Appeal to Community: My Password for the Game Stopped Working and I had to Reset it...

[Eugen Bold]

This is a bit off-topic, but I've deleted my social media and don't really have another place where I can casually ask for some IT advice, so I'm hoping it's okay if I ask all the fine people here

I played Elite Dangerous earlier today using the password I've always used. When I went to log on this evening after work, the launcher gave me an, "Incorrect Credentials" notice.

I checked my email tied to E and it did not have anything related to password changes (eg, no unauthorized password change requests). I was able to get the password reset without a problem.

Normally this would annoy me but I would think much of it, however within the past week I was not able to sign into the Frontier Store and had to reset that password as well. I've also twice now had issues with my university password and had to get it changed. All passwords have had numerous characters (letters, numbers, and non-alphanumerics when possible) so it's not possible that someone randomly guessed it. In all these cases there have been no emails tied to these accounts indicating that there were illegitimate password change requests.

What should I do?

Also, right now I'm doing a full scan with Windows Defender - I don't like Defender though because it has a bad habit of using more RAM than Chrome(!!!). I have been using Avast but for a while now it will intermittently give me a "UI Failed to Load" message and simply won't come on. This doesn't always happen though so I never let it bother me. At this point though, I'm sufficiently spooked that I'm interested in moving towards another, better-functioning AV software.

Also, thoughts on MalwareBytes anti-malware software?

Thanks for reading and for help. I've not really worried about computer security for a long while beyond good strong passwords, but I'm ready to change that now.

Cheers
~EB

 

[tafkabb]

Send in a support ticket with as much info as you can provide. They'll see you right.

https://support.frontier.co.uk/topic.php#

 

[Eugen Bold]

Send in a support ticket with as much info as you can provide.

Done, thank you.

That said, would anyone mind recommending good security software? Thanks again!

 

[CMDR Goro]

1st get some serious internet sequrity softwate (using Kaspersky myself) and do full scan to see if anything is lurking on your rig.
If/when its clean change all your passwords to ones that look like a cat walded on your keyboard (just dont turn into freekazoid).

Also i what you discribe sounds like some data corruption on FD side. Send support an msg.

 

[Eugen Bold]

1st get some serious internet sequrity softwate (using Kaspersky myself) and do full scan to see if anything is lurking on your rig.
If/when its clean change all your passwords to ones that look like a cat walded on your keyboard (just dont turn into freekazoid).

Also i what you discribe sounds like some data corruption on FD side. Send support an msg.

I've heard of Kaspersky, I'll take a closer look at it. Full scan is in progress but will probably take the rest of the night, I'll find out come morning if any unwelcome visitors made themselves at home by then.

Ticket sent! We'll see what they say

 

[tafkabb]

I play Elite on Xbox but I do have a PC which runs Linux (dual booting Win10 so I can stream the Xbox to it ) Obviously I'd recommend Linux as the most secure option. But don't worry about the RAM usage of Windows Defender; that's what the RAM is there for. Unused RAM is just a waste of RAM. It's a good program.

 

[MrFailfactory]

I use Kaspersky as well - this is just my opinion, but AV software that is sold in an actual store, on a shelf, has a certain higher level of accountability that goes along with it.

AV software that is free, and downloaded...well, most people can't really be sure about exactly what they got, now can they?

Riôt

 

[Eugen Bold]

I play Elite on Xbox but I do have a PC which runs Linux (dual booting Win10 so I can stream the Xbox to it ) Obviously I'd recommend Linux as the most secure option. But don't worry about the RAM usage of Windows Defender; that's what the RAM is there for. Unused RAM is just a waste of RAM. It's a good program.

I actually considered using a Linux distro but decided against it. As for RAM usage, I have 16GBs and Defender can use so much it can cause the games I play to lag and stutter, so another option would be really nice.

I use Kaspersky as well - this is just my opinion, but AV software that is sold in an actual store, on a shelf, has a certain higher level of accountability that goes along with it.

AV software that is free, and downloaded...well, most people can't really be sure about exactly what they got, now can they?

I was at the time - and still am - a poor college student, so PC security options were very limited to begin with. As for on-the-store-shelves, my family has used McAffee and Norton AV. One day I some malware trying to look like AV software ("Secure Fortress 2012") show up on my computer and had the classic, "You have threats on your PC and require action now! Click here to buy product!" message. Being young, I first thought my dad had installed new software on the computer. When I tried to do different things on the computer (eg, open Word for school assignments), it automatically closed them for "Security Reasons". I got suspicious, and ran a full McAfee scan. Disappointingly, it said, "No threats found." So I opened up Internet Explorer (I was indeed very young and didn't know about Chrome, this was also years before Edge ), and found a tutorial and fix online using MalwareBytes Anti-Malware software. The fix involved numerous things beyond MalwareBytes working, but I got it fixed. In the end, I had an overall bad taste in my mouth with regards to the in-the-store AV software.

Speaking of free and downloaded AV, Kaspersky has such an option. Thoughts on it?

 

[iSteel]

Do a clean install for your PC if you can. That is the only reliable way to remove malicious software. In Windows 10 you can do this without loosing programs and data, but it might keep infected files. Keep your PC behind a router. Don't connect to any open wifi spots, or if you do be sure to use VPN service and firewall. Protect your PC with usernama and password. If multiple users, give separated usermame to everyone.

