Upset by compromise

I'm not entirely certain how the compromise is our fault, Tallywooh. While I understand your frustration account and computer security is solely in your hands. While we do take some steps to help, we are simply unable to provide a complete barrier against such incidents.

09/27/2011 05:01 PMPosted by Tallywooh

So I decided to contact a gm to tell me that they purge the database after a month I mean really so I lost my characters and everything?

Well, technically the Game Master told you.

"It appears that the losses experienced were just outside of the range that we can currently search."

You said "You purge after 2 months?"

To which the Game Master said "Aye, our logs only last about that long".

While there are times when certain information may exist for longer, and restorations may be possible well after they normally would be, that isn't guaranteed. The data generated is massive and it is not feasible to store it for lengthy periods of time. 2-3 months is usually the cut off.

I am sorry, Tallywooh, we do try to provide what restorations we can. Often if it is reported soon after it happens, we can restore most, if not all of the loss. We are limited by what can be verified though.

09/27/2011 06:52 PMPosted by Sluggs

If you gave him ICC gear it is kind of a smack in the face really on top of loosing all his stuff.

No one "gave him ICC gear", the items in the mailbox were what was still available for restoration when the case was investigated. They belonged to the character previously.

09/27/2011 08:05 PMPosted by Cervarius

like if they only store data for 3-4 months and you quit the game for 6 months and decide to come back to the game to find your account was hacked after you quit.

Items and characters don't simply disappear due to absence and accounts aren't compromised just because you have taken a break from the game.

If you secure your account/computer/e-mail prior to taking a break, be it for a few weeks or a couple years, everything should be as it was when you left it. If you periodically check your registered e-mail you are usually able to tell if there is anything strange going on. You would get password reset e-mails or other notifications of activity on the account.

If you suspect the account is compromised, even if you are not intending to return immediately, you can report it via a support site ticket.

While no restoration is guaranteed, the sooner something like this is reported the better the chances are that we'll be able to repair the damage. Keep in mind that most high level characters, regardless of how long you have been gone, are generally recoverable if they've been deleted. If we are able to provide restoration the items can usually be claimed from the mail for several months.

No one deserves to be compromised and it is tragic when it happens. We will do what we can to provide what assistance we are able to, but in some cases we are simply unable to properly verify what occurred and provide restoration.

09/27/2011 09:29 PMPosted by Daphnes

I have to contest this, because I have had restorations done for items that were gone FAR LONGER than 2 months.

Right, and as I stated, there are some times when items may be recoverable for a good deal after they have been deleted, sold or disenchanted. That is not so in every case.

09/27/2011 09:29 PMPosted by Daphnes

I've spoke with GMs and people who handle such restorations, and they say they can track items that are certain drops but cannot track stuff that is random stats (like a green), white items, or crafted stuff.

Those Game Master's wouldn't have been able to go into much detail with you and may have provided you with some of the basics. By no means would you have a full picture of what our restoration process is like or the difference between restoring an item or two that may have been deleted and restoring the damage caused by a compromise.

We can track nearly all items, including white, or crafted stuff, much depends on how long ago the items were deleted, disenchanted or sold. If an item with a random stat can be restored, we are unable to guarantee items that random stat.

Professions should be able to be tracked. They weren't when I was hacked, but I've heard of them being restored later on.

Yes, it is entirely possible to restore a lost profession, within a certain time frame.

They say that they cannot restore gear with gems and enchants with them. They can. Just about every gear piece I had restored was fully ready to use.

No, we say we are unable to guarantee that gear will be restored with gems and enchants. In many cases we can restore the item exactly how it was when it was sold, disenchanted or deleted, but it depends on when the item was lost.

That was over a YEAR between times I've lost it and got it restored! A YEAR!!!!

Yes, and I've come across characters who have had items still available from 2008. Items that are lost are meant to exist in the database for a limited time. Just because it happens, doesn't mean it will happen every time or is by any means guaranteed to.

Your stuff is still there in the list of things, you just got to find the right person to find it. Again, unless they changed some stuff around.

No, it is not. It is not a matter of "finding the right person", the items are not available for restoration. Nothing has been changed around, you simply do not have a complete picture of how these things actually work. If anything our procedures have improved over the years, but that does not increase the amount of time that an item is available for restoration.