Hackers Beware!

[Shantari]

Patch 2.3...

It came in 2007...

It killed hackers everywhere.

The new Blizzard Warden has been unleashed.


Warden is Blizzard's security program and it now has ultimate power. The new Warden has capabillities to search your computer for third party programs while World of Warcraft is active. Don't worry about it stealing your secret stash of porn though, as soon as the program realises its holding on to a program that will not be harmful to WoW gameplay, it will let go.

Originally Posted by Captain Kirk of Slashdot.org
We all know that World of Warcraft has checked for hacks to ensure a safe game environment for all players. The latest version of these checks goes beyond anything seen so far in that what is being checked is now completely encrypted. Obviously this hits bot writers as can be seen from these complaints, But it also strikes at the privacy of all users. Now Blizzard has a tool that is encrypted and can run any type of scan, transfer any file or edit any document on your computer. That can't be right.

Originally Posted by WoWInsider.com
Tech community Slashdot is going mad over a little present Blizzard apparently included with patch 2.3 this week: a brand new version of Warden (the program Blizzard uses to check for hacks, bots, and keyloggers) that they say effectively gives Blizzard total control over our computers. The technical stuff is a little hard to understand, but apparently Warden is what's called a "polymorphic program"-- that means that it actually hides from anyone looking at it exactly what it's doing and which files it's changing with a random code. Obviously, Blizzard wants to keep the program's activities secret from attackers-- if a hacker knows what Warden does, then he can more easily avoid it.

In previous versions of Warden, this randomization was "easy to predict," but Slashdot is saying that the new version effectively hides from even the user exactly what Blizzard is doing on your computer. Now, there is no clear reason why Blizzard would want to do anything bad with your computer-- odds are that this new software is the most effective version they've yet developed at making sure you can play the game without fear of hacks or keyloggers, and that's all they want to do with it.

But you should know that, according to "Captain Kirk," who wrote this article, Blizzard effectively has access to anything and everything on your computer, and can now edit or retrieve information at will without even you knowing what has happened. There's no reason not to trust Blizzard-- they're a high profile company with a long reputation of developing great software. But if a wayward employee at Blizzard wanted to steal your private information from your computer, or install a virus or malware on your PC, we're being told that this program will let them do it without your knowledge. You agreed to this-- it's in Section 14 of the Terms of Use-- and so it's up to you whether you trust Blizzard with your computer or not.


Blizzard is on a witch hunt.

 

[Pyritie]

Now that's just plain wrong.

Blizzard is basically granting themselves access to everyone's computer. So if someone at blizzard decided to wreak havoc, they'd have total power.

 

[ragingspeedhorn]

Any plain worker couldn't just get access to using the software I'm sure and the ones that do have access wouldn't exploit it.

 

[PhoenixFeather]

It's good they take a hard stance on hackers, but some things are just over the line. I'm in two minds about this.

 

[Shantari]

Hehehehehe.

All this proves is that blizzard is the most paranoid company ever. This is the superequal of a keylogger.

 

[GST_Nemisis]

isnt it illegal for a company (apart from microsoft) to scan your harddrive or proccesses without you giving permission? but you arent allowed to add those sorts of permissions in terms and conditions of games?

 

[Zaeden]

Blizzard's pretty good at working things into their End User License Agreement. The majority of people who just agree without reading it, don't realize that they gave consent to Warden already.

 

[Shadow_Fox]

Blizzard's pretty good at working things into their End User License Agreement. The majority of people who just agree without reading it, don't realize that they gave consent to Warden already.

As do all companies that add things like that, but seriously, WC3 is overrun by hackers, they definitely don't want hackers on their cash cow, corrupting the crop of infinite money, and so this.

 

[Hakeem]

Any program you download already has access to anything and everything on your computer. As long as you give it network access, it is a potential security threat, because it can send information to a malicious source.

If someone is dedicated enough, they could write their own client for WoW. An easier solution would probably be to have the computer running a WoW client go through another computer, which could be running hacks.
Unless every connection is accounted for, network security is impossible. The internet does not have such security.

I am highly suspicious of Blizzard with certain parts of the terms of use.

 

[busterkomo]

Any program you download already has access to anything and everything on your computer. As long as you give it network access, it is a potential security threat, because it can send information to a malicious source.

If someone is dedicated enough, they could write their own client for WoW. An easier solution would probably be to have the computer running a WoW client go through another computer, which could be running hacks.
Unless every connection is accounted for, network security is impossible. The internet does not have such security.

I am highly suspicious of Blizzard with certain parts of the terms of use.

