Sunday, September 28, 2008

Was this worth almost being hacked?

Yesterday I decided to finally download wow model viewer as I wanted to play around with it and post some nicer images on here. So I downloaded it and updated the pic of K on the home page here. I also started something I had wanted to do for a while, a picture of what I think of when I think of the Left Claw. I didn't get to finish it to my liking and its missing some toons, but here is where I was before drama struck. (Guildies you can click on the picture itself to get a closer look at yourselves).

Now after working on this for a bit, I log in. Strangely enough, all of my macros, key bindings, and default UI settings for WOW and my addons are reset. Hmmm weird. So I try to redo them, go on playing a bit, then log back in later. Yup, same thing. Now I pull Jess, Vel, and Mr Vel into the research of this issue. We wonder if it has to do with my WTF folder (I love the name of this folder... seriously wtf...) and something not rewriting or saving to it. We try every possible fix around it, and still nothing.

Then the tech savvy trio of Jess, Vel, and Mr Vel find information that others have had problems with their UI resetting and it being caused by a Trojan virus called Trojan-PSW.Win32.WOW that is designed to steal passwords to WOW servers. And some others seemingly had this problem caused after they downloaded model viewer. Not all antivirus programs will detect this (the default one I have on my work laptop didnt), see more info around this from Blizz here.

When we figured this is what may have happened to me, I logged out of WOW, then went online to the wow website and changed my password there. Jess demoted K (sad, so sad!) and my alts so that I would not have access to the guild bank. I told Jess that I would not be logging on anytime soon until I was sure this was taken care of, so for Jess and Vel to question me if I log in. Sorta like having a safe word when you want someone else to pick your kid up from school. Mine could be... lifebloom FTW? Though in all reality, I think my guildies would be able to very quickly realize if it wasn't really me on K.

Here is what is interesting to me... I guess these keylogging hackers aren't so smart if your UI being reset is a sign that you may have been infected?

3 comments:

  1. Hrmm. Did you download from wowmodelviewer.org, or from other site? 'Cause I's never had a keylogger.

    Alsos, model viewer makes WoW run funnies on me main pc (though not me laptop) so I wonders if yer UI issue were unrelated ta the virus.

    Either way, is da poop, and I hopes ya can get it worked out soon.

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  2. That's scary. I use wowmodelviewer as well and I have not found any signs of a trojan.

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  3. You could have at least found a more comfortable looking rock....

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