To people that get hacked.

[RebornFlame]

Now I think people are just being too hasty when they say "I've never been hacked, so anyone who has fell for a stupid trick". Like some other poster mentioned using a swine flu analogy anything is possible. It's been shown through philosophy, every day life, even in something as concrete as math or science that nothing is ever guaranteed. I've never been hacked myself, but just because I don't accept emails or I'm not one of the many people doing torrents or porn, it doesn't mean the viruses can't adapt to very common programs in seemingly safe website. It's unlikely because those websites are so secure, but it's not impossible.

Now I do support though taking responsibility for the problem. No matter what you dream up, you cannot say you weren't on the computer, or someone who you can control was on your computer clicking and doing things. To say it's not my fault is stupid. Just it happened, say a clever virus got you if thats the case, say you fell for an obvious virus if thats the case, but don't lie there's no need it doesn't do anything.

[Kharold]

Not all virus-scans pick up every keylogger.

I'm not sure if you're aware of how a brute force works, but someone using it to gain access to your account could take a billion years.

The average PC can easy do 2*2^33 calculations per a hour if he didn't have a long password it could be brute forced in minutes for example if his password is only 6 digits would take 5.15 minutes.

The best way to stop brute forcing is to put a few uppercase letters in your password it puts the average time to crack a 6 digit password from a few min to over a week. Anything over 6 digits with uppercase would take years.

So yes brute force is possible if your dumb enough to have a small password also the time to hack a password is a lot less if u use a actual word.

[RebornFlame]

To everyone who thinks they are safe from hackers, with or without an authenticator:

Google thought they were hack proof, too. So did IBM, and the White House, and thousands of other businesses that get hacked every day.

I work in the IT business, and I see people get infected all the time. The number one cause is, the false sense of security they get from having an anti virus program.
Even with an anti virus program, and a good malware program, you can, and will get infected if you do not keep it updated, or run regular scans.

Also, I don't care how much people tell me I'm wrong, but, programs like AVG are crap.
There is a reason they give it away.
Not all virus programs are created equal. Some are better than others.
AVG is worthless.
Something like 75-80% of infected machines I see have AVG or another of the free programs "protecting" them.

And, AVG isn't the only bad program. A lot of the paid programs aren't as effective as they should be.

We use a product called Webroot Antivirus. It also protects against spyware.
95% of the machines we install it on, we never see again for viruses. I say 95% because, no matter how good your software is, it will never be 100% effective.
There are other paid programs that are just as good, but Webroot is the one we use, so it's the one I will mention, as I have experience with it.

The moral of this story is:
When it comes to anti virus software, you really do get what you pay for. If you don't cheap out on your components, why would you cheap out on your software?


Now, to everyone who wants to flame me for calling AVG out for being the crap it is:
Shut up.
Chances are, it's not the software protecting you, it's your knowledge of avoiding infections protecting you. Or blind luck.
Seriously.
You have to realize the vast majority of people who use computers are, well, idiots.
They will download something like AVG, install it, and then never think about infections again, because, "I have AVG. I'm protected."
And, I'm sorry, but if you're one who thinks like that, then, you're stupid.

However, I will say the easiest thing, and one of the smartest things people can do is; dump Internet Explorer. Use Firefox, Opera, Chrome, Safari, or write a brand new browser from scratch.
IE 8 is a lot better than previous versions, and IE 7 isn't as vulnerable anymore, so if you must cling to IE, use 7 or 8.
However, if you are one of the millions still clinging to IE 6, then no one can save you from yourself.

/end rant
/flame on

Thanks for the opinion! You added to the pile that is bigger then most trash heaps!

[zerate]

People that have 0 knowledge of computers and only know how to press the on button and double click wow are dumb by your logic?
There are loads of people that hardly know how a computer works and those ppl don't even know about phishing.
Just becuase u got that knowledge it does not make everyone that does not have it automaticly dumb, quit being so ignorant. It has nothing todo with common sense for those ppl.

