trying to get it out and use it, or else I leave it at home by the computer then I want to log in for JUST A MINUTE to check mail or something and oops, it's at home! *cough* like now *cough*

*frustration*

...but all that said, it's a great thing to have. They're in stock last I looked.
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Samriel · Joined: 30 Mar 2008 Posts: 197 Location: Tomorrowland

If you keep the serial number from the back of the authenticator on you, say in your wallet, all it takes is a quick call to Blizzard to disable it should you forget while away or otherwise engaged. Just in case anyone wondered how that was done. You can disable and re-enable an authenticator as many times as you want with no penalties or problems--all it takes is the serial number from the back.
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"I would call it to mind--yet I shrink from the dread power.
I would speak of it aloud--but my words are lost in awe."

Samriel/Miristrasza

Sounder · Joined: 30 Nov 2006 Posts: 2648 Location: Boston, MA

Thanks for the tip Sam -- I'll put my serial number in my address book. It is the eventual fate of all frobs to get lost.
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Sounder, 80 Druid, Eng/JC, Quartermaster of Syk!

Riske · Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 1632 Location: Mississippi

Based on tips and suggestions from my (hopefully seen as good natured) complaining, I have decided to do two things...

(1) I found my keychain I used in California and have decided to put keys on it again along with my authenticator!

(2) I'm writing down the number so I can disable it in the future. This isn't the best option for me, since I have literally been without this thing twice a day since I got it, but hopefully if it's on my newly reinstated keychain that won't be an issue anymore. Also this is brilliant if you leave it someewhere it's not easy to get back to.

And now I can rest in peace knowing that my 2g is safe from hackers. Woot!
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Faytal · Joined: 04 Feb 2006 Posts: 981 Location: Edmonton, Alberta

We are a large guild and have a full bank....

Get an authenticator....no question about it. If you get hacked it costs us all materials and money that could be used to help out our players and raids.

It isn't like it costs too much so that isn't a real excuse. I beg you all to please get one.

Faytal
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