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Message ID: 5461
Date: Tue Aug 24 09:33:36 BST 1999
Author: Janko S.
Subject: Re: Everquest account security
----- Original Message -----
From: Jennifer Donaldson <cotto004@...>
To: <eqbards@onelist.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 1999 3:58 AM
Subject: RE: [eqbards] Everquest account security
> From: Jennifer Donaldson <cotto004@...>
>
> It is possible that someone hacked into your account. There are password
> cracking programs out there. Not sure about EQ, but they are around for
other
> things. You might want to make sure you don't have a crackable password.
> Where I work, we had a hacker problem and we were told to use a
combination of
> letters and numbers, and not to use a common name, or any variation of our
> name or userid's in the password. Think of things that might easily be
> guessed and DON'T use that.
>
> Lanye
>
> >===== Original Message From eqbards@onelist.com =====
> >From: email@... (Melaniel)
> >
> >
> >A copy of a post I have just made to Usenet for information (and a few
> >notes of sympathy and support for a poor bard losing all her stuff
> >would be appreciated ;-)
> >
> >The story begins ....
> >
> >Sunday night, after a reasonably successful day my wizard returns to
> >Freeport, does her bits and pieces in the city and then returns to the
> >West gate to camp for the night. Roughly 8pm my time.
> >
> >Sometime earlier, my bard has already had a look out, and has camped
> >at about the same spot in West Freeport.
> >
> >Monday night .... after a day at work, I return home to log in and
> >take out my frustrations on the orcs, goblins and other meanies of
> >Norrath. I get to the character screen and decide to take the bard
> >out for a run.
> >
> >Strange. The character model is naked except for the lute. Oh well,
> >maybe it got corrupted somehow, so I select enter world.
> >
> >Strange. I'm standing at the counter in the Freeport bank. I didn't
> >park here the last time. Press inventory.
> >
> >Even stranger. Where have all my armour and weapons gone? <insert
> >growing concern> Check the bank manager.
> >
> >Oh dear. <insert sinking feeling> Where has all my money gone?
> >
> >Immediately camp. Check my other characters on the screen. Wizard is
> >also naked. Other 2 throwaway characters seem to be untouched. So I
> >enter the world as my wizard.
> >
> >Same routine ... I don't remember camping at the same counter in the
> >Freeport bank. Oh look, armour and equipment seems to have
> >disappeared. And yes, so has all my money in the bank.
> >
> ><insert a thump as I can't sink any lower>
> >
> >And then I get to thinking. Well, no one else has physical access to
> >my computer, let alone knowledge of my station ID or password. My CD
> >is safely locked away, the account key long since forgotten or known
> >outside of this room.
> >
> >I certainly did not give away the equipment and money. And especially
> >not on both my main characters.
> >
> >I think for a while and can't come up with any other reasonable
> >explanation ....my account has been accessed without my knowledge or
> >consent, and all my bits and pieces have been "donated" away to
> >persons unknown.
> >
> >At this stage, I phone Verant (or whoever). Spend a good half hour in
> >a queue on the customer support only to be told I should have phoned
> >tech support. <sigh - at least it's the same the world over> Phone
> >tech support .... I should petition and speak to the GM on the server.
> >Yes I already did the petition thing, no one was on. So I was
> >provided with the Mith Marr administrator's email address, and
> >promptly sent an email off to him/her. I also logged in, went round
> >killing the lowest of the low beasts in an attempt to recover some
> >money, and then eventually sat in W Freeport and waited. But it is
> >time for me to log, and I shall have to seek a solution via email.
> >
> >This is simply an information sharing posting, to warn people that it
> >is possible for such things to happen. As far as I'm concerned, my
> >account was compromised, I can see no other explanation for it. My
> >only hope is that the logs retained by the administrators will
> >demonstrate the time my account was accessed, the IP address used, and
> >hopefully the EQ account key used. This will at least provide a trace
> >to the person responsible and <fingers crossed> remove them from the
> >game. If I have lost my money and equipment, so be it, my life still
> >continues, perhaps somewhat disappointed, and certainly demotivated
> >for tonight at least.
> >
> >I would welcome any other reasonable suggestions that could explain
> >what has happened. People lose equpiment and money to bugs quite a
> >bit, however having both characters standing at the counter in the
> >Freeport bank cannot be explained by a bug. I am simply at a loss to
> >explain it in any other way than an unauthorised account use.
> >
> >Anyway, throwing it open to the rather more well-informed crowd ......
> >
> >
> >--
> >
> >Saldara
> >High Elf Wizard (21), Mith Marr server
> >
> >Melaniel
> >Wood Elf Bard (11), Mith Marr server
> >
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