Is MMORPG safe?

Matts · January 2005

My brother plays with WoW and Dark Age Of Camelot.
He told me that in order to play the games, he has to disable his antivirus.
He told me that the companies themselves said to disable antivirus.
Is it true that while playing online, it is perfectly safe to play without antivirus/no protection at all?

kboy_5 · January 2005

yeah just make sure you dont download any emails or go lookin at porn

you have to do something to catch a virus man

lotharr · January 2005

I can tell you

I had same problem with DAoC

But there didnt come any virus on my computer

Its cause the Anti-Virus program Disables the connection automatically...

They are safe.

And that Virus problem you will have only in those games

Im 17,94% nerd.

Just tested.

Johnark · January 2005

Well, the only way to get a Virus these days is via email or if someone lends you a diskette or CD that has a virus on it and you accidently run it so that it will infect your whole PC.

I don't even have an Anti-Virus anymore they all slow down your PC in the long run, they take up Windows ressources for nothing, and it's a total waste. The only thing an Anti-Virus does is scan files to see if they are infected. So when installing and running a MMORPG, they aren't infected if you bought the game, all updates are virus-free, and your Anti-Virus never scans those files in the first place.

So if you don't open emails that have titles likes "Hello!" or "Hi remember me?" then you are safe. And if your friends ever do give you a diskette or CD, I suggest you don't even use it. And if you absolutely have to use it, install an Anti-Virus, scan it, then uninstall it.

And believe me, the day a company will release a game that accidently contains a virus on their CDs, you could sue their @sses off so bad for infecting your PC with their software.

What you need for a MMORPG is a firewall! That's it. Since MMORPGs are online, there are certain ports in Windows that are open to be able to play. If somehow some hacker found a way to pass through a port that a MMORPG opens, your firewall will do the job to stop them! Not an Anti-Virus. And if you have a legit Windows XP copy, you can download Service Pack 2 and use it's built-in Firewall! If you have a copied WinXP, then you can't download Service Pack 2 and you have to buy a Firewall software.

The media is scarring people to buy Anti-Viruses and making it sound like everyone needs one! People that don't know much about PCs need Anti-Viruses! They will open emails of all kinds and will take CDs and floppies from whoever they know and thanks to an Anti-Virus, it will stop the virus from entering the moment they open that infected attachment in an email or CD/floppy they got from their friend.

Oakstead · January 2005

You don't have to disable antivirus for WOW. Most gamers disable anti-virus just to get some added performance but I don't notice any difference in that game.

Tacklebury · January 2005

Aye, I use Anti-Vir and can keep it running during WoW play, although it adds a slight lag. I normally close it if I'm not going to be checking email or surfing while playing. It's a nice free anti-virus and has found stuff that Norton and the others miss. If you want to check it out it is at: http://www.free-av.com. Peace

PS: And no I don't work for them or anything

Tacklebury --}>>>

Explorer 93%
Achiever 53%
Socializer 33%
Killer 20%

Dekron · January 2005

Originally posted by Johnark

Well, the only way to get a Virus these days is via email or if someone lends you a diskette or CD that has a virus on it and you accidently run it so that it will infect your whole PC.

Umm, sorry to sound as if I am bashing you, but you don't know what you're talking about. Ever hear of Netsky, or even Mydoom, or all their little variants? They just worm through the Internet and infect unsuspecting PCs like yours. You don't need to download, install, etc. anything, these viruses take all the necessity out of that. Disabling your antivirus and firewall programs to play a game is leaving yourself open for bad news. For one, anti-virus software cannot disconnect you from a game, but a firewall can. Solution: Open the ports necessary for a game to run on. You may be mistaking the companies statement to turn off antivirus software during installation, that's it.

--------------------------------------------

33.333333333333336% of me is a huge nerd! How about you?

Killer 100%
Achiever 53%
Explorer 33%
Socializer 13%

--------------------------------------------

dsorrent · January 2005

Originally posted by dekron
Originally posted by Johnark
Well, the only way to get a Virus these days is via email or if someone lends you a diskette or CD that has a virus on it and you accidently run it so that it will infect your whole PC.Umm, sorry to sound as if I am bashing you, but you don't know what you're talking about. Ever hear of Netsky, or even Mydoom, or all their little variants? They just worm through the Internet and infect unsuspecting PCs like yours. You don't need to download, install, etc. anything, these viruses take all the necessity out of that. Disabling your antivirus and firewall programs to play a game is leaving yourself open for bad news. For one, anti-virus software cannot disconnect you from a game, but a firewall can. Solution: Open the ports necessary for a game to run on. You may be mistaking the companies statement to turn off antivirus software during installation, that's it. --------------------------------------------
33.333333333333336% of me is a huge nerd! How about you?
Killer 100% Achiever 53% Explorer 33% Socializer 13%
--------------------------------------------