Also change all your passwords. If someone has access to your e-mail they can change your passwords in services that use that e-mail address. Use different password for all services. Delete the sevices you don't use. Only use the services from your PC, if you use your phone, check if that is secure also.

Don't download and install anything that you don't know to your PC. Don't let anyone to install anything without you knowing. Don't click on any suspicious web site or popup.

I am using Windows 10 default firewall and antivirus in my home network. It is enough for me and I would not use anything else.

 

[Heater]

Using ESET Smart Security and malware bytes.... Cost a bit, but never have any problems, ESET takes a while to get set up (if you do it manually) and you need to create rule sets (I do this by hand as I want to know what is inbound and outbound)

 

[Pykan]

Do a clean install for your PC if you can. That is the only reliable way to remove malicious software.

What kind of advice is this, sorry but this is nonsense.

Eugen, get some decent free security will be enough to see you through. AVG or AVAST are both decent enough, Clamwin if you want also. As has already been mentioned, Malwarebytes also. I dunno if it works in windows 10 but you can run Rkill on your machine which will kill all known malicious software running on your rig.

Ccleaner, AdwCleaner, Malwarebytes Ant-Root Kit are also very nice programs to be using. Older but still available and being updated is Spybot Search and Destroy.

After these your rig should be free of any malicious software.

Also for passwords and the such I'd suggest using Keypass.

If you need any help shoot me a mail.
(as a PS : you'll not be able to run ED on a Nix Distro)

 

[CMDR Goro]

I can wholeheartedly recomend Kaspersky (Internet Sequrity version). Its not expensive (eaven cheap if you go for "several machines" license). Has minimal resources usage and offers decent protection. Is usually updated every day (sometimes few times sqme day) has many non database scan options on top of that (behavioural and heuristic filters). And can detect rootkits (eaven remove some of em).

TLDR:
Kaspersky FTW

ps. I am not payed for promoting it.

 

[Crank Larson]

Send in a support ticket with as much info as you can provide. They'll see you right.

Advising someone to contact the support department of a game they play when they think they are having computer security issues is not good advice. Just as the support department of said game are not the correct people to contact about this.

 

[Jack Schitt]

Just an observation, but aren't the Frontier Store and game credentials the same? So if you changed your game login, the store would complain because it was expecting the new password. If you changed the store password, you may have inadvertently changed the game password for the second time. This may bite you if you ever log out of the launcher and try to log in again.

There may be other stuff going on here (like your uni password) but I wouldn't worry too much about being unable to log into the store if you changed the game credentials. AFAIK that's how it's supposed to work. It's how FD tie store purchases to your in-game character.

 

[Smykes]

MalwareBytes free download.. good choice...
I had some PC issues a while ago and an ITfriend suggested it.
It found things that several other bignames didnt.
I read somewhere that most techpeople think Windows Defender is a joke..if I can find that source Ill add it to this thread.
AVG antivirus runs in the background and a weekly scan by Malwarebytes..no issues since.

 

[Crank Larson]

I read somewhere that most techpeople think Windows Defender is a joke..if I can find that source Ill add it to this thread.

Any technical person worth their salt will tell you that all security products have flaws. Please do post your source, as this kind of comment without any evidence to back it up does more harm than good.

 

[IndigoWyrd]

Malwarebytes is a great program, I highly recommend it.
Antivirus really doesn't make much of a difference, they're really all about the same, and malware is a much bigger threat these days.

Of course, no amount of anti-virus or malware protection will protect anyone from the biggest issue out there - the individual user. Scams are nearly omnipresent, and they keep looking more and more legitimate, and come in more and more forms every day. And universities remain the roadside brothels of the internet, as this is where 80% of viruses and malware are developed and released into the wild.

 

[Eugen Bold]

Thanks all. I looked into the issue about Avast not working properly and it looks like a simple reinstall will do the trick.

Just an observation, but aren't the Frontier Store and game credentials the same? So if you changed your game login, the store would complain because it was expecting the new password.

This occurred to me as well later on - I may have just been all-thumbs when I went to the Frontier Store. I know I was already logged into the game when I changed the password, so since I forgot the two accounts are one-in-the-same, and I couldn't log back in later on, I thought something was fishy. Guess it was a false-alarm though. My university password was also cumbersome and probably too long for my own good, so probably no issues there either

I read somewhere that most techpeople think Windows Defender is a joke..

That's been my impression of it as well, however an IT or programmer (can't remember his exact profession) said he used it and things were just fine for him. Oh well.

Thanks for all the help guys, I really appreciate it

 

[EUS]

I don't use MS products for shady browsing, gaming only.
That said, I've been fine with Avira free as anti virus, but I believe one of the best defenses is a HOSTS file. Keep it updated. I used avast since X64 days, but hated it since v7, and dumped it for avira.
http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.htm

 

[Magic Man]

I use Kaspersky as well - this is just my opinion, but AV software that is sold in an actual store, on a shelf, has a certain higher level of accountability that goes along with it.

AV software that is free, and downloaded...well, most people can't really be sure about exactly what they got, now can they?

Riôt

Sorry, but that's a load of rubbish. I can point you to numerous paid products that will do absolutely nothing - the common "speed up", "memory optimiser" etc. snake oil rubbish springs to mind.

The reverse argument is that AV software developed, maintained and recommended by the developer of your OS is probably going to be pretty good - it's in their best interest. (it is btw)