The amount of warnings blizzard gives you to evade phishing is unbelievable, hell you even get a warning when you're loading a zone in wow "No blizzard employee will ever ask for your username or password"
If you're dumb enough to email your information to someone, then you honestly do deserve to get hacked, no matter how computer illiterate you are.

If you're dumb enough to click a link that says "LOOK AT MAH SEXLEGZ WE WIL HAVE FUNTIEM TOONITE" then you honestly do deserve to get hacked, no matter how computer illiterate you are.

[Lucifer Morningstar]

let me tell you something ...

as soon as you turn your internet connection on, ur not safe.

that is as real as it gets!
Deny this if you want but this is as real as it gets.

[Set2Fail]

Everyone that said they've never been hacked, touch some wood, NOW.

[Mythricia]

And you are an utter idiot to think that these are the only ways to get hacked.

There's many ways to get hacked. There aren't that many feasible ways to hack someone / get hacked.

Sure. Someone could find out your username - and put his computer on brute-forcing duty for 6 months, and find your password. That's also possible. Is it likely?

Hell no.

People hacking your WoW account aren't malicious madmen sitting naked in their basement hacking away at YOUR personal password for months, so that they can steal your epics. People hacking your WoW account is business; gold farmers trying to get accounts they can use to farm more / scam more. It's not worth their time to attack specific people personally - they attack a community, via big channels like forums, in-game mail, e-mail, phishing sites. And all of those - are fairly easy to avoid.

I bet you - this new Authenticator related trojan comes from one of the above mentioned channels as well. Which you only really "attract" by being reckless. Antiviruses are usually reactive, not proactive - in the sense that if the virus exists in their database - the virus has already infected plenty of people before being discovered.

Common sense > Everything else. Shame that common sense is not so common..

[freezion]

To everyone who thinks they are safe from hackers, with or without an authenticator:

Google thought they were hack proof, too. So did IBM, and the White House, and thousands of other businesses that get hacked every day.

I work in the IT business, and I see people get infected all the time. The number one cause is, the false sense of security they get from having an anti virus program.
Even with an anti virus program, and a good malware program, you can, and will get infected if you do not keep it updated, or run regular scans.

Also, I don't care how much people tell me I'm wrong, but, programs like AVG are crap.
There is a reason they give it away.
Not all virus programs are created equal. Some are better than others.
AVG is worthless.
Something like 75-80% of infected machines I see have AVG or another of the free programs "protecting" them.

And, AVG isn't the only bad program. A lot of the paid programs aren't as effective as they should be.

We use a product called Webroot Antivirus. It also protects against spyware.
95% of the machines we install it on, we never see again for viruses. I say 95% because, no matter how good your software is, it will never be 100% effective.
There are other paid programs that are just as good, but Webroot is the one we use, so it's the one I will mention, as I have experience with it.

The moral of this story is:
When it comes to anti virus software, you really do get what you pay for. If you don't cheap out on your components, why would you cheap out on your software?


Now, to everyone who wants to flame me for calling AVG out for being the crap it is:
Shut up.
Chances are, it's not the software protecting you, it's your knowledge of avoiding infections protecting you. Or blind luck.
Seriously.
You have to realize the vast majority of people who use computers are, well, idiots.
They will download something like AVG, install it, and then never think about infections again, because, "I have AVG. I'm protected."
And, I'm sorry, but if you're one who thinks like that, then, you're stupid.

However, I will say the easiest thing, and one of the smartest things people can do is; dump Internet Explorer. Use Firefox, Opera, Chrome, Safari, or write a brand new browser from scratch.
IE 8 is a lot better than previous versions, and IE 7 isn't as vulnerable anymore, so if you must cling to IE, use 7 or 8.
However, if you are one of the millions still clinging to IE 6, then no one can save you from yourself.

/end rant
/flame on

AVG isnt in that way ment to ''protect'' your computer. its making you aware of viruses, trojans etc. thats on your computer, and gives you the chance to remove them, or move them to a vault.

[pomop]

That's what you think until it happens to you.