Actually, both of those virus's you mentioned spread via e-mail or p2p networks. Disabling a firewall/antivirus to play a MMORPG is usually safe if you utilize a cable/DSL router. The reason being is that your cable/DSL router is assigned your world readable IP address so without any port forwarding configured on it, any attempts to gain access to your machine while you play your MMORPG will not know where to route when it gets to your router. The real key is to remember to start these back up AFTER playing your MMORPG, which alot of people forget. Then they hit a website which has an ActiveX Downloader/Trojan on it and their system falls apart.

AngryHippie · January 2005

Like Johnark said, you only need a firewall running when you play. I've disabled my antivirus and only run it once a month.

Rvincent · January 2005

the only way you can ever get a virus thru MMORPG's is if the developer slips in a virus into it! On some antivirals you can set it to ignore certain games..

Anofalye · January 2005

Well...

As soon as you are on the internet, nothing is safe in theory.

In practice, unless some hackers spot you(from outside the game, hell-o cable user), you should be safe, I mean, to get to you from within the game it would required a LOT of skills, considering those big companies dont want that. They are fighting teams of skilled programmers, like SoE or Blizzard. Those skilled enought for that want to be hired by those companies and have no interest with puny little us, so they may make the game crash or something, but they should never touch you, I think it is against a code of ethic they usually have as well. To those hackers, we are noobs and it is not even worthy to mess with us, not to mention it would make them feel bad possibly.

If a hacker can pass throught SoE or Blizzard, they certainly can pass throught whatever protection you are running, quite easily.

So I would say, yes, it is as safe as you can hope it to be.

- "Solo is, will always be, the main market. A MMORPG that succeed with little or no solo appeal is doing great considering they are ignoring the main player base.''

Silver. · January 2005

probably said here before but, D/L ServicePack2 if you have windows. Use the firewall. Perfecly safe!
Once someone hacked my computer, the only way to that is to get some sort of programs. That are rara and cost money. What they do is they controll your computer.
If that happens, just pull the plug.

Yeah deal with it, or else ::::15::
---------------------------------------------------
Cheers! I'm out ::::28::
---------------------------------------------

Avitu · January 2005

Originally posted by dsorrent
Originally posted by dekron
Originally posted by Johnark
Well, the only way to get a Virus these days is via email or if someone lends you a diskette or CD that has a virus on it and you accidently run it so that it will infect your whole PC.Umm, sorry to sound as if I am bashing you, but you don't know what you're talking about. Ever hear of Netsky, or even Mydoom, or all their little variants? They just worm through the Internet and infect unsuspecting PCs like yours. You don't need to download, install, etc. anything, these viruses take all the necessity out of that. Disabling your antivirus and firewall programs to play a game is leaving yourself open for bad news. For one, anti-virus software cannot disconnect you from a game, but a firewall can. Solution: Open the ports necessary for a game to run on. You may be mistaking the companies statement to turn off antivirus software during installation, that's it. --------------------------------------------
33.333333333333336% of me is a huge nerd! How about you?
Killer 100% Achiever 53% Explorer 33% Socializer 13%
--------------------------------------------

Actually, both of those virus's you mentioned spread via e-mail or p2p networks. Disabling a firewall/antivirus to play a MMORPG is usually safe if you utilize a cable/DSL router. The reason being is that your cable/DSL router is assigned your world readable IP address so without any port forwarding configured on it, any attempts to gain access to your machine while you play your MMORPG will not know where to route when it gets to your router. The real key is to remember to start these back up AFTER playing your MMORPG, which alot of people forget. Then they hit a website which has an ActiveX Downloader/Trojan on it and their system falls apart.

Erm...nope.? they spread via mail and even via chat programs.
I work for an ISP and I've seen the case but all too often.
The only reason disabling firewall/antivirus is safe for routers is because most have their own firewall, but you still won't be safe for viruses.
I encountered the problem. Imagine a company with 6 or 7 pc's. None had a peer to peer program, but still they had MyDoom...And they were using a Cisco 800 series router... so far for your router theory.

