Microsoft: Organized Crime Coming to MMOs
http://today.reuters.com/news/articleinvesting.aspx?view=CN&storyID=2006-08-14T234508Z_01_N14313943_RTRIDST_0_TECH-MICROSOFT-GAMES.XML&rpc=66&type=qcna
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Speaking at the Microsoft Gamefest yesterday, Microsoft security development engineer Dave Weinstein warned developers of organized crime moving into the video game sector. "Those of you who are working on massively multiplayer online games, organized crime is already looking at you," Weinstein stated.
Weinstein detailed the idea that a crime syndicate could develop a piece of software that could infiltrate a game's security, enabling the creators to receive user's account information. With information in-hand the criminals could then strip the account of its assets, in-game money, weapons or armor, or simply sell it wholesale on the black market for real-world money. In actuality such viruses have already begun to pop-up including this password stealer for Blizzard's World of Warcraft.
The characters, items or accounts themselves for many MMOGs, whether pay to play or free, can fetch some serious real-world cash in the second market, such as on eBay. In fact, some players have dedicated so much time and effort that their accounts could sell for as high as $10,000.
Weinstein added, "For a lot of the customers out there, there is more store value on their MMOG characters than there is on the credit card with which they pay for the account. The police are really good at understanding someone stole my credit card and ran up a lot of money. It's a lot harder to get them to buy into 'someone stole my magic sword.'"
Weinstein detailed the idea that a crime syndicate could develop a piece of software that could infiltrate a game's security, enabling the creators to receive user's account information. With information in-hand the criminals could then strip the account of its assets, in-game money, weapons or armor, or simply sell it wholesale on the black market for real-world money. In actuality such viruses have already begun to pop-up including this password stealer for Blizzard's World of Warcraft.
The characters, items or accounts themselves for many MMOGs, whether pay to play or free, can fetch some serious real-world cash in the second market, such as on eBay. In fact, some players have dedicated so much time and effort that their accounts could sell for as high as $10,000.
Weinstein added, "For a lot of the customers out there, there is more store value on their MMOG characters than there is on the credit card with which they pay for the account. The police are really good at understanding someone stole my credit card and ran up a lot of money. It's a lot harder to get them to buy into 'someone stole my magic sword.'"