Hacking attempts of your PC

Rastapasta · January 2023

Watch out there are attempts to hack your pc.
A trusted pc suddenly gets a new screen with a message it is not, don't fill in your password, just click it away and fill
your pw in the zone where it is supposed to be (they insist several times, so far the 3rd time you get the regular logon screen.

davidtk · January 2023

Is this something new or is it related to this? Do you have screenshot of that new screen?
https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/625585/anyone-else-receive-unsolicited-emails-with-access-codes-in-russian-language#latest

Ragnarok0130 · January 2023

Rastapasta wrote: »

Watch out there are attempts to hack your pc.
A trusted pc suddenly gets a new screen with a message it is not, don't fill in your password, just click it away and fill
your pw in the zone where it is supposed to be (they insist several times, so far the 3rd time you get the regular logon screen.

Some context and additional information on what happened before and during the incident is needed here and should be supplied to ZoS. When does this screen prompt appear, when logging into the forums, into your account page, into the game, while in game? And why would anyone fill in their password if they're already logged in and in playing zone, that makes no sense you should be kicked to the login screen if you're in game and you need to re-login. What preceded this incident, was it responding to the Russian email that davidtk referenced, installing a new addon, did you think a Nigerian Price was sending you $20M and followed his instructions, failed to forward a chainmail to 20 people?

Elsonso · January 2023

Rastapasta wrote: »

Watch out there are attempts to hack your pc.
A trusted pc suddenly gets a new screen with a message it is not, don't fill in your password, just click it away and fill
your pw in the zone where it is supposed to be (they insist several times, so far the 3rd time you get the regular logon screen.

Not to be too flippant, but that happens on every day that ends in a "Y". There is never a time to sit back and relax when it comes to computer security.

moonsister · January 2023

I just had the same problem. Pop-up saying this was not a trusted PC and I needed to fill in the access code send via mail associated with this account. If I do not get the email I can try to get a new access code in 24 (!) hours. Clicking it away with "cancel" and logging in worked.

I was simply assuming my provider gave me a new IP address or something. It happens sometimes.

Amottica · January 2023

@ZOS_Kevin @ZOS_GinaBruno

any word on this?

Ragnork · January 2023

moonsister wrote: »

I just had the same problem. Pop-up saying this was not a trusted PC and I needed to fill in the access code send via mail associated with this account. If I do not get the email I can try to get a new access code in 24 (!) hours. Clicking it away with "cancel" and logging in worked.

I was simply assuming my provider gave me a new IP address or something. It happens sometimes.

Clicking it away does not always work, and sometimes it can take a very long time (30 minutes plus) for the email to come through. By which time I have moved onto something else. The email reminds me to login - then I need to get a new passcode. All very frustrating.
I like the steam authenticator. I have the code on my phone. No more waiting on email server talking to email server.

FeedbackOnly · January 2023

Rastapasta wrote: »

Watch out there are attempts to hack your pc.
A trusted pc suddenly gets a new screen with a message it is not, don't fill in your password, just click it away and fill
your pw in the zone where it is supposed to be (they insist several times, so far the 3rd time you get the regular logon screen.

That's not an hacking attempt. Your ip changed so it's asking to confirm it's really you. This is standard security protection.

Umbro100 · January 2023

FeedbackOnly wrote: »

Rastapasta wrote: »

Watch out there are attempts to hack your pc.
A trusted pc suddenly gets a new screen with a message it is not, don't fill in your password, just click it away and fill
your pw in the zone where it is supposed to be (they insist several times, so far the 3rd time you get the regular logon screen.

That's not an hacking attempt. Your ip changed so it's asking to confirm it's really you. This is standard security protection.

No. I have a static ip, last night I got the message 3x in a row when trying to log in, got the access code in the mail each time and each time it was a wrong one, sould not log in with it. I quit, tried 15min later and logged in with no problems, no messages.Something weird is/was going on at zos.

Khenarthi · January 2023

moonsister wrote: »

I just had the same problem. Pop-up saying this was not a trusted PC and I needed to fill in the access code send via mail associated with this account. If I do not get the email I can try to get a new access code in 24 (!) hours. Clicking it away with "cancel" and logging in worked.

