Project Lore

I've been sitting on an Authenticator for months.  Despite receiving a free one as part of my BlizzCon 2009 goodie bag I didn't enable it until two weeks ago.  My delay was partly because I feel that I am an incredibly secure computer user.  I don't head out to fishy sites, I have all sorts of security measures, and, here's the big one, I am the only person that uses the computers that I play on.  Friends and relatives that are not as careful as us, using our otherwise secure computers is a huge culprit in the account security world.  It wasn't until my equally paranoid and security-minded officer was hacked that made me enable my Limited Edition BlizzCon Authenticator.

It only took two weeks for something to go wrong with it.

Okay, that's a bit of a white lie.  Something didn't actually go wrong with the Authenticator per se.  It simply locked me out of my own account.  You'll notice that when I mentioned who used my computer it was actually plural.  That's because I play on multiple machines, two in my house, one at work, and one at my parents house (basically, wherever I spend most of my time has a WoW installation ready for me).  This was the second reason I was resistant to applying my littleRSA token, I knew I'd forget it somewhere eventually.  That's exactly what happened yesterday.

/me thanks C'Thun that it wasn't a raid night.

My mental lapse got me thinking 'What information do I need if something actually happens to my Authenticator.'  Luckily, there's an app FAQ for that. 

Blizzard simply tells you to call in (1-800-592-5499) to verify certain information about your account to resolve all Authenticator issues.  If you can do so, then it's all honky dory.  But what if you can't because that information is outdated, such as college students who move all the time (six times in five years for me).  Keeping the phones numbers, addresses and apartment variables all in order can be a bit difficult alongside a busy class load.

Here's what we need to do to expedite any claim:

• Write down the Authenticator's Serial Number somewhere, this is "the most important thing." Unlike passwords, Blizzard will actually ask for this.   According to the rep, the iPhone's or iPod Touch's Serial Number will change when the item is updated.  She suggests that you remove the Mobile Authenticator from your Battle.net account before the update, and re-apply it after with the new Serial Number.
• Make note of your WoW CD keys.  I have a file on paper and on my computer (encrypted) with CD keys to my most beloved games.  That way I can image the disc and reinstall whenever I need to without digging through boxes or worrying about busted game discs.
• Be sure your Battle.net information is up to date.  This means your phone number, physical address, e-mail address and billing information.  A Customer Service rep may also ask for your World of Warcraft information, which may or may not mirror your Battle.net stuff.  Unfortunately, WoW account information can no longer be changed as far as I can tell.
• Oh, and don't forget the answer to your Secret Question.

It's really not all that much, but it's something we can easily forget to do during our busy lives.  Especially since when we think of World of Warcraft, we think of playing it, not any other "frivolous" activity. 

Think of the maintenance like wearing a helmet when riding a bike.  You may never need it in your life, but if you do, the time spent putting it on every time makes it more than worth the trouble.