Avitu · January 2005

Originally posted by Silver.
probably said here before but, D/L ServicePack2 if you have windows. Use the firewall. Perfecly safe!
Once someone hacked my computer, the only way to that is to get some sort of programs. That are rara and cost money. What they do is they controll your computer.
If that happens, just pull the plug.
Yeah deal with it, or else
---------------------------------------------------
Cheers! I'm out
---------------------------------------------

If you want problems, you download service pack 2.

Basically, lots of DSL modems have problems operating under windows service pack 2. If you have a USB DSL modem, you have about 50% chance that it starts freaking out as soon as you install SP 2..
If however, you use an ethernet modem, you should be relatively safe under SP 2.
That is, as long as you don't use one of the 150+ programs that do not work correctly under SP 2. ( among which are a few Microsoft programs. Now go figure that out! ::::40:: )

Silver. · January 2005

Originally posted by Avitu
Originally posted by Silver.
probably said here before but, D/L ServicePack2 if you have windows. Use the firewall. Perfecly safe!
Once someone hacked my computer, the only way to that is to get some sort of programs. That are rara and cost money. What they do is they controll your computer.
If that happens, just pull the plug.
Yeah deal with it, or else
---------------------------------------------------
Cheers! I'm out
---------------------------------------------

If you want problems, you download service pack 2.

Basically, lots of DSL modems have problems operating under windows service pack 2. If you have a USB DSL modem, you have about 50% chance that it starts freaking out as soon as you install SP 2..
If however, you use an ethernet modem, you should be relatively safe under SP 2.
That is, as long as you don't use one of the 150+ programs that do not work correctly under SP 2. ( among which are a few Microsoft programs. Now go figure that out! ::::40:: )

I never had A SINGLE .problem with SP2!!!
Belive that!

Yeah deal with it, or else ::::15::
---------------------------------------------------
Cheers! I'm out ::::28::
---------------------------------------------

Avitu · January 2005

Consider yourself lucky ::::02::
As I said, I work for an ISP, and the number of problems we see due to service pack 2 is terrifying.
Modems not responding, mail software crashes, etc...

you might wanna check this out:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/09/02/winxpsp2_security_review/page3.html

If your PC is specifically designed for gaming, then you might have less problems, of course, but a PC that serves more purpose than gaming will probably have a lot of troubles with Win XP SP 2.

LightSlayer · January 2005

Originally posted by Rvincent
the only way you can ever get a virus thru MMORPG's is if the developer slips in a virus into it! On some antivirals you can set it to ignore certain games..

Nicely said, I mean cmon, if you got INET running while your playing maybe you will get virus, plus we got SP2 as a additional firewall. I played for a while and you can 99.99999999% never get virus playing a MMO, are you insane? Why would developers even nuke your computers with virus's. At very worst they would hack your ACCOUNT. Pffffffft

---------------------------------------------

Destroyeron · January 2005

Originally posted by Johnark
Well, the only way to get a Virus these days is via email or if someone lends you a diskette or CD that has a virus on it and you accidently run it so that it will infect your whole PC.
I don't even have an Anti-Virus anymore they all slow down your PC in the long run, they take up Windows ressources for nothing, and it's a total waste. The only thing an Anti-Virus does is scan files to see if they are infected. So when installing and running a MMORPG, they aren't infected if you bought the game, all updates are virus-free, and your Anti-Virus never scans those files in the first place.
So if you don't open emails that have titles likes "Hello!" or "Hi remember me?" then you are safe. And if your friends ever do give you a diskette or CD, I suggest you don't even use it. And if you absolutely have to use it, install an Anti-Virus, scan it, then uninstall it.
And believe me, the day a company will release a game that accidently contains a virus on their CDs, you could sue their @sses off so bad for infecting your PC with their software.
What you need for a MMORPG is a firewall! That's it. Since MMORPGs are online, there are certain ports in Windows that are open to be able to play. If somehow some hacker found a way to pass through a port that a MMORPG opens, your firewall will do the job to stop them! Not an Anti-Virus. And if you have a legit Windows XP copy, you can download Service Pack 2 and use it's built-in Firewall! If you have a copied WinXP, then you can't download Service Pack 2 and you have to buy a Firewall software.
The media is scarring people to buy Anti-Viruses and making it sound like everyone needs one! People that don't know much about PCs need Anti-Viruses! They will open emails of all kinds and will take CDs and floppies from whoever they know and thanks to an Anti-Virus, it will stop the virus from entering the moment they open that infected attachment in an email or CD/floppy they got from their friend.

Do you surf the internet very often? I doubt it.

I don't have to disable my Antivirus for WoW either, it runs just fine with it.

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