Precisely. I know how i got hacked, and it had absolutely nothing to do with anything wow related. My bro downloaded a song, i log in to wow and am promptly kicked off. I had been hacked.

I ran my antivirus and found that song to be the culprit of the hacking. I dont know what he did since programs like that need to be ran, but hes an idiot. :S

[Mythricia]

^ Probably downloaded a "popular" song from programs such as FrostWire/LimeWire, attempted to play it in Windows Media Player - browser window pops up asking you to acquire a "licence" for the song, offering lots of crap typical to scams. Eventually it all leads to a download making you think you need it (Codec, special media player, whatever), you run it, and congratulations - you're infected, and anyone on your local network may get infected as well now that the virus is out and running.

[plunge]

^ Probably downloaded a "popular" song from programs such as FrostWire/LimeWire, attempted to play it in Windows Media Player - browser window pops up asking you to acquire a "licence" for the song, offering lots of crap typical to scams. Eventually it all leads to a download making you think you need it (Codec, special media player, whatever), you run it, and congratulations - you're infected, and anyone on your local network may get infected as well now that the virus is out and running.

Another thing to note, don't use p2p file sharing programs like limewire. Then you are just asking for it.

[Anias]

To everyone who thinks they are safe from hackers, with or without an authenticator:

Google thought they were hack proof, too. So did IBM, and the White House, and thousands of other businesses that get hacked every day.

I work in the IT business, and I see people get infected all the time. The number one cause is, the false sense of security they get from having an anti virus program.
Even with an anti virus program, and a good malware program, you can, and will get infected if you do not keep it updated, or run regular scans.

Also, I don't care how much people tell me I'm wrong, but, programs like AVG are crap.
There is a reason they give it away.
Not all virus programs are created equal. Some are better than others.
AVG is worthless.
Something like 75-80% of infected machines I see have AVG or another of the free programs "protecting" them.

And, AVG isn't the only bad program. A lot of the paid programs aren't as effective as they should be.

We use a product called Webroot Antivirus. It also protects against spyware.
95% of the machines we install it on, we never see again for viruses. I say 95% because, no matter how good your software is, it will never be 100% effective.
There are other paid programs that are just as good, but Webroot is the one we use, so it's the one I will mention, as I have experience with it.

The moral of this story is:
When it comes to anti virus software, you really do get what you pay for. If you don't cheap out on your components, why would you cheap out on your software?


Now, to everyone who wants to flame me for calling AVG out for being the crap it is:
Shut up.
Chances are, it's not the software protecting you, it's your knowledge of avoiding infections protecting you. Or blind luck.
Seriously.
You have to realize the vast majority of people who use computers are, well, idiots.
They will download something like AVG, install it, and then never think about infections again, because, "I have AVG. I'm protected."
And, I'm sorry, but if you're one who thinks like that, then, you're stupid.

However, I will say the easiest thing, and one of the smartest things people can do is; dump Internet Explorer. Use Firefox, Opera, Chrome, Safari, or write a brand new browser from scratch.
IE 8 is a lot better than previous versions, and IE 7 isn't as vulnerable anymore, so if you must cling to IE, use 7 or 8.
However, if you are one of the millions still clinging to IE 6, then no one can save you from yourself.

/end rant
/flame on

You forgot to add the website where we can all get your "wonder program" that will save us all from ourselves.

[BaddyMcBad]

I am now laughing at all the people that laugh at me every time I saw I don't have an authenticator.

[Mythricia]

Another thing to note, don't use p2p file sharing programs like limewire. Then you are just asking for it.

They're fine. LimeWire is stupid for charging people for the "full version", so I use FrostWire

Use it with some smart added, and you're fine. Don't use it without said smart added, though.

The use of "mp3's + Media Player + "license" acquisition" is pretty old - generally, never click on search results that are smaller than they should be, very high listed bitrate, and with a ton of people sharing it - that's a scam, guaranteed.

But I guess this is above average insight in how things work

[plunge]

I am now laughing at all the people that laugh at me every time I saw I don't have an authenticator.

I am laughing at how awkward that sentence is.