PSA: Blizzard says "WoW, SC2, & D3 on NA servers will be down for maintenance"

Sounds like Bnet is going down in NA today Thursday August 1, 2013 at 7:00 pm EST, see Tweets below:

"Maintenance is scheduled for tonight so #WoW #SC2 & #D3 will be unavailable during this time. Start time for the maintenance is 7pm AEST."
~https://twitter.com/Blizzard_ANZ/status/362800725161545728

"Yes KR or any other server outside of NA will be fine."
~ https://twitter.com/Blizzard_ANZ/status/362809784774299648

Edited to add:  "NA servers, and it looks like a 6 hour maintenance window"
~https://twitter.com/Blizzard_ANZ/status/362803226396999682

Updates are welcome in comments section, I will probably not be able to update Blog if anything changes till late Thursday night (US time).

GL HF

HOTS Beta Patch Balance Update #8

http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/forum/topic/7320452320

I don't have have HOTS, and though I have watched as many pros playing HOTS as possible, still haven't seen enough games to have deep or strong conclusions.

Some random thoughts:

• I like the Dark Shrine price change, but then I have always been a fan of DT's.
• The medivac speed boost might be useful for drops.
• Reaper tweaks look interesting.
• Based on Reaper & Medivac tweaks, looks like they want more harassment from Terran.
• Mutas really buffed for GM level players IMO, with good technique, think they will be able to serious damage with Muta cloud without taking losses.
• Wish I had Beta so I could test new Voidray vs Marines, it might be better vs Marines a little (ie in small numbers), but looks to me like they have Nerfed Voidray so much there is really nothing you could use them for anymore.  Unless the tweak makes them perform in game like a baby BC?  They have lost their ability to win vs any other Air unit.

Battlenet World Championship 2012

Battle.net World Championship


Stream Hub:  http://www.twitch.tv/team/bwc

Schedule:  http://us.battle.net/bwc/en/schedule/

Results/Bracket:  http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft2/2012_Battle.net_World_Championship#Results

VOD/Replays:  http://us.battle.net/bwc/en/tournaments/sc2/videos

Day 1

• Teamliquid thread:  http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=381949
• Blizzard page:  http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/blog/7892535
• Liquidpedia page:  http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft2/2012_Battle.net_World_Championship

Day 2

Blizzard News: Diablo 3 Expansion & SC2 HOTS release timeframe

• http://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/blizzard-reveals-diablo-iii-expansion-heart-of-the-swarm-release-window/
• http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/11/07/starcraft-ii-heart-of-the-swarm-scheduled-for-early-2013
• http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/11/07/diablo-iii-expansion-confirmed-by-blizzard

Short Version, Blizzard says they are working on D3 Expansion, and that HOTS should go retail in first half of 2013, so not much real information T_T

World of Warcraft (WoW) Hack, WMD in WoW Skeletons Everywhere

Saw the story on Ars, same source for youtube embedded above, found this both funny and sad.

Brought to my mind the Maine Republican attack on Democratic Candidate, that I blogged about the other day Nerd News: Gamer in Politics, Demonized for playing World of Warcraft (WoW)  

Security & Hacking: Ars' "Why hacked Blizzard passwords aren't as hard to crack as company says"

From Ars "A significant percentage of Blizzard passwords may already be in hackers' hands."

If you haven't already, and your on NA Bnet you need to change your password, see PSA: Blizzard NA Bnet change your passwords

The Ars article today is about how difficult, or not, it is/was for Hackers to crack encrypted passwords they managed to steal.

For more on password Hacking see "Lessons Learned from Cracking 2 Million LinkedIn Passwords"for more on good strong passwords see Steve Gibson's Haystacks & Needles (Understanding Passwords)

PSA: Blizzard NA Bnet change your passwords

http://us.blizzard.com/en-us/securityupdate.html

See link for full details, short version, Blizzard has found determined some information was hacked, and are suggesting NA accounts to change passwords.

Secret Questions may have been compromised as well.


For more on good passwords see Steve Gibson's Haystacks & Needles (Understanding Passwords)

I would also strongly suggest Two Factor Authentication.

Blizzard: Balance Testing TvZ Creep & Raven Changes

Full details at http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/blog/6873704/Call_to_Action_Balance_Testing-8_8_2012


You can give Blizzard feedback at http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/forum/topic/6294289730?page=1#0 or see what other Gamers think of it.

Big Teamliquid Thread about this at http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=359152

Basically they are slightly reducing radius each Creep Tumor generates Creep and also reducing the Vision of Creep Tumors.

While increases Raven Speed to 2.5 and Raven acceleration is increased as well.

I think the Raven buff is a good idea, don't like the Nerf to Creep Tumors, but I admit it is a mild Nerf.

Blizzard says you have to use 2 Factor authentication for real money AH

Saw this on Ars http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2012/06/blizzard-ups-security-reqs-for-diablo-iii-real-money-auctions/

Blizzard link http://us.battle.net/d3/en/forum/topic/5594218404#1

I am sure this will annoy some people, but I like it, I am a big fan of Two Factor authentication, I wish more banks supported this honestly.

