WoW Real ID System: Security Flaw Found

By on July 7, 2010 4Comments

For those of you who are currently enjoying the Real ID system that has been put in place since patch 3.3.5, then we have some disappointing news for you. If you are funny about your privacy, then the system that is currently active will share your real life name to anything or anyone.

WoW Real ID System: Security Flaw Found

It is not as simple as it sounds. The way that Real ID currently works is that you automatically become a Real ID friend of yourself. This in turn will let any custom addon expose your real life name to anyone, even if they are not on your friends list.

In the meantime, we recommended that you only use addons that you trust, or that you just can not live without. But as we said, be very careful of what addons you are currently running if you do not want your real name to be shared with anyone.

Shefki, a user on the WoW.com website has a post on the official World of Warcraft forums showing how you can protect yourself from sharing your Real ID. Check it out.

Do you think that Real ID was a good idea? We know that Blizzard has far many more plans for the system, and not a lot of people are happy about it. Are you?

Source: WoW

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  • Guest

    I am totally not in favor of mixing gaming with social networking, especially when the implementation is done so poorly, and especially when there is simply no ability to opt out as in the case of the forums (unless you just don't post at all).

    When this goes live on forums, Blizzard reminds us that we'll be alerted that our real names will appear with our posts – but I seriously doubt they will have a disclaimer that is sufficiently robust to keep innocents (or the simply naive/ignorant) from understanding the ramifications.

    If I want to network I use Twitter/Facebook/Blog. When I play WoW I want to be only the character I have on at the time. I'll decide if and when to share my personal info, and that's a rare case – twice in the last almost 6 years have I done it.

  • Marko

    Totally against the realid, when i want to "search friends" I will go on face book or similar sites, when i sit to calm myself and let steam out then I am green orc and I don't want to have some of mi mates wisping me asking me "hey there how are you" while I have huge dragon in front of me blowing fire on me.
    Not only those things are irritating they also ruin "immersion" thing that role players prize a lot and wow is supposed to be MMORPG game not face book network. Also the thing that Blizzard said that we will be reminded that if we post on forums only then we will have name, how much naive kids and naive folks is around us?
    As poster before me said if i wanna use facebook I will use it if I wanna play WoW I wanna be in Azeroth and not have Mark buzzing me

  • Marko

    Totally against the realid, when i want to "search friends" I will go on face book or similar sites, when i sit to calm myself and let steam out then I am green orc and I don't want to have some of mi mates wisping me asking me "hey there how are you" while I have huge dragon in front of me blowing fire on me.

    • Jack

      If you don't want people like that whispering you, don't add them to your Real ID friends.