6-16-10 Patch Added Authenticator??

#10 - June 17, 2010, 5:49 p.m.

Q u o t e:
When I tried to log in I was prompted to activate the authenticator connected to the account. Problem is, I don't have an authenticator and did not ask for one. Called Blizz and of course they aren't answering the phones. Downloaded the mobile authenticator, but I have to log in to battle.net to "add" an authenticator. But there is already an authenticator on the account so I can't log in or change the authenticator. Effectively, Blizz just locked me out. Very smooth.

I'm very sorry to hear that you're having difficulty accessing your account, Krustyheals. =/ If you are being asked for an authentication code when logging into the game client or Account Management, though, but did not personally associate an Authenticator with your account, I'm afraid your account has likely been compromised. Unfortunately, this is a very common trend: in many cases of compromise, an unauthorized party will associate an Authenticator with the account in order to prevent the registered user from logging in.

While this must be an incredibly frustrating situation for you, please know that Blizzard's In-Game Support and Account Services department will do all that they can to help you recover from your compromise. This includes recouping items, characters, and currency that were lost as a result.

To begin your recovery process, I'd encourage you two to read through the following guide:

What to do if Your Account Has Been Compromised

http://us.blizzard.com/support/article/30796

It should answer any questions that you might have about what to do to get your stuff back and what steps you can take to secure your account.

Also, quick note! We can assist with the removal of the unauthorized Authenticator through multiple points of contact:

http://us.blizzard.com/support/article/20606

[email protected]

http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/board.html?sid=1&forumId=11110

Authenticator Removal Request FAQ

http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=24702203177&sid=1

Please note that each of these contacts may not yield an immediate response. We understand that being locked out of your account is frustrating, though, so our representatives will do all that they can to assist you as quickly as possible. :)

Q u o t e:
the forums are lit up with similar posts from the last 12 hours. It appears as tho Blizz has been hacked, and hundreds of accounts have been compromised.

Q u o t e:
I understand the numbers would be staggering ~ I'm not jumping to conclusions ~ I said APPEARS not HAS BEEN, it is just one suggestion. post after post from so many players regarding the same thing suggests to me that a database was comprised to allow so many to be comprimised in such a short time.

Neither Blizzard Entertainment nor Battle.net has been compromised, Bannekka, but I can imagine that it might be an easy conclusion to draw if you've never visited the Customer Service forum before. Many individuals come to this forum for guidance, and you'll regularly see posts related to account compromise. This doesn't mean that account compromises are an epidemic, though. In fact, contrary to popular belief, account compromises only affect a small portion of the WoW population.

That said, the effects of compromise can be devastating, both for the individual account holder and the community. We understand this, and so dedicate numerous resources and personnel to the recovery process. We've also made considerable efforts to not only educate our players on the merits of account security, but also provide them an additional (though optional) layer of protection: the Battle.net Authenticator. :)