It is sad that Blizzard seems to have stronger security for online transactions than my Bank.

For more of my posts on passwords or Diablo 3 just click click on those Labels, Labels can also be found at the bottom left of every post, or in the Label Cloud at left side of my Blog.

More D3 Account Security

I am still following Diablo 3 accounts getting hacked.

See this useful post on Bnet http://us.battle.net/d3/en/forum/topic/5271503297

Some other tidbits:

• You can get phished from friends Twitter messages, see http://isc.sans.edu/diary.html?storyid=13330
• don't use same password on more than one site
• use at least one number and one symbol (ie "#$%")[should use upper and lower case letters but Blizz may ignore that]
• longer is better ^_^ But not if it is words or something from Hackers dictionary (ie 123456789)
• don't put number or symbol at beginning or end of password, that is what most people do, and password hacking software takes advantage of that
• Dictionary words for passwords =/= OED or Websters Dictionary; rather it means a Hackers dictionary!  See below.

Don't use a password that can be found on a list like these (warning some Mature language):

1. http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/26000-email-addresses-and-passwords-leaked-check-this-list-to-see-if-youre-included/50424 
2. http://www.troyhunt.com/2011/06/brief-sony-password-analysis.html
3. http://www.imperva.com/docs/WP_Consumer_Password_Worst_Practices.pdf
4. http://www.zdnet.com/blog/hardware/repeat-after-me-reusing-passwords-is-bad/10684
5. http://blog.jimmyr.com/Password_analysis_of_databases_that_were_hacked_28_2009.php

Blizzard News: Diablo 3 Real Money Auction House delayed, Hotfixes, Account Security/Hacking

http://us.battle.net/d3/en/forum/topic/5149181449

Full article at Blizzard link above, covers "Hotfixes, Upcoming Patch, and Ongoing Issues"; also says that due to the problems people have had staying on Bnet servers & etc that they are postponing the opening of the Real Money Auction House (RMAH) for D3, they also cover
"Battle.net®/Diablo III Security Concerns" which fits with what I have blogged already about here (includes link to Blizz to open ticket if account is hacked) & here, but below are some direct quotes of critical sections about Bnet/D3 security from Blizzards current article linked at top:

 ...the number of Diablo III players who've contacted customer service to report a potential compromise of their personal account has been extremely small. In all of the individual Diablo III-related compromise cases we've investigated, none have occurred after a physical Battle.net Authenticator or Battle.net Mobile Authenticator app was attached to the player's account, and we have yet to find any situation where a Diablo III player's account was accessed outside of "traditional" compromise methods (i.e. someone logging using an account's login email and password).

also

...we've also seen discussions regarding the possibility of account compromises occurring in ways that didn’t involve these "traditional" methods -- for example, by "session spoofing" a player’s identity after he or she joins a public game. Regarding this specific example, we've looked into the issue and found no evidence to indicate compromises are occurring in this fashion, and we've determined the methods being suggested to do so are technically impossible. However, you have our assurance that we’ll continue to investigate reports such as these and keep you informed of important updates.

and

The best defense against account theft still includes smart password management (e.g. using a unique password for every site/service and keeping your password to yourself) and scanning for malware and viruses regularly, as well as following additional preventative steps found here. In the end, while no security method is 100% foolproof, the physical Battle.net Authenticator and Battle.net Mobile Authenticator app are great ways to provide your account with an extra layer of protection.

I hope that helps, you can click on the Diablo 3 Label, to see all of my Blog posts on D3, you can find that Label and select others in the Labels cloud at left side of the Blog.  Every blog post will also have Label(s) at bottom left of post.

GL HF,

Cliff

Blizzard Diablo 3 Account Security (also WoW & Starcraft 2)

[Special Thanks to KavikTV & Ravager for their help on this post, all errors though are solely mine.]

Update:  If you have been hacked here is Blizz link to use to get problem resolved http://us.battle.net/support/en/article/compromised-diablo-iii-account

According to Blizzard, any time they release a new game, like Diablo 3, or when they release an expansion, there is an increase in the number of accounts reported being Hacked.

There are lots of reasons for this, but here some basic things you can do to help prevent this, these are things you should be doing to reduce your risk from these types of problem in general (ie internet banking, internet buying, etc).

First make sure your Operating System (OS) is up to date (as security problems are found, they are fixed, you need these to help keep hackers out, it is like getting a broken lock on your house door fixed), if your not sure see these links:

• For older Windows computers
• For Windows 7
• For Mac

Second if your not using an AntiVirus/AntiMalware program already get one and use it!



Cliff recommends these two free AntiMalware products:

• Microsoft's Security Essentials for Windows computers (XP, Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, etc)
• Sophos Free AntiMalware for Mac if you have a Mac

I can't recommend any other free ones at this time, I have been using Security Essentials for some time now since having serious problems with a different free product.

I haven't yet used the Sophos product, because I don't have a Mac yet, but I will be getting a Mac in a few weeks, and Sophos' AntiMalware is what my research leads me to use, I will report directly about that product in a future post.

Those two steps will do a lot to prevent a keylogger or something else bad from getting on your computer.

