Hackers Bypass WoW Authenticators
A new keylogger disguised as a World of Warcraft add-on is stealing account info and goods.
Last week reports of a "man-in-the-middle-attack" surfaced in regards to Blizzard's MMORPG. World of Warcraft. Apparently hackers have created a tool that grants them access to accounts protected by an authentication tool. Once they are in control of the account, hackers can thus steal virtual gold and possessions until the account password is reset. Currently there's no indication if the hackers gain access to data such as credit cards or other personal information.
The tool in question is a keylogger, possibly a file named emcor.dll which can be found in C:/Documents and Settings/Users/[username]/Application Data/Temp. Once the user launches the keylogger, the PC is infected and will in turn cause World of Warcraft to crash. Once the players re-start the game and log back into the account, the authenticator code is intercepted by the hacker. A different code is sent to Blizzard's servers, locking the player out.
So how do players get the keylogger on their PC? It all starts with a sponsored link in Google showing up as a top result for WowMatrix, a free World of Warcraft add-on installer and updater. The problem is that the listing isn't a genuine, leading gamers to the malware. "Several downloads are available and I decided to check out the installer / updater," reads this forum post. "Results are pretty low at virustotal for the executable. The detection of the DLL hooked into our system is even worse, only 1 antivirus suspects some illegal activity."
Because authenticator codes only last for 30 seconds, hackers have access to the WoW account until they log out. "This is still perpetrated by key loggers, and no method is always 100% secure," Blizzard said in this forum post.
WoW gamers are warned to stay away from the following sites, which are actually based on legitimate WoW related sites with a typo at the end of each URL:
- wowmatrixf(dot)com
- Cursea(dot)com
- deadlybossmodss(dot)com
- gamesacca(dot)com
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the_krasno People do that stuff with Steam all the time. You have to be very wary of which links you click on!Reply -
tayb This must have been what happened to this guy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdBrYfxSXWcReply -
captaincharisma i can see the threatening you tube videos from the biggest geeks in the world nowReply -
mayne92 Jigga WhatPeople still play WoW?I have never played it...but for last 2 semesters this same kid plays WoW EVERYDAY in class on his laptop...all day long. Not bad for a $30k+/yr college...Reply -
fjjb Why they place emphasis on WoW? they should be looking for a way to hack the Assasins creed DRM!!!Reply -
captaincharisma with so many people PO'ed about it it will only be a matter of time before its crackedReply