Blizzard to offer ‘Blizzard Authenticator’ to thwart would be account hijackers

Apparently Blizzard has had enough with the (probable) massive amounts of ‘Hey, my account has been hacked’ emails that they deal with each day/month/year.  To combat this, Blizzard is stepping up security by offering an optional lightweight and Waterproof Authenticator device that is meant to attach to a keychain.

The device is linked to your account and generates a Keychain Token style code that changes after a predetermined time period.  After inputting your normal login details, you would then be prompted to enter the alphanumeric code that is displayed on your Authenticator.

This authenticator is not required, but rather an optional security feature available from Blizzard.  The device was premiered at the 2008 Blizzard Entertainment Worldwide Event, and will be available shortly on  Blizzard’s online store for the whopping price of $6.50.  Not a hefty price to pay to ensure that your top gear isn’t ending up at some vendor and you left standing naked in the middle of Ogrimmar wondering wtf?  In addition, wouldn’t the  Blizzard Authenticator be a welcome addition to your boring keyring?  Not quite the ultimate fan badge, but definitely an eye catcher.

“It’s important to us that World of Warcraft offers a safe and enjoyable game environment,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “One aspect of that is helping players avoid account compromise, so we’re pleased to make this additional layer of security available to them.”

Read the official release at: http://www.blizzard.com/security-token