I was simply assuming my provider gave me a new IP address or something. It happens sometimes.

I had this same message today in one of my accounts. I have 4 accounts, and when logging in to account number 3 this message came up. While I waited for the code to come into account 3's email inbox, I logged to account number 4 with no problem so it was not an IP thing.

Ended up changing passwords in all accounts just to be safe.

DinoZavr · January 2023

Um, attaching/deattaching USB drive makes ESO client believe your Hardware ID has changed.
Removable flash drives do not trigger that behaviour.
But, yes, something wrong is happening with one-time codes recently.

Elsonso · January 2023

DinoZavr wrote: »

Um, attaching/deattaching USB drive makes ESO client believe your Hardware ID has changed.
Removable flash drives do not trigger that behaviour.
But, yes, something wrong is happening with one-time codes recently.

They said in another thread that they made changes to the OTP system and that we may see OTP email more often. If we see it when we are not attempting to log in, that is a problem.

It is completely normal to get the ZOS dialog box that is presented above, with a corresponding email, and entering in the code from that email into the dialog is also normal.

Redguards_Revenge · January 2023

TechMaybeHic · January 2023

I've basically received the dialogue box at login after I enter the wrong password, which is weird to me. If I cancel and enter my correct password in the correct spot, it's fine.

Tenthirty2 · January 2023

Ok drama check, this is not hacking.
This is ZOS slacking.

Jokes aside, this has been happening for me since the most recent maintenance day.
Their OTP routine needs some tweaking, it's not working right for me at all. But in a good-broken way lol.
*If* I get the prompt (it doesn't happen every time) I can just dismiss the dialogue box and enter my password in the regular logon field a second time. Then it lets me in.

Odd behaviour, but nothing that would make me worry that they or I have been "hacked".

StormBlade512 · January 2023

I've literally moved to a million different places with brand new IPs and never once have I been prompted to enter an access code lol. Low-key scared for my account

ZOS_Kevin · January 2023

Hi All,

We posted an update about this a few days ago. You can find the post here.

This should have all of the information needed. But if you have additional questions or issues, please follow the instructions to submit a ticket and customer service should be able to assist.

Elsonso · January 2023

StormBlade512 wrote: »

I've literally moved to a million different places with brand new IPs and never once have I been prompted to enter an access code lol. Low-key scared for my account

I actually don't think it has anything to do with IP address, despite what they say.

I come across it a bit and it is annoying but normal. It is relatively easy to poke it so that it happens, as I don't think that ZOS stores much in the way of history. I find that if I am doing something out of my normal behavior that triggers it, like logging into the game and PTS from a different PC, then when I return to my normal behavior, ZOS has forgotten about me on that hardware and I have to do it again.

As I am still maintaining and testing addons, I run across this about once per update when I log into the game to test addons from my development PC.

Deter1UK · January 2023

Elsonso wrote: »

As I am still maintaining and testing addons, I run across this about once per update when I log into the game to test addons from my development PC.

@Elsonso

For which: a sincere and heartfelt ‘Thank you’ !

Danikat · January 2023

I just got this for the first time today: logging in on my usual PC and on the first attempt it told me I had to put in a code, but I cancelled it and logged in again and on the 2nd attempt it just let me in.

I hope it would only do that if the PC was actually one I'd previously logged in on and the code requirement was a glitch. I don't mind being asked for a code when I don't need it, but I'd hate to think someone else could get around the code prompt by cancelling it and trying again.

I also just noticed there's a code from the 18th in my spam folder, and that email is n Russian.

Whatever's going with this I hope it gets sorted out soon.

Edit: I just saw they're doing maintenance on the account system again, so that may be why.

Syldras · January 2023

There's account system maintenance again at the moment. So it seems they're working on it.

Elsonso · January 2023

Danikat wrote: »

I just got this for the first time today: logging in on my usual PC and on the first attempt it told me I had to put in a code, but I cancelled it and logged in again and on the 2nd attempt it just let me in.