No need for suspicions, blizzard has better things to do. The terms of use are mainly for the what-if-I-do-something-stupid-and-don't-take-responsibility, to ensure blizzard isn't liable for things that can happen(also a few other things, such as disallowing the use of private servers, which actually aren't all legal, I can explain why some aren't if anyone wants).

 

[Hakeem]

The terms of use are mainly for the what-if-I-do-something-stupid-and-don't-take-responsibility, to ensure blizzard isn't liable for things that can happen.

Some of it is ensuring they are not liable, however:

WHEN RUNNING, THE GAME MAY MONITOR YOUR COMPUTER'S RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY (RAM) FOR UNAUTHORIZED THIRD PARTY PROGRAMS RUNNING CONCURRENTLY WITH THE GAME. AN "UNAUTHORIZED THIRD PARTY PROGRAM" AS USED HEREIN SHALL BE DEFINED AS ANY THIRD PARTY SOFTWARE, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY "ADDON," "MOD," "HACK," "TRAINER," OR "CHEAT," THAT IN BLIZZARD'S SOLE DETERMINATION: (i) ENABLES OR FACILITATES CHEATING OF ANY TYPE; (ii) ALLOWS USERS TO MODIFY OR HACK THE GAME INTERFACE, ENVIRONMENT, AND/OR EXPERIENCE IN ANY WAY NOT EXPRESSLY AUTHORIZED BY BLIZZARD; OR (iii) INTERCEPTS, "MINES," OR OTHERWISE COLLECTS INFORMATION FROM OR THROUGH THE GAME.

Sounds very suspicious to me.

 

[Shantari]

The way i see it, Blizzard has gone totally past the legal boundary.

The EULA includes illegal paragraphs that bind you legally to let Blizzard access your computer, as is with Warden.

Next they'll have a prison on an island somewhere. So if two dudes dressed as Alliance warriors knock at your door, grab your porn and run for the hills.

 

[Hakeem]

The problem with license agreements that you click: lack of evidence.

 

[busterkomo]

If you're online, it basically guarantees you've agreed to the agreement(or maybe even installed the game, I wouldn't know, I've had WoW installed for ages).

 

[Puppetier]

Its only in effect when your on WoW , so pyrite they could wreak havoc but only if your online and as many people said you agree to it in the Agreements when you log on and in each patch.

 

[Shantari]

Mhmmm. But the Warden comes in the WoW folder and activates when your online, if a wayward employee managed to get onto the system they could activate it when your offline and steal stuff.

Edit:

It is hidden! You cannot delete it from the folder. It is in some of the major components for the game.

 

[Rakdos Defiler]

duh of course it's hidden, and when you start WoW it probly looks for the program, and probly won't start without it.

how is there even an argument to this? It's in the user agreement, so if you agree they could do anything they want almost. It could be in there that agreeing to this you have to hand over your account after 2 months. Bam your screwed, which obviously they wouldn't do, but just an example.

 

[Shantari]

Thats why anybody with some sense reads the EULA and ToS

 

[GST_Nemisis]

but if you did, you wouldnt want to play the game. so what you are saying is, anyone with some sense wouldnt play wow.

 

[Shantari]

Yes.

But i dont have any sense.

 

[Rakdos Defiler]

GST love how you just twisted that around XD

 

[WILL THE ALMIGHTY]

I don't play WoW, so my comp is safe from the evil clutches of Activision Blizzard.

 

[busterkomo]

No comp is safe from Blizzard because everyone can hear the call of WoW

 

[Rakdos Defiler]

Can hear the call, and the wrath of the lich king!

 

[Dr Super Good]

It basically opperates like an anti virus program. It checks if anything tries to change memory that WoW is using and scans if anything is trying to send or receive invalid signals with the servers that WoW uses to prevent hacking and cheating. It also helps stop your stuff being stolen as easily as it also check if your being tracked and stuff.

It is claseed as harmless and should not scan for anything non WoW related, since if it did they could be sued which ofcourse they do not want.

This is very old news. . .

 

[Doron]

semi-offtopic: I've heard people using a mod that requires you to actually run an installer after you download the mod. It has a nasty keylogger in it after you run the installer. (I know one is a rogue mod) So beware what mods you are downloading that use an installer, that and going to gold websites / some other wow websites is just asking to get yourself hacked.

I hope this new warden fixes most these problems

Edit: And if you do get hacked, dont expect to get your stuff back. I know one person who has gotten their items / enchants / gold, everything. Yet another who lost their whole account and Blizzard wont return it.

 

[Rakdos Defiler]

Wow that would make me quit instantly if i lost whole acount.

offtopic- u got alot of projects in progress Doron =P