The Blizzard Authenticator was announced only a couple of days ago and it's already sold out. Based on the famous Secure ID tokens, the device is actually pretty simplistic. It merely displays a six digit number changes every minute or so.

When logging in users will now be presented with two password fields. The second password field is for the six digit number displayed on the token and will help provide an extra layer of protection for hacked and stolen accounts. Only physical access to the Authenticator will allow someone to get connected.

No doubt scams attempts will pop-up, users will get IM's or phone calls from people pretending to be from Blizzard and asking for the current password on the Authenticator. But over all this will drastically reduce the number of scams.

These Authenticators will actually be very hard if not nearly impossible to hack. They are used heavily in any industry and in Governments to create secure connections to remote servers, or to provide a fairly simple but amazingly robust authentication scheme. Better yet, throw into many wrong attempts and the cards automatically gets locked out.

Each token is originally setup with a complex mathematical equation that is based off the serial number AND the number that is on the Authenticator when you call to activate it. When the number changes, that number is entered in on the server side by Blizzard and the Authenticator is then activated. This makes it impossible to login in with a different Authenticator as the passwords simply will not match.

Since the Tokens are serialized and only good for one account, this will actually help make account trades or buying/selling accounts safer as a physical item will now need to be shipped with each account. With the addition of tracking a package charge backs should be a thing of the past as users will no longer be selling "just a virtual item."

In my opinion, any serious account buyers and sellers should start demanding this step. It's only $6.50 (plus tax and shipping,) and will add so much to the security of an account that it'll be pretty hard to loose the account to a scammer from now on.

I'm unclear how this would be better for resellers. And yes, Im being serious. Should we have people ship the authenticators to us? What information is required to generate one? I haven't had time to play around with it, and noone I've talked to really know how they would work as far as authentication. If you can just use the 6 digit # along with your password, then I can see where that would be required information to have to sell someone an account. Or to buy one. But, what information is needed to generate that # and have it shipped to you?


Good info evil nazi Mod.

If it works like the Secure ID system, and I assume it does since it's just a rebranded Secure ID card, then you call up Blizzard and give them the Serial Number on the back of the card. They enter that into your account information on the server side. They then ask you for the 6 digits that are on the card when and enter those into the server. At that point a mathematical calculation is run and they ask you for the six digit number when it changes in sixty seconds. At that point they enter that number into the system again and the card is then "synchronized" with your account. From that point forward the only way to get into that account is WITH that particular card.

In the future when you login, you have to provide the six digit number which is then reverse calculated based on the physical date and time the card was activated, if it matches then you're allowed to login. So if you're selling accounts, synch it with the Authenticator then send the card to the person you're selling too. They'll be sure that account is safe, as there is NO way to reset the password on the account without the card.

This is very tried and true technology. There are so many points of checks and counter checks that they are claimed next to impossible to hack. The date and time the card is activated, the unique serial number on the card, along with the randomly generated mathematical equations used to synchronize the number, AND the randomness of the number that shows up on the card leaves something like 12 billion possible combinations of numbers to enter. On top of that the software usually locks the card out after 3-5 tries and can be configured to unlock automatically in X amount of time, or permanently disable the account if it's been locked within a certain amount of time.

They've literally been in use for over 15 years, and I've yet to hear of a card that has been hacked although like anything else the server software could potentially be compromised but even that would be pretty hard to do. I've only seen about two or three cards actually go real bad, but they do get unsynchronized after a certain amount of time. That is easily fixed by calling Blizzard up and going through the synchronization process again.

The cards last 3-5 years and it's pretty obvious when they're going bad as the screen starts dimming. I'm not sure how they'll handle claims of lost cards, probably with a Notarized ID. But if the card is broken they'll probably have you send the remains in with the serial number so that they can reset it on the server side.

Also, please note that the rules say "no insulting other members." This is your second warning.

Wow. It's nice to know that Blizzard seems to care about their players! For only $6.50, it seems like they don't make very much money off of it, which is nice.

Also, this might be a solution for someone who is looking to keep a permanent account, that they won't be selling/botting/farming with.

I see, but you can insult me with impunity. Good stuff. And, mine was a joke, trying to make light of the situation.


Anyway though, excellent information. Thank you.

Awful stubborn considering your rep. Dont ya think? Come on now.

Good stuff =] My only problem with this is that my main account doesn't have my real name on it... so if I did get this card, and it messed up, I'd probably get my account banned =(

If this could be removed from this post please, i take extream offence from this. Also Ace is very nice not to ban you. To compare anyone to the people that burned and murdered millions of people and ripped families apart and tried to wipe out an entire race of people.

Calling people Nazi's dilutes what they really were.


I am sorry to go off topic I just really felt that this needed to be said.

it's also quite possible that you are just over sensitive and shouldn't worry so much about what someone says as a joke =]

George Bush is also very much like Hitler but you don't see people getting upset when you call other's "American's"... Its a word, everyone dies and there will always be one bad person making the world worse... you would do alot better to realize this and get over it =]

I've read every article I could find on this, but I have yet to see what I'm looking for. I like to trade WoW accounts, if I trade Account A for Account B, Put my newly acquired Account B on the Blizzard Authenticator (I'm not OO mind you) Could the OO still recall the account? If not, that'd be great being able to protect your account after trading for it!

I'm sure they could easily still recall it... seeing as how you could be considered a theif and not the OO Blizzard could still take your account and give it to the person it first belonged to... it sucks but then again its Blizzard so you can't expect for us traders to ever come out on top

So then it's literally worthless for us traders

this sounds pretty cool =)

But at the same time, if you trade accounts with someone with an authenticator, and you lose the number and they don't have the token anymore, you're screwed =((