I hope it would only do that if the PC was actually one I'd previously logged in on and the code requirement was a glitch. I don't mind being asked for a code when I don't need it, but I'd hate to think someone else could get around the code prompt by cancelling it and trying again.

I also just noticed there's a code from the 18th in my spam folder, and that email is n Russian.

Whatever's going with this I hope it gets sorted out soon.

Edit: I just saw they're doing maintenance on the account system again, so that may be why.

Sigh. Once the login requires a OTP, the account should be flagged so that it cannot be used until the code is entered. I can see why they do what they do, though. Email is not exactly reliable, and these things can be blocked as spam. That would result in an account not being able to log in until the spam situation was dealt with. Not all spam gets sent to a spam folder.

Some spam never even arrives. It is blocked at the mail server. That was a problem early in the life of the game.

We never find out why they do maintenance on the store and account system, but it is equally possible that all of this is related to the new content being announced next week. Hopefully, the stage everything in advance and flip a switch, rather than taking everything down and holding it offline until they are ready.

G1Countdown · January 2023

In all fairness @ZOS_Kevin , Zos did not post an update. Zos replied when it was brought to their attention. And then proceeded to lock the thread and have said thread drift away into eternity with “all of the information needed.”

If Zos really wants to make a new post about this, they would create a sticky and educate their customer base.

StormBlade512 · January 2023

Elsonso wrote: »

StormBlade512 wrote: »

I've literally moved to a million different places with brand new IPs and never once have I been prompted to enter an access code lol. Low-key scared for my account

I actually don't think it has anything to do with IP address, despite what they say.

I come across it a bit and it is annoying but normal. It is relatively easy to poke it so that it happens, as I don't think that ZOS stores much in the way of history. I find that if I am doing something out of my normal behavior that triggers it, like logging into the game and PTS from a different PC, then when I return to my normal behavior, ZOS has forgotten about me on that hardware and I have to do it again.

As I am still maintaining and testing addons, I run across this about once per update when I log into the game to test addons from my development PC.

This is interesting because I was prompted a code when I logged in to the NA server which I don't think I've ever done before then, my pc has remained ever the same throughout the time I've had the account so maybe that's why

Elsonso · January 2023

G1Countdown wrote: »

In all fairness @ZOS_Kevin , Zos did not post an update. Zos replied when it was brought to their attention. And then proceeded to lock the thread and have said thread drift away into eternity with “all of the information needed.”

I'm confused (as usual). ZOS_Kevin linked directly to the update, which basically summed up everything.

ZOS_Kevin · January 2023

G1Countdown wrote: »

In all fairness @ZOS_Kevin , Zos did not post an update. Zos replied when it was brought to their attention. And then proceeded to lock the thread and have said thread drift away into eternity with “all of the information needed.”

If Zos really wants to make a new post about this, they would create a sticky and educate their customer base.

Just to clarify, we did post in another thread where players were noting similar issues. And it was flagged and added to the Dev Tracker, where all important posts are highlighted for player consumption on matters like this. This is a practice we follow to ensure if there are answers on relevant topics, that those answers are easily accessible.

AzuraFan · January 2023

Sometimes a Windows update triggers this too.

It's ridiculous that you can only request another email after waiting 24 hours (and also contradicts the following support article, that seems to think you can request another one after waiting 10 minutes):

https://help.elderscrollsonline.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/8724

I'd prefer a text with a code. At the very least, reduce the time you have to wait for an email.

TaSheen · January 2023

AzuraFan wrote: »

Sometimes a Windows update triggers this too.

It's ridiculous that you can only request another email after waiting 24 hours (and also contradicts the following support article, that seems to think you can request another one after waiting 10 minutes):

https://help.elderscrollsonline.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/8724

I'd prefer a text with a code. At the very least, reduce the time you have to wait for an email.

Yes, texts would be faster. But I can't receive texts or mobile calls at home (which is where I normally am of course). This is one of a very few places that nothing works: no mobile, no tv, no "real" internet. Very expensive land line phone, ditto tv dish, ditto satellite internet dish.

They could offer text or email; that would cover everyone.