Security - How to protect your digital life

Hello my friends,

I’m writing some suggestion on how to prevent account stealing and other security issue that can compromise your game account. Those suggestions are valid for both people that play at home on their own computer, and for people playing on shared computers.

IMPORTANT
Blizzard authenticator is available for free on most of the modern smartphones: https://eu.battle.net/account/support/mobile-auth-download.html

The Blizzard Authenticator is designed as a supplemental authentication method for your World of Warcraft account, giving you the security of Two-Factor authentication. Each time you log in using the Blizzard Authenticator you are provided with a unique, one-time use password to use in addition to your regular password. Log in with both and you can rest easy knowing that your account is now even more secure from malicious attacks such as keyloggers and trojans.

If you play always at your PC

Use regularly updated anti-virus software and a firewall to prevent scanning or theft of your personal data

Turn on your windows firewall (and verify that is turned on, because most virus disable it as 1st thing) following these instructions

There are a lot of antivirus software (paid and freeware) the most known is Norton and (imho) that is the worst you can buy. In my experience here’s a list of free and paid antivirus software that are good:

Free Antivirus: Windows integrated antivirus solution is pretty solid… in the last real world test it scored as best for pc protection.
If you have Windows 10, you already have this… double check if it’s enabled

Paid Antivirus: Malwarebytes Premium is a strong antivirus / anti malware solution for your PC and it costs eur. 40 per year

Use regularly updated anti-spyware software to prevent keylogger and spyware on your PC

Avoid using Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer has been subjected to many security vulnerabilities and concerns: Much of the spyware, adware, and computer viruses across the Internet are made possible by exploitable bugs and flaws in the security architecture of Internet Explorer ( wikipedia )

You can install and use alternative Internet Browsers like:

Firefox for Windows - From Mozilla Corp.
Google Chrome - From Google

If you use other ppl (or shared) PC

Even if you don’t use your own PC to play (if you play from an Internet Cafe or on a friend PC for example) you can use an antivirus and antispyware software BEFORE starting to play, using portable apps

Portable Apps provides a truly open platform that works with any hardware you like (USB flash drive, iPod, portable hard drive, etc). Portable Apps does not requires installation and work completely in your USB drive (no need to install software on the shared computer). Simply you need to plug in your USB device and start the application on it.

Download (and install on your USB drive following the provided instructions) ClamWin Antivirus Portable

So, before starting to use the shared PC insert your USB drive and start a scan of the PC using clamwin. Don’t forget (before starting the scan) to update your virus definition (best if you do that at home, at your PC) using the clamwin interface.

In addition to this:
Don’t share your account with anyone
Never give your password to a Blizzard employee (they will never ask for it)
Don’t trade your account for another! The other person is probably trying to steal your account
Don’t use power leveling / honor farming services
Don’t buy gold online on website or ebay
Don’t buy an account from an online auction service or another player
Don’t Use UI modifications which use an .exe file
Don’t enter your account name and password on websites other than official Blizzard websites even if they offer free gold or playtime