Third update your Browser, Blizzard has good guide to this

Next you should pick a strong password, and if you really want to do something extra get an Authenticator or a Mobile Authenticator from Blizzard, you can use these for Starcraft 2 & WoW as well.

What that does it lets Blizzard send you a 2nd temporary password to use in addition to the password you picked, it is like needing two keys to open a vault or launch a nuke.

I have at least one friend that has using this for some time, and it saved his account from getting hacked when all his local gaming buddies accounts got hacked.

VOD below from Blizzard describes these products and how to use them.

Cliff recommends the Authenticator over the Moble Authenticator, because most of us  will connect our phones to our computers at least some of the time, and if there is MalWare on the computer, it could infect the phone as well.

Friend of mine recently had that happen to his phone, his infected computer also infected his phone.

Or if you have MalWare on your phone, from App or something else, the Hackers might be able to access that 2nd password.

I REALLY recommend the Authenticator if you use a shared or public computer!!!!!!!

Hope that helps.

Stay Safe,

Cliff

See Also:
http://us.battle.net/en/security/checklist 

Computer, Electronic, HAM Geeks gather round, great story of a 16 yr old building his own Sonic Gun

This story is simply to good not to share with everyone, and there is a small Blizzard tie in at the end of the story.

Steve Gibson is a complete Nerd, I would say he is a super Nerd, this story describes a month or so in his life at age 16, when he build a real Sonic Stunner, and what happened when he used it.

This is also a story that might help older nerds get their kids into building hardware or doing coding, instead of just using technology.

Enjoy:

 Security Now #281

Podcast link: http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/aolradio.podcast.aol.com/sn/sn0281.mp3
Mobile/low def Video:  http://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp4/twit.cachefly.net/video/sn/sn0281/sn0281_h264b_640x368_256.mp4

Blizzard's Live Exclusive Diablo 3 Event

Machinima is hosting a Live Diablo III launch event.

When:  May 14, 2012 at 19:45 (7:45 pm) PDT 
 
Stream (a Youtube Stream weird):  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RBCEV1yyD8

Note some helpful information in the comments section of the stream link.

Diablo 3 System Requirements, Install Problems, Help, etc.

I as well as many others are looking forward to Diablo III, which releases in less than 4 hours from now (in NA), I figured I would post some links to help anyone having trouble with the install tonight or in the future.

Feel free to post helpful links or information in the comments section.

I will add to this post as I find more information.

Good Intro to Basics (ie Primary skills, Secondary skills, Passive, etc):  http://segmentnext.com/2012/05/12/diablo-3-builds-character-development-and-progression-guide/

Diablo 3 Blog (news, install problems, guides, etc):  http://www.diablo3builds.com/ 

Blizzard/Bnet Diablo 3 Guide (start here if you have no clue):  http://us.battle.net/d3/en/game/


Blizzard/Bnet Diablo III Main page:  http://us.battle.net/d3/en/?-


System Requirements:  http://us.battle.net/support/en/article/diablo-iii-system-requirements

Known Issues (mainly from Beta atm):  http://us.battle.net/support/en/blog/5367451

PC Troubleshooting Guide:  http://us.battle.net/support/en/article/diablo-iii-installation-troubleshooting-pc


Mac Troubleshooting Guide:  http://us.battle.net/support/en/article/diablo-iii-installation-troubleshooting-mac

Main Blizzard Diablo III Help:  http://us.battle.net/support/en/games/diablo3

Launch Day Prep Guide:  http://us.battle.net/d3/en/blog/5338015/Launch_Day_Preparation_Guide-5_14_2012#blog

Another Diablo 3 site (Builds, news, etc):  http://www.d3sanc.com/

Blizzard/Bnet post about Tournaments

If your looking for Starcraft 2 events to watch or participate in, check out this post from Blizzard about events this weekend/week Upcoming Tournaments

Gaming Jobs: Blizzard is looking for some people

Forgot to give shoutout to Joofro for the heads up on this, thanks Bro!

For those interested, but unaware, Blizzard has a lot of job openings.

They break them down geographically, though you can filter each listing, as follows:

• Global
• Americas
• Europe
• Asia

Diablo III will be out May 15, 2012

Blizzard is taking Digital Pre Orders for Diablo 3 now!! 

I admit I am a Blizzard fanboy, though not a WoW fan, I was playing Diablo II until a few months ago when my XP machine that it was installed on died.

I am looking forward to Diablo III, it will probably cost me a night or 3 of sleep ^_^

Official details & preorder information at http://us.battle.net/d3/en/blog/4612389/Diablo_III_Launching_May_15_%E2%80%93_Digital_Pre-Sales_NOW_OPEN-3_15_2012

Nerd News: "Daybreak, Metropolis, and Ohana be joining the map pool"

Full story at http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/blog/4593795

Blizzard is also asking for votes on what map should be retired.

Learning Starcraft 2: StarCraft Art of War: Replay Analysis

Announcement here http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/blog/4593790, and actual discussions at http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/forum/topic/4175417735#1

A new place to talk about Replay Analysis, brand new, so no content yet, but something I am going to follow.

GL HF,

Cliff