GW2 Authenticator

Every time a new game comes out and does not have a seperate authenticating system they seem to suffer from a ton of hacking issues until they do.  Does anyone know if there are plans to, or I have just missed it, for GW2 secondary authenticating of some sort?

I haven't heard of any atm, but that doesn't mean AN doesn't plan on making one. Ben might have a better idea than me.

NCsofts got some huge security measures in place for their games. For example, it is actually easier and much more painless to make a new Aion account rather then try to relog into your old one. Not sure if ArenaNet or NCsoft will be handling that. If they do make an authenticator, I hope its like WoW's, a seperate device. I don't have any app devices that worked with Rifts version.

heya wildflower, it's me jepps :) haven't seen u on rift in a while

I was just curious, guess we will see how it all shakes out. I had a terrific time in the BETA and I am looking forward to the end of August. Jepps! Hiya, good to see you. I have not had time to game for a long while now but I am planning to be a part of GW2. I hope to see you there.

Hi Wild :D, if you remember :p..I was your tank for a *brief* little while. *Hopefully* I can join you guys sometime in GW2 :).

Hmm, authenticators definitely help, but there are other simple measures you can take to increase account security on your end. First of all, use the remember password option in the GW2 launcher. The reason it's a good idea is it prevents you from entering your password each time you login, and it is a hard counter against keyloggers that may get installed somehow. Next, make sure your GW2 password is secure. In other words, make sure it's a combination of Upper and lower case letters, number, and symbols (i.e. !@#$%^&* and all that jazz as GW2 allows them). If by some chance, someone figures out your email address, they won't be able to brute force your account password. Third, use a good browser, i.e. (Chrome and firefox) and install the adblock "extension/addon. Lastly, I recommend using last pass. It's an excellent password manager, and also serves as counter to keyloggers since it autofills passwords. It's quite easy to use and here are a bunch of tutorial videos out there explaining how to use it and such. I do recommend that you check the remember password option so it will automatically log you in. Also, add a google authenticator to your account if you have a smartphone, and add said computer to the trusted computers. This way, it won't bug you for a google authenticator code on your trusted pc. However, if by some chance someone gets your lastpass master password they won't be able to access your account because it'll ask for the google authenticator code. Oh, and don't forget the usual antivirus software and what not. I honestly just use Microsoft security essentials.

» Edited on: 2012-08-01 04:45:19

ANet suffered some serious hacking in GW1 after it had been out for a few years. Their response was to require an additional piece of information as well as e-mail and password. You have to know one of your character's names. So as long as you don't go around telling people in game your login e-mail or password, then the only people who can make the connection of e-mail, password, and character name are those who hack secondary sites (like this one) where e-mail and character name are paired. And they'll still need the password. So whatever you do, do not use your same e-mail/password combination for any two things. The best passwords are actually pass-phrases. Don't use random combinations, but rather type in plain english or leet speek and just use something really long. For example MyLoginPassWord1 is incredibly hard to brute force due to size, has 3 of the 4 key elements (no symbols) and is extremely easy to remember. Another example is MySonIsTheCoolest! Key logging software isn't normally very intelligent and common phrases and natural english are often ignored when attempting to parse out passwords. Some people are big fans of leet speek pass-phrases. F733d0mU5A (Freedom USA) for example. I'm not as keen on these because they do hit as passwords to key loggers more often than plain english. That aside i wouldn't be surprised if within the first year or so they have an app in IOS or Android land for phones and tablets to do 3 factor authentication.

I have a little anti-phishing security measure that seems to have worked well throughout the years: Create a brand-spanking new email account for your game. Tie it to your game account, and nothing else. Don't use it for forums, fansites, guild websites, personal use, nothing. It's only for your game account. Use your personal/regular email account for forums/fansites/guild websites/etc. The beauty of this is that if you get an official-looking phishing email on your regular account, well, you KNOW it's a phishing email because the game company doesn't have your personal email. It's worked nicely so far... every high-profile MMO that I play, I create a new email for the game account. The only emails I've ever gotten on those accounts have been straight from the game publishers... nothing weird. I do hope that they come out with an authenticator eventually though.

I wish game companies would use something that isn't your email for an account name. Using your usual email is like giving half the key for free. But using not my real email is a problem for trying to remember an email I never use. Rift's problems were server side. Brute force shouldn't be an option for hackers, if the company puts reasonable safeguards into place. Do we think there'll be a big real-money-for-gold market for GW2? One thing I really like about Rift is they limit RMT by having the important currencies be non-tradable. EQ2 did it, too, both by having non-tradable and by having a cash-shop.

I, like Moxie use a separate email for each game I play and to this day I have not been hacked. I also occasionally change up my password (slightly paranoid). Now my Blizzard and Bioware accounts have authenticators, but rule 1 still implies...separate email accounts. I haven't seen anything come out of the AN camp yet as for account security, but if I were a betting man I'd say that they're going to deploy the same measure they've used in GW1, although the current trend is authenticators. I may be wrong but it's fun to guess...err I mean speculate. =)

I agree with Wolfie - if they offer an authenticator, I hope they have a fob option. I purchased one for WoW and SWTOR and I like having it separate from my iPhone. There is a much greater chance that something will happen to my phone which I bring everywhere and use every day than a fob that will sit on my desk.

Every time a game comes out and *has* an authenticator, they still have the same hacking issues, unfortunately. I have yet to hear of any game with or without one that hasn't had character accounts hacked into. One of the better ways to avoid being hacked is do not use the same password for the game as you do *any* website you visit. Especially not the same as your email. Using long passwords with upper/lower case and numbers works better. If the account lets you use some special keys it makes it even better. After all (keep in mind this is *not* one of my passwords lol) using something like Qw3rty.$ is much better than just typing qwerty on your keyboard ;P and if I just accidentally guessed your password, I suggest you change it :P

It would be nice if they add the option to have an authenticator, Especially if I can get it on my mobile phone. As it is, I won't be doing things like storing my credit card information in game.

In diablo3 it is annoying to key in authenticator every time but hey that makes the account safe right?