I Be Hacked :'(

[Guest]

A couple of things, and I apologize if I'm overstepping.

First, I did take some items from the bank to skill up my trade-skills. If it needs to be replaced, I'll do so without hesitation. I think it was mostly cloth.

Second, and interestingly, we were having this same conversation in the officers of my alliance guild, and we came to basically the same decision as I'm seeing echo'd here. While I have an authenticator, I'm opposed to making it a rule for a number of reasons. First and foremost, is that this is a game. Secondly, is the availability of authenticators. For those with certain types of phones (and there are a lot of phones that support it now) it's free or of minimal cost. I've seen the apps available for up to a dollar, but mostly free. This is the type of approach that I took, because I'm cheap. The physical authenticators are problematic because they do cost more, and they are also only sporadically available, AND it's another device that has to be carried around or not lost (another advantage of the phone authenticators IMHO)

In general, the level of protection provided by an authenticator is HUGELY overboard for a GAME. If things are that important to protect, then it makes WoW less of a game. If WoW isn't a game, it's not something that I am as inclined to be a part of.

Just my two coppers,

Karatia

[Guest]

I continue to disagree with the replied sentiment, but it is good to have the conversation.

It is a game and it is also a social community that is more encouraged to share if there is less chance of loss. I based my sentiment of $6 not being too much as a % of the game fees we all pay to play the game. Your point is understood, but I still disagree. In the end, it is the officers' choice, and I am not that worried about it.

[Daichallar]

Just an FYI, to anyone who is scared of stuff being lost in the Guild Bank, all the stuff always gets returned to a very patient Sreng's mailbox.
Really, if Sreng isn't worried about it, since he is really the only person (who didn't get hacked) that is affected, doesn't mind, then we don't need to worry about this.

~Dai

[Kretol]

It could encourage greater sharing indeed, and it certainly doesn't hurt to be more proactive in both doing our small part to restrict more unneeded work for Blizzard due to preventable incidents, and encouraging greater security for our members.

I'll be honest - I'm not even one that has to deal with getting all the mail with returned items, but I've been pushing for some ranking restructure for a long time. Initially, it was just restructuring the two officer ranks - the upper level for those with authenticators (both for a greater withdrawal limit as well as to be able to demote any hacked accounts).

With the recent hacking, and also with the Cataclysm looming over us, activity will be booming. Let's also not think of the hard work scammers are doing to trick people into thinking they got beta access... At any rate, though, I admit I made a post in the officer forums a few days ago proposing a new rank structure, taking into account those with and without authenticators.

I do kind of wonder if people will be mostly opposed to such a restructure until they personally end up being a victim of a 'hack.' I've never been the victim of one, though I still strongly suggest taking these preemptive measures.

[Kretol]

And we just had another alleged 'hack' - within an hour of this posting, Pamuya/Takari had been on and withdrew whatever they thought was most valuable up to their withdrawal limit.

In my opinion, this is putting extra unneeded (and preventable) work on GMs who have to deal with the countless accounts that are constantly hacked. Yes, we can get everything taken back. However, I do not understand why folks seem to not want to take at least -some- measures to tone it down a bit.

Dai had made the suggestion to, instead of having separate ranks for authenticated and unauthenticated, have the upper rank for the main character of someone, and then the lower rank for all their alts. We could give a larger withdrawal limit for the main, and a substantially smaller one for alts (if any at all). This could theoretically be a good compromise.

Of course, I'd still like to have at least the officer ranks changed, because there's absolutely nothing an officer can do if a Blademaster gets 'hacked' (other than demoting their alts, anyway). We have to wait for Sreng/Fleet to hear our cries for help until any action can be taken against the officer-ranked character.

[Guest]

I for one wouldn't mind my main being my only 'grunt' rank, and the rest just being peons, which last I checked, couldn't access the guild bank... not like I take that much out of the guild bank anyway...

But really, things do get returned, and I'm sure Blizzard is as ticked off as the players are for the hacks, (or at least as much as the players that don't, themselves, get hacked) because they're the ones that have to make good on replacing the stuff when it seems to be a valid hack claim.

What I mean is, they're doing part of their part in preventing it by offering authenticators, and I'm pretty sure they'd have a bunch of guys huddled in some dank pit somewhere sorting through other ways to counter it. I just don't see the need for everyone to go out and buy an authenticator, or get a phone or something that can run it. I'm sure it's a good idea to have an authenticator, but if you don't have the option, I don't see the need to cast them down for not having one.

And, the one time I wasn't sure about sticking something in the guild bank, I asked an officer to put it in the officer tab. But, it seems kinda' silly now, since it seems from what I've read here that rare and valuable items are the priority for being returned after a hack...

Anyway, just thought I'd put up my opinion and see if it helps any.

[Melikar]

Well, I finally gave in an bought an Authenticator. And I'm all for having a bank tab for people with Authenticators only, if we could even do something like that. I love my rank as Iron-Singer though, so I'd have to change ranks if I that were to happen. Regardless, hacking puts a lot of pressure on Blizzard to fix it and the Officers to get things worked out.

It's better if we just fork over the $6 and pay for it. I figure if you're able to pay $15 a month for WoW, you're able to spend $6 once on an authenticator. Or get the mobile download.

[Noodlemortis]

Just tell people that they can get this great pet for only $6... oh and it comes with a free authenticator. They'll snatch them up by the millions.

I should probably break down and get one if I'm going to be handing out my login email all over the place once the Real ID feature is in place. Either that or change my password to a GUID. No one will ever guess that my password is {96EA9237-418C-47E0-AC22-18508F914CA6}

[Donalzon]

Both free if you have an IPhone. I presume there may be some other smartphones with authenticator